Vows – United For Life
Along the halls of the United Nations, human rights lawye r Jan Hessbruegge and Jamaican administrative chief Sharon Haughton found a connection that transcended their work for peace and justice. This was a different kind of accord, one built on mutual respect and faith that would lead to their nuptials on July 20, 2025, at The Palms, Rose Hall, Jamaica.
Their paths crossed serendipitously at a team meeting in 2023. All it took was a single glance for a spark to ignite.
“He told me he was completely smitten from the very first time he saw me, and I felt the same way,” Sharon told Tuesday Style Vows (TSV)
. “We both shared, very early, that we considered each other kind, cute and attractive, but became friends at first since we worked together.”
Months later, a lunch date, followed by dinner, would mark the true start of their romance. While Jan’s complete acceptance of her faith and lifestyle made Sharon feel truly seen, it was his trustworthiness that solidified her belief that he was her soulmate.
“When we spent New Year’s Eve in 2023 on the phone — he in Sri Lanka and me in Geneva with a cold, he made sure that we could enjoy it together, and it made the moment special,” Sharon reflected. “That’s when I knew I could not be without him.”
Then, on October 25, 2024, Jan proposed, ensuring Sharon’s birthday weekend would be unforgettable.
“We went sailing on the Côte d’Azur in a small boat on a stormy sea, and just as we pulled into the harbour, he surprised me with a proposal. Of course, I said yes!” Sharon reminisced. The proposal was truly a moment where a family became one, as Jan brought two children from a previous relationship into the new union.
Nearly a year later, friends and family from around the world gathered at the Palms, which Tropical Weddings Jamaica expertly decorated. Sharon wore an ivory satin gown from The F Dress in Geneva, Switzerland, and Jan was sharp in a tuxedo.
To the strains of Kina Grannis’s cover of Can’t Help Falling in Love, Sharon began her walk up the aisle. Her father, Derron Haughton, proudly walked her halfway before Jan took over, leading her to the altar, where Pastor Lynval Henry awaited to officiate the ceremony.
The celebrations continued with a banquet catered by Junior Francis Catering. The real show-stopper was Jan’s surprise performance of Popcaan’s hit
Clarks, which received thunderous cheers, prompting DJ Shem to “pull up” the song three times! Later, Sharon and Jan cut their three-tiered rum-flavoured, coconut and almond cake provided by Tropical Weddings Jamaica, before opening the dance floor to Lionel Richie’s Stuck on You.
The newly-weds honeymooned at Serendipity Jamaica Villas in Montego Bay and Golden Eye, St Mary.
Photos: Tool Cool Photography
Sharon, escorted by her father Derron Haughton, walks up the aisle to Kina Grannis’s cover of Can’t Help Falling in Love. Tool Cool Photography
After Sharon’s father Derron escorts her halfway up the aisle, Jan walks with her the rest of the way to the altar. Tool Cool Photography
To the cheers of their loved ones, Mr and Mrs Jan Hessbruegge step out for the first time as husband and wife. Tool Cool Photography
Jan (second left) relishes the occasion with groomsman Nicardo Thomas (left), best man Drew Gardiner (right) and son William Hessebruegge. Tool Coolm Photography