Anchored in Love
Effy ambassador Zolia Harrison and Carnival Cruise Lines bartender Clayton Brown are still on cloud nine after tying the knot on Saturday, December 8, at the Salem Baptist Church, Runaway Bay in Ocho Rios. Vows introduces Mr and Mrs Clayton Brown.
How they met, as told by Clayton
The Bible says, “He who finds a wife finds a good thing”, but I found more than a good thing! I found a lover, my soul mate, and my happiness.
It all began one afternoon while I was sitting in the crew mess on Carnival Victory. I saw her walking in to use the sail and sign kiosk and I was rendered speechless. Yes! It was love at first sight.
I asked who she was but, apparently, no one knew her. I continued making inquiries until I connected with her roommate who confirmed she had recently signed onto the ship. I gave her my work number to give to Zolia and asked that she give me a call. She never called! I bumped back into her roommate and hatched a plot to connect with her at a crew gathering that night.
A glimmer of hope! She came, we talked. I gave her my number… Again, she never called!
Victory was mine a day later when we met by the elevator and she gave me her number. Texts and calls became frequent until one morning after texting good morning, she asked, “What do you want from me?” and I replied, “For starters, I want you to be my girlfriend and, who knows, maybe one day they will be calling you Mrs Brown of the Fun Shops.”
Clayton’s wish became a reality on December 4, 2017, Zolia’s birthday, when they walked into the Effy store and he told her how he felt and reminded her of the day he told her they would be calling her Mrs Brown of the Fun Shops. He then went down on one knee and asked her to marry him… she said yes!
Here comes the bride
On Saturday, December 8, at Salem Baptist Church, Runaway Bay, Clayton and Zolia said their I do’s. The bride’s sister Kaylia Harrison and her friend Sanjae Miller handled the décor and used shades of blush and silver with green and ivory accents to decorate the church. The start of the proceedings was signalled by the arrival of the bridesmaids who made their way up the aisle to the strains of Beauty and the Beast by saxophonist Luis Graziatto. They were dressed in blush off-the-shoulder dresses while the maid of honour wore a silver off-the-shoulder dress with diamond rhinestones designed by Ella Qin. They were escorted by the groomsmen, who wore custom black and grey suits. The bride, escorted by her father Edgar Harrison, stunned in an ivory Morilee-inspired bridal gown designed by Ella Qin and was delivered to her anxious groom, wearing a custom-made, David Beckham-inspired ivory and black suit.
The ceremony was officiated by Reverend Devere Nugent. To symbolise the joining of their families, the couple performed a knotting ceremony using a rope with a fisherman’s knot which was hung on an anchor.
The reception
Following the ceremony, guests converged in the courtyard of Holiday Haven where Mark Gooden entertained guests on his saxophone. The tables were named after ships representing the different ones the couple worked on, and place cards were anchor-shaped bottle openers.
The celebration started with the bridal party dancing in to Kes’ Hello followed by the entrance of the bride and groom to Romain Virgo’s In This Together. Master of ceremony Peart Rose set the tone for the reception eliciting good vibes and high levels of interaction from the gathering.
While dinner was being served, each table (or vessel, as they were given ship names) was invited to share a few words with the bride and groom. Heartfelt toasts were given with the guests nodding, cosigning on all being said.
This was followed by the couple’s self-choreographed box dance to Christina Perri’s A Thousand Years, before breaking out into the faster-paced to Happy by Pharrell with the bridal party joining in. Post-formalities, guests enjoyed a sumptuous meal and witnessed the cutting of the five-tiered Jamaican fruitcake by Shona Kaye Spencer.
Laughter punctuated the event with family and friends not wanting to leave the dance floor.
The honeymoon
The couple spent their honeymoon at Meliá Cohiba in Havana, Cuba.
