First impressions proved deceptive for 2022 Jamaica Observer Table Talk Food Awards scholarship recipient Felecia Forde and trucker Miguel Martin, whose initial interactions were marked more by friction than flame. However, as fate and faith took hold, their conflict evolved into a profound love and a bond that now serves as the cornerstone of their love story.

How They Met

The initial spark occurred in 2017 when a mutual friend introduced them at a church youth meeting.

“My friend had stopped by to say hello and Miguel was the one who was driving. When Miguel drove off, I asked him, ‘Who was that guy?’ He told me his name and my only thought was that he had the most infectious smile I’d ever seen,” Felecia shared with Tuesday Style Vows (TSV).

But as Shakespeare famously said “The course of true love never did run smooth”, and the pair at first spent their time barely seeing eye to eye.

“I became a part of the youth ministry that he was already in and so we started spending a lot of time together. We could not get along and were constantly at odds,” Felecia admitted.

The discord slowly thawed, however, allowing a genuine friendship to take root. When their bond had progressed enough for Miguel to suggest a date, Felecia was nevertheless reluctant to risk their hard-won harmony. That caution dissolved during the summer of 2018. While away from Jamaica, Felecia realised that her thoughts kept returning to Miguel.

“We would call each other and talk for hours about everything: Life, school and church. He would make me laugh so hard. And, whatever challenges I was experiencing at school would disappear after talking to him about it,” Felecia said.

They made it official as a couple in the spring of 2019.

The Engagement

The first test of the strength of their relationship came when Felecia relocated to the United States for a year’s internship. While she worried the miles between them would take their toll, the distance only allowed Miguel to prove his devotion.

“I told him it wouldn’t work because a year is a long time to be apart from someone who you’ve just started dating. But he said, ‘I’ve waited for over two years to be with you and I will wait two more if that’s what it takes,’” Felecia said.

Miguel’s devotion never wavered, leading to a bond that has remained unbroken since his patient wait concluded in December 2024, during a scenic four-day road trip across the island. Having travelled from the south to the north coast, the couple made a final stop in Mandeville, where Miguel proposed.

“As he pulled out of the hardware parking lot he suddenly pulled over. In my mind his straps were not properly stored or he had left his paperwork. I honestly thought nothing of it. But then, he opened my side and climbed up,” Felecia said. “He started telling me how incredible the last four days had been and how the past five-and-a-half years together had been his most life-changing yet… He professed his love and pulled a red ring box from behind him. In his favourite place, doing his favourite thing he asked, ‘Will you marry me?’ I screamed and cried and said, ‘Yes!’”

The Wedding

Their journey reached a beautiful pinnacle when they tied the knot at the Salt Spring Baptist Church in Montego Bay on January 31, 2025.

The intimate ceremony provided the requisite setting for a union solidified by both love and loss. (Her mother passed earlier.)

“From the moment we got engaged and even prior we always wanted to elope. We knew we wanted a small and intimate wedding. We opted to save towards our future and to also travel. My mom died 19 days prior which was my greatest loss! So even though we planned to elope prior, this just solidified the decision,” Felecia told TSV.

In a personal gesture of remembrance, Felecia honoured her mother by wearing her vintage A-line wedding gown. With mentor Carlton Daley by her side, and to the strains of
Why I Love You by Major, she made her way towards Miguel, ready to formalise their union in a poignant ceremony led by Reverend Conrad Thomas.

“Everyone who attended made such great sacrifices for us to be there. They all drove from very far just to witness our union and that was the most memorable moment,” Felecia reflected.

The newly-weds honeymooned at Bahia Principe Grand Jamaica Hotel in St Ann.

Photos: Khary Simmonds Productions

Felecia and Miguel exchange vows guided by Reverend Conrad Thomas. (Photo: Khary Simmonds Productions)

Felecia is escorted up the aisle by mentor Carlton Daley to Why I Love You by Major.(Photo: Khary Simmonds Productions)

Miguel and Felecia seal their union with a kiss. (Photo: Khary Simmonds Productions)

It’s official! Introducing Mr and Mrs Miguel Martin! (Photo: Khary Simmonds Productions)

Miguel and Felecia celebrate with their loved ones.(Photo: Khary Simmonds Productions)

(Photo: Khary Simmonds Productions)

Congratulating Miguel (second left) and Felecia (second right) on their nuptials are Miguel’s brother Theodore Martin and Felecia’s sister Shana-Kay Forde. (Photo: Khary Simmonds Productions)

Sharing the frame with Felecia (right) after the ceremony are her best friends Micholyn Hurd (left) and Kimberly Blackwood-Martin. (Photo: Khary Simmonds Productions)