Vows: For A Million Years…
It was the type of wedding that girls spend their lives dreaming about and parents hope to be in a position to gift. Indeed, the village that helped to raise the fairy princess and her prince, that watched from the wings as the romance unfolded, took front-row seats to a fairy-tale wedding so spectacular that many found it hard to suppress tears of joy.
The Invite
The bride’s parents, noted communications consultant Marcia Erskine and attorney-at-law Michael Erskine, joined the groom’s parents, entrepreneur Hazel Marshall and quantity surveyor Clairmont Marshall, in inviting some 200 guests to join them at Half Moon Resort, Montego Bay, on Saturday, December 8, to witness the nuptials of their children, attorney-at-law Roshal Leigh Erskine and Dr Zwade Jabari Marshall.
The exchange of vows…
The bride looked absolutely stunning in a Jenny Packham silk gown, with her hair styled by Wayne Marshall and make-up by Loni Jones. She clutched a bouquet of white roses and orchids as her proud dad escorted her to meet her husband-to-be — who fought back tears at the sight of his gorgeous bride — in a tropical garden and under a canopy of white orchids and roses created by wedding event guru Ann Marie Wyss. The couple, guided by Rev Canon Hartley Perrin, Custos Rotulorum of Westmoreland, exchanged their emotional vows before being pronounced husband and wife. The ceremony included an excerpt from Gift From The Sea by Anne Morrow — read by Nichola Armstrong — and a Karen Smith interpretation of Ave Maria.
It’s official…
The newly-weds skanked down the aisle and into the embrace of family and friends to the rhythmic sounds of Jammin’ by Bob Marley and the Wailers.
The Reception:
The couple, with roots in Jamaica, Trinidad and Guyana, paid homage to the Caribbean with steel pans, stilt walkers and platters of tasty island bites and beverages for guests to enjoy.
Dinner…
The 200 plus guests took assigned seats under a 40×100′ marquee complete with crystal chandeliers, white-padded gold Chiavari chairs, tables draped in white tableware by Frette complete with gold runners, elegant silver and glassware, flower boxes and royal blue statement vases that held clusters of blue orchids, delphiniums, plump white roses and hydrangeas — all exquisitely styled by Ann Marie Wyss.
Jamaica Observer Food Awards Chef Of The Year and Half Moon Hotel Executive Chef Steve Sowa and his excellent team comfortably handled the evening’s fare, ‘Island flavours’, while Karen Smith entertained in song.
Families United:
“Our wedding,” according to the stunning bride Roshal Leigh Erskine, “was about joining our two families together. We wanted only our parents and siblings at the head table; not only because they are the closest and most important people to us, but to signify the coming together of our families.”
The formalities, handled with aplomb by entrepreneur Russell Hammond, allowed family members and close friends the opportunity to regale guests with lifelong memories and also afforded the ‘fraternity’ the opportunity to ‘induct’ the groom’s chosen one.
The cake by Selena Wong…
Was an exquisite four-tier creation with the couple’s initials adorning the top.
Let The Party Begin:
The formalities ended with the couple’s first dance and segued into non-stop dancing till the wee hours of Sunday morning.
After a brunch hosted later that day by the bride’s parents at Beau Se Jour, Westmoreland, the couple jetted off for a week-long honeymoon at The Ritz Carlton, Grand Resort Cayman.
