At last

My love has come along

My lonely days are over

And life is like a song.

At last

The skies above are blue

My heart was wrapped up in clover

The night I looked at you.

At Last by Etta James

While some connections require patience to build, others are undeniable, a magnetic pull that defies distance and circumstance. For respiratory therapist Gabrielle Alcine and barber Jevon Aitken, that connection manifested quickly, painting a love story that bloomed at the altar on January 26, 2025 at The Lavish Palms in Kingston. With their closest in attendance, the couple made their promises for the future, highlighting how something as simple as a direct message can be truly life-altering.

“Our paths crossed online, Instagram of all places, back in August 2023”, Gabrielle admitted to Tuesday Style Vows (TSV) “At first, I was taken by his good looks, but it was his way with words that completely won me over. The attraction was mutual based on the six to eight hours we’d stay on the phone. We’d even fall asleep on the phone and wake up the next morning still on the phone,” she shared.

The more they chatted and got to know each other, the more she fell for him. There wasn’t any need for the formality of asking her out, as Gabrielle already felt a connection. With their first face-to-face meeting in March 2024, Gabrielle knew she’d found her soulmate.

“I just knew he was my man and I was his woman. I realised he was the one for me by the way he cared for me. He was always available mentally, emotionally and physically,” Gabrielle said. “He loved me no matter what! I could talk to him about anything — he became my best friend and confidant.”

That love would culminate in a memorable proposal on October 29, 2024 while at dinner with family and friends at Gloria’s Seafood Restaurant in Port Royal.

“The food was taking some time so we decided to go for a walk and we ended up where the boats dock… Twenty minutes go by and we get a call that the food is ready. So I gathered my bag and said ‘Come on, babe, the food is ready.’ Jevon said, ‘Okay. But before we go, I need to ask you something.’ By the time I turned around, he was on one knee,” Gabrielle recalled. “I also dropped with him because I was so shocked!”

For the wedding three months later, Gabrielle donned an off-white, off-the-shoulder satin wedding gown, while Jevon sported a white and black tuxedo. Escorted by her mother Samalia Hines and cousin Leonard Plummer, Gabrielle walked up the aisle to the Etta James classic At Last. “I was a nervous wreck but standing alongside Jevon, made it all worth while,” Gabrielle recalled.

The festivities continued at the same venue where guests enjoyed a sumptuous meal. The reception area was adorned in Gabrielle’s favourite colours, black with red and gold accents, complemented by a glass sweetheart table topped with red roses. Formalities included heartfelt speeches, the cutting of a traditional wedding cake from the team at The Lavish Palms; and their first dance as husband and wife to Shania Twain’s Still The One.

The newly-weds honeymooned at Moon Palace Resort in Ocho Rios, St Ann.