Vows: My Beloved
Event planner Kelly Caraballo could never have imagined that a prank she played on Marketing Director Ceon Francis would eventually result in a delightful celebration of their nuptials on November 5, 2016. Vows takes you back to the beginning.
The initial encounter
Kelly caught Ceon’s eye while he was waiting for a blind date in November of 2012 at the Arabesque Dining and Bar Restaurant in New York. Although Kelly claimed to be a bartender at the restaurant, Ceon realised after a while that it was a joke, so he proceeded to order cocktails and Kelly began to Google the recipes for each. As the evening progressed, Ceon was so amused by Kelly’s persistence that he returned to the club after walking his date to the subway, determined to get Kelly’s number. A few weeks later, he took her on their first date to Negril Village, Atlanta.
The proposal
Ceon invited Kelly to dinner one evening at The Plaza Hotel in New York City. When the dessert arrived, Kelly became confused when she realised that what she had ordered was in fact an engagement ring. As Ceon marvelled at her reaction, he got down on bended knee and began to profess his love for her. A teary-eyed Kelly was completely speechless as the roomful of diners erupted in applause; luckily, she managed to nod in approval… but the excitement was not over. Shortly after, Ceon escorted her to the roof of the hotel for a surprise engagement party where she was greeted with congratulations by their closest friends and family members.
The ceremony
Since both Kelly and Ceon were of Caribbean parentage, Jamaica was naturally the venue for their destination-themed wedding. The festivities kicked off with a private catamaran cruise as a welcome gesture to their 110 wedding guests, and continued with the ceremony on the lush lawns overlooking the ocean at the Laughing Waters Villa, Ocho Rios. Designs By Nishy wedding planner Nichelle Thompson adorned the venue with bouquets of white hydrangeas, O’hara garden roses and sweet avalanche pink roses. Ed Sheeran’s Photograph cued the gorgeous bridesmaids, who made their way up the aisle in blush-coloured V-neck gowns with jewelled embellishments and rhinestone chokers from the Garment District, NYC. They were escorted by the dapper groomsmen who wore cream and black Calvin Klein two-piece suits. At the altar stood an eager Ceon, in a custom-made royal blue two-piece suit. Stevie Wonder’s Ribbon In The Sky signalled Kelly’s arrival. Escorted by her father Keith Caraballo, she made her way up the aisle in a blush-coloured mermaid gown with lace appliqué, the sheer illusion bodice enhanced by a lace-detailed cathedral veil from Pronovias. Officiated by Reverend Ranford Thomas, the ceremony included the traditional exchange of vows, and ended with Stevie Wonder’s Signed, Sealed, Delivered, I’m Yours playing in the background.
The reception
The celebration continued close by under a white draped tent with crystal chandeliers. The tablescape was decorated with rose gold sequinned table linens, gold chargers, and white rose bouquets provided by Designs By Nishy. The bridal party danced their way in to a mix of soca and dancehall hits and soon cleared the floor for Mr and Mrs Ceon Francis’s first dance as husband and wife to Ed Sheeran’s
Thinking Out Loud. Post-formalities, guests enjoyed a sumptuous three-course Jamaican meal courtesy of The Almond Tree Restaurant and witnessed the cutting of the three-tiered vanilla-flavoured fondant iced cake made by Danya Ho of Fine Ideas Caterers. The newly-weds and their guests danced until the wee hours of the morning to tunes spun by DJ Arif “SupaCoop” Cooper of Fame 95 FM.
The honeymoon
The honeymoon
The couple spent the next few days enjoying the amenities offered in Ocho Rios, St Ann.
