A year to the date after quietly tying the knot, Tyrone and Yvette Officer are not just basking in wedded bliss as they celebrate their first wedding anniversary, but are ready to share their love story and nuptials with Tuesday Style Vows (TSV) readers.

How they met…

The two had known each other for years. In fact, Tyrone’s sister Paula was Yvette’s neighbour. Their official introduction took place at the Water Worl party in 2013. “I saw him at the party. But you know at a party you’re saying hi to everybody, but not paying attention to anyone in particular,” Yvette recalled. “I was just coming out of a relationship, so I wasn’t interested in anybody. He asked me for my number, and I said it quickly, not knowing that he would have caught it,” she shared with TSV.

He had! And called 48 hours later… Per Tyrone’s recollection… “It started very casual but as the years went on, we became more than just friends. I remember stopping by her house every night on my way from band practice before going home; we would sit and talk about everything.”

“We started seeing each other more often, going on dates, travelling to the country, just enjoying each other’s company. We couldn’t get enough of each other. We had our ups and downs but we never gave up on each other,” added Tyrone.

One thing that still stands out for Yvette is how Tyrone made her feel. “He always put me first… always introduced me as his girlfriend, and was always trying to pull me out of my shell,” she shared.

Opposites attract

The adage says perfect is not when two people are together. It’s when you’re both opposite but, in that way, you complete each other. “His personality is loud, he’s the life of the party,” said Yvette, who describes herself as reserved. She says people often ask her how the two get along so well. “After years, I figured it out. He reminds me not to take life so seriously, while I remind him to be serious about some things,” she said with a smile.

Tyrone’s take on the proposal

“I knew one day I’d marry her, but didn’t know the right time. On February 26, 2023, her birthday [while vacationing at the Hyatt Zilara Rose Hall] I asked her if she would be mine forever,” Tyrone told TSV.

“She’s all I ever wanted and more,” he expressed,” reminiscing on the proposal. “She’s my partner, my friend an mi ‘G’.”

Tyrone decided he did not want to wait long to get married, so in October of that same year, he set the wedding date for January 28, 2024.

With only four months to plan, Tyrone residing overseas, and no wedding planner, the crunch was on.

The nuptials

On Sunday, January 28, 2024, in an idyllic setting that blended romance, elegance, and the serenity of nature, Tyrone and Yvette said their ‘I do’s’ at the Chinese Gardens at Hope Botanical Gardens’, a venue suggested by a friend of the couple, Kedisha Nunez. “She mentioned the Chinese Gardens to us and how beautiful it was. We had no idea this section even existed. We Googled it, loved it, and booked it… It was four weeks before the wedding that we actually conducted our first site visit… we were just as thrilled.

“I knew I wanted something different from the traditional wedding, so when the Kings (friends of the couple who had recently had a similar-style wedding) suggested the idea of a brunch wedding, we were sold,” she said.

“Plus, in the Chinese culture, a leap year is considered lucky for weddings as it symbolises good fortune. [So that] sealed the deal for us,” said Yvette.

The ceremony was officiated by Reverend Nigel Martin from the Waltham Park New Testament Church of God, a church Tyrone once attended.

“I walked up the aisle escorted by my younger brother Kevaun to Ben E King’s Stand By Me. My dad, Nedston Thompson, passed a few years ago, and he loved this song, so for me walking up the aisle while it played made me feel like I was sharing that special moment with him,” shared Yvette.

The reception…

…took place at another section of the 11-acre space: The Yinbi Wall. The brunch-themed, party-like celebration featured dark green and white décor, string lights, and a personalised coconut jelly bar. Sakle T of Turbo Décor collaborated with the couple, as well as Cordell Officer Matthews and Jermaine King of Live Sound Productions, to coordinate the festivities. Jones Catering handled the fare as did Natalie Henry of the Garden Exclusive Restaurant. Henry also doubled as MC, guiding the party-style format the newly-weds requested. Johnathon Grant of Jae’s Kitchen876 created a lovely three-tier strawberry cake for the official cake-cutting, as well as vanilla strawberry and chocolate fudge cakes for the pastry bar. Honey-filled jars were the Officers’ wedding favours.

Yvette says though they skipped the usual formalities, there were a few heartfelt tributes worth mentioning. Lesburn DaCosta, director of St Jude’s ‘Renegades’, a marching band that Tyrone was once a member of, shared sentiments, as did band member Cleveland Coley, the groom’s sister Latoya Richards, the bride’s brother Jermaine Hall, and maid of honour Anika Richards.

The Officers enjoyed their first dance as husband and wife to Perfect by Ed Sheeran.

Later, the newly-weds honeymooned at Royalton Blue Waters.

Photography: Doshawn Smith

of Special Moments Photography

Bridal glam: Anita Heady

@Candy Beauty Salon_77