Vows May 9 – This Love was Meant to Be
They had known each other since high school, where they simply exchanged casual greetings. Few would have guessed that years later, Ramaar Allen – accountant and office manager – would ask Ayesha Dawes – senior marketing executive – for her hand in marriage.
Vows shares their love story.
Ayesha tells us of their first encounter…
“We’d known each other since high school, giving the occasional hello in passing or through
Facebook messaging. But it wasn’t until a friend’s football game in September 2011, when Ramaar asked for my contacts, that we began speaking for hours each day. We would go everywhere together as friends, but when we tried to take it to the next level we just weren’t ready. But what stunned me the most was how I felt so strongly attached to a guy I couldn’t stand (LOL). We eventually found our way back together in early 2013 and things fell into place… it just seemed like a perfect match, and here we are today.”
Ramaar fills us in on his “winning moment”…
“I spotted her at the game. I was on a high as my team had just won the match. Naturally my confidence level went up a few notches too, and I had all the confidence that I could win her as well. She looked beautiful. I went up to her and subtly handed her my phone to add herself to my BlackBerry messenger. The rest, as they say, is history.”
The Proposal…
According to Ayesha, “He kept insisting that we should take a break to do something nice. We decided to treat ourselves at Jakes in Treasure Beach, St Elizabeth. On September 12, 2015, we had dinner out on the deck, with a perfectly lit moonlight and sea. We were the only ones on the deck and it was a beautiful night. Ramaar then went ahead and ordered dessert, which was a little unusual. Halfway through the dessert I found something glistening in my cake – a ring! He got down on one knee and proposed! I was so happy that I actually didn’t answer until later that night .What made it even more magical for me was I knew this was God’s plan, and the scripture Isaiah 43 verse 5 resonated with me throughout.”
The Ceremony…
The ceremony took place on Saturday, April 30, at Fantasy Villa in Bengal Bay, Trelawny. Dressed in a Maggie Sottero Arabella wedding gown from White Lotus Bridal, Ayesha made her way up a rather distinctive aisle to a recording of John Legend’s
You and I. With the ocean as the backdrop, the aisle was lined with rose petals and wooden signs displaying different Bible passages on love. At the altar, Ramaar waited patiently, dapper in a suit by Carlton Brown. The three bridesmaids dressed in blush sweetheart neckline gowns and groomsmen sporting navy blue Carlton Brown suits also made their way up the petal-strewn aisle.
With a delightful ambience created by Tai Flora Services, the two confessed and sealed their undying love for each other, with the guiding words from Pastor Dwight Fletcher. The bridal party recessed to Pharrel’s
Happy.
What the “I Do” moment meant for both…
According to Ramaar, “It was surreal… just really surreal. A moment that determined a step I was taking for the rest of my life.”
In Ayesha’s mind, “… It’s official! My best friend is now mine forever. I was the happiest person alive!”
The Reception…
The Reception…
The reception took place in the garden of the same property beautifully decorated by Tai Flora who used blush roses, blue orchids, hydrangeas and tea-light candles to create a whimsical atmosphere. Guests settled in the luxe area and enjoyed tasty Jamaican fare from Miss T’s Catering with a well-stocked bar from Bar-On-Wheels.
The couple specifically wanted their reception to be “unplugged”, free from people taking pictures and videos and to share in and absorb the moment – a precious one with God. There were no assigned seats, and a strategically mounted sign stated, “Today, two families become one, so pick a seat, not a side.” This encouraged everyone to interact with each other and to celebrate the union of the newly-weds. The toasts were short, sweet and powerful, and included one by former PM of Jamaica PJ Patterson — the bride’s uncle — the groomsmen, Kimberly Beckford, the bridegroom’s cousin, and Joette Miller, the bridegroom’s godmother.
The reception got even better for the bride as her husband surprised her with an acoustic performance from his friend and local reggae artiste Keznamdi, who performed one of Ayesha’s favourites,
My Love for You.
