Vows: An Intimate Affair
Tasteful touches were the order of the day, on December 19th, 2016, when UWI, St Augustine veterinary student Mickha McCalla and professional photographer, lifestyle coach and fitness instructor Courtney “Chazz” Francis exchanged vows before a select gathering of their closest friends and family.
The bride herself planned the intimate affair and turned to As You Wish Events for the final touches. The Eden Gardens Wellness Resort & Spa served as the perfect venue and exuded a sophisticated ambience with hints of black and gold throughout. Bride Mickha playfully revealed that Courtney was adamant about using black and gold throughout the décor to show his respect for Chancellor Hall, his place of residence while a student at the UWI, Mona.
How They Met
Mickha reveals, “Almost three years ago I was talking to a friend and out of nowhere he asked me, “Do you know Courtney Francis?” Of course, I was puzzled so I asked him why and he said, “Nothing really. I was just wondering.”
She continues, “ I was curious as to why he asked me that, out of nowhere, so I went on Facebook and typed in the name. If it had been any time before this I would not have found him because, would you know, he had just changed his name to Courtney onFacebook and it had always been Chazz before. He did this because he was running for the UWI, Mona Guild GCC at the time. I realised we had a lot of mutual friends, including my friend who asked the initial question, so I went ahead and sent him a friend request. I believe he accepted my friend request the next day.”
The bride admits, “He was a popular person; my name was probably lost among his many friends so he never had any interaction with any of my posts. Well, not until one day in April….April 19, 2014, to be exact. I was trying to get over a rather toxic relationship so my best friend and I went on a mini vacation to Barbados. I uploaded a picture of myself in a yellow two-piece bikini and a few minutes later I got a message from Courtney Francis. He paid me a compliment and asked if I worked out.”
Groom Courtney also mentioned that when he had seen the photo on her Facebook page he turned to his friend and said the same words he would later repeat during his vows, “Dawg, if me nuh get dah girl here me aguh mad enuh.”
And so the love story began despite the distance between Mickha, who was pursuing her studies at the UWI, St Augustine campus, and Courtney, continuing his at the UWI, Mona.
An Unexpected Proposal
The bride recalls what she looks back on as a rather funny story. Courtney had planned to take her to Portland the very weekend of his planned proposal. However, one day when both were at his home in Old Harbour, he departed to buy KFC and returned with three drumsticks. She declared, “Who buys three chicken legs?!”
He explained that he asked for a meal with three drumsticks because those were her favourite. The bride reveals that after having a Queen Bee moment and telling him to take her home, he begged her to look into his eyes and then went down on one knee. Mickha recounts, “I practically felt my heart leaving my body. He looked up and began pouring his heart out to me. I honestly felt so embarrassed but after what he said I started crying and had no other words in my mouth but YES.”
The Reception
The reception featured an intimate and playful atmosphere. The guests enjoyed a simple white and gold two-tiered cake with black pearls designed by Leanne Morrison from Leanne’s Sweet Tooth, along with a scrumptious three-course meal catered by Eden Gardens Wellness Resort and Spa. The evening ended with games, including a story session during which guests recounted memorable moments with either the bride or groom.
The Honeymoon
Before Mickha returned to Trinidad to complete her veterinary exams, the two made their way to the luxurious Bahia Principe Resort in Runaway Bay to enjoy their tropical paradise.
