Vows – Two souls become one
Commercial litigation and complex electronic discovery attorney Sojourner King and civil engineer Eddison Balfour met on a boat cruise in Toronto, Canada. At first glance, Eddison was struck by Sojourner’s calm and confident disposition, but she paid little attention to him.
Luck was on Eddison’s side that evening, as the pair shared a family friend who introduced Eddison to Sojourner’s mother. “He went to my mother and shyly asked her for my telephone number. I was not happy that my mom gave out my telephone number, but it all worked out well,” Sojourner told Vows. “The first time we spoke it was so interesting! We spoke about everything from politics to music to food. I knew that we were going to have something special,” she added.
The pair embarked on a two-year courtship after that encounter, which led to an engagement and their eventual marriage. Vows shares their story.
On April 20, 2012, Eddison orchestrated an unexpected engagement that saw Sojourner meeting him with colleagues for dinner. Surprise! Surprise! — The colleagues cancelled that night and the pair were forced to have an intimate dinner together.
“We dined on frogs’ legs, pigeon and other unique and delicious fare. For dessert, the waiter brought a plate with “Congratulations” written all over it. I got butterflies and immediately thought, “My goodness, this man is going to propose to me.” I asked him why the waiter would bring out a plate with that word written all over it. He explained that it was his colleague’s wedding anniversary, so he wanted to surprise his wife and himself. I was crushed and a bit upset at myself for jumping to that conclusion,” Sojourner shared with Vows.
The couple left the restaurant and spent some time in a nearby park underneath a beautiful starry sky. To Sojourner’s surprise, Eddison got down on his knees with an engagement ring in his palm and asked her to marry him. Sojourner squealed with delight. “It was perfect,” she added. Of course, she said yes.
The couple got married on February 16, 2013 at Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Church in Port of Spain, Trinidad. Elegantly decorated with tropical and local items, the setting created by wedding decorator Derek Lee was far from the traditional. He heeded Sojourner’s instructions to use masses of local flowers and orchids to create a tropical fantasy.
The ceremony, which was officiated by Father Kenneth Assing, commenced with the arrival of the bridal party which included maid of honour Tamara King, bridesmaids Siobhan Ake, Nicole Smith, Joanna Oji, Patrina John, Nikki Davis; best man Rawle Popo, groomsmen Joel Bowen, Kevin James, Marc O’ Brien, Kendell Patrick, Andrew Seuradge, flower girls Tamia King- Trott, Zaniyah Dell-Miller, Norima François, Tiffany François and ring-bearers Isaiah Balfour and Jerry Stanislaus II. The bride wore a beautiful Kleinfield wedding gown, which reduced her mother to tears when Sojourner first tried it on, complemented with an Eva Manifold-designed veil.
The bridegroom’s suit was smartly tailored by African designer Eric Owusu Ampong. Having exchanged their vows, the couple sealed their union with a heartfelt kiss.
After the wedding, the bridal party and guests headed to the reception venue of La Soledad Estate. The old cocoa estate was decorated by wedding decorator Derek Lee with bamboo and cocoa-brushed centrepieces to emphasise the look of a Caribbean-themed wedding. The couple took the floor for their first dance to the melodic sounds of Luther Vandross So Amazing To Be Loved, and afterwards they savoured delicious slices of wedding cake, created by Paula Oji. Everyone enjoyed a magnificent feast.
After such a breathtaking wedding ceremony, the couple honeymooned in the quaint and beautiful island of Tobago for two weeks.
