Torrential rains couldn’t put a damper on the union of two lovebirds who committed their lives and stewardship to each other.

November 4, 2024 was a memorable day for Leneka Rhoden and Lance Scott as they exchanged vows at the University Chapel on The University of the West Indies (The UWI), Mona campus. Family and friends braved the inclement weather to share in the couple’s special day.

Their journey to the altar began in 2019, when Rhoden, an environmental management consultant, was pursuing her Master of Philosophy degree in environmental biology at The UWI. During orientation, at the suggestion of her supervisor, she visited the Mona Association Post Graduate Students (MAPS) where she met Scott, an ambitious researcher and a PhD candidate who was eager to involve her in the group’s activities.

Rhoden was initially impressed by his sharp suit and professionalism, but her intense class schedule would not allow her to attend any meetings. It wasn’t until a year later, during the challenges associated with the COVID-19 pandemic, that their paths would cross again, this time with Scott seeking Rhoden’s vote for the MAPS presidency.

“I wasn’t going to support his candidacy but then my friends started to message me imploring me to support him. I realised then, that we had a lot of friends in common. My gut instincts told me that I should lend my support… something novel for me as I stay away from elections and all of that, so for me to do that was a big step,” Rhoden shared with Tuesday Style Vows (TSV).

A successful election concluded, Scott invited Rhoden to serve on his executive team. He showed his considerate side when they were getting ready to conduct a CVM Television interview for the association, when a couple acts of thoughtfulness made a lasting impression on Rhoden.

“I remember the morning when we had the interview, I messaged him and I said, ‘Oh, so like my car is down. How are we getting there?’ Because at the time we both lived on campus. So, he called a taxi to pick us up,” Scott said. “Then I messaged him again and said, ‘It’s so early, I’m going to need breakfast.’ So, he made me an egg sandwich and I thought that was the sweetest thing that someone could do and then it grew from there.”

The seeds were planted as their relationship progressed from meet-ups to discuss their professional and personal goals, to sharing their family celebrations at Christmas. It was a natural evolution that cemented their relationship in 2021. For Rhoden, Scott’s emotional maturity sealed the deal for her wanting to share a lifetime of memories with him.

“He is an emotionally mature man, which is rare in a university setting. That made the whole interaction non-toxic. We’ve never had a toxic moment. No matter if I am carrying on or being moody, he tends to focus on what matters,” Rhoden said. “He just says the things that are not even what you want to hear but what you need at the moment, and guides you through the rights and wrongs.”

For Scott, it was an easy decision to propose to Leneka, falling in love not only with her beauty but also with her strong character and her drive to succeed in every endeavour.

“We got to know each other very quickly because we were able to spend a lot of time together. Leneka is a very forward-thinking person; she loves very deeply, and she is a beautiful young lady. Those attributes led me to say that Leneka is the person that I want to spend the rest of my life with,” Scott informed TSV.

He got his favourable answer in September 2023, when he popped the question at Sora Japanese Cuisine in Kingston. Rhoden had been expecting a typical dinner. But his affectionate behaviour, which was more exuberant than normal, was a sign that her life was about to change.

“He made an effort to be sweet and ask me questions about how much I love him, and all of that. I wasn’t even answering straight. I was like ‘Why are you asking me all of this?’” Rhoden reflected. “But then after we had dinner, he got up, hugged me and asked me to kiss him. Flummoxed I asked, ‘Right here?’ And then he popped the question. I thought I was going to be the one to plan these things because he is not someone to plan a whole surprise!”

A tropical storm warning on their wedding day, caused by a system traversing the island, would have deterred most from coming out to celebrate their nuptials. However, amid the incoming inclement weather, Rhoden was touched by the number of guests who came to support them.

“For people to still show up, I was literally in tears to see all these people here to support me.” Rhoden said.

To the dulcet tones of From This Moment On by Shania Twain, Rhoden commenced her walk up the aisle in a custom dress made by Andre Shirley, with the chapel expertly decorated by S&L Events and Rentals. Rhoden was escorted by one of her mentors, Leighton McKnight, who had the honour of giving her away.

Emphasising their commitment to serving others, their wedding registry was used to establish the Scottsland Scholarship Fund, which provided over $200,000 of funding to three high school students, Campion College’s Rajhelia Christie, St George’s College’s Jerome Hayles and The Queen’s School’s Jayden Stephenson for Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate examinations, or their SAT exams. The scholarships were awarded during the ceremony.

Having been able to complete her studies on a scholarship, Rhoden said that it was important for others to have similar avenues to advance their education.

“Scholarships are really important to us because we know the opportunity that it presents to students for them to finish their education journey. I would not have been able to go to university without a scholarship and we know how important it is to get that kind of support,” Rhoden said.

After exchanging vows and sharing their first kiss as husband and wife, the festivities moved to Cable Hut Beach in Bull Bay, St Andrew, for the reception. Anticipating the deteriorating weather, reception planner Paulette Sutherland transformed the indoor space into an intimate setting that allowed guests to shelter and celebrate with the happy couple. Catering was provided by Kevin Campbell, Jodi-Kaye Brown and ET Coleman. The Scotts still enjoyed the traditional festivities of sharing their two-tier wedding cake done by Creations by Chelle, as well as their first dance as a married couple to Brian McKnight’s
Back at One.

Despite the downpour, it was a joyous occasion destined to create lasting memories.

“People were still there. People stayed. I remember seeing one of the wedding guests post on his Instagram ‘Look at me risking my life for love!’” said Rhoden.

The couple had a pre-honeymoon at the Courtleigh Hotel with plans for a proper honeymoon to Scotland.