“It is with immense joy in our hearts that we welcome you to our wedding website. We have built this space with love, as a resource for you to plan your journey to the beautiful island of Jamaica, to join us on our journey of promising forever to each other.” — Karishma & Kirk Anthony.

It’s the type of dispatch one would have expected from Kirk-Anthony Hamilton, co-founder and curator of Destination Experience Visionaries’ Summit, just one of the many signature events aimed at repositioning the Caribbean as an attractive and indeed lucrative destination. The exquisite optics created by Tai Flora Luxe and event planner to the haute and fab Shikima Hinds, managing director, Shikima Hinds Concierge, at Stella By The Sea, The Tryall Club, became yet another feather in Hamilton’s cap.

There was collective joy as guests gathered for the nuptials under a formidable sky that, minutes earlier, was blanketed by nimbus clouds. It was the final destination for Kirk-Anthony — who prior to that fateful night out in Barbados when he encountered Karishma Chugani, business development lead, Crane Resorts and founder of Panache Island Wear — was deemed a confirmed bachelor.

Having snagged an intro courtesy of his friend Arvind, however, and securing a dinner date a few days after; and she in turn asking him to lunch the next day. The deal was sealed as they kept finding reasons to see each other every single day until his departure for Jamaica and Kirk-Anthony upon his return home soon found himself securing a return flight to Bim.

Here began their journey of overlapping busy travel schedules and navigating time together as their love blossomed.

Three years to the date, Kirk-Anthony proposed. So overcome with emotion was Karishma that it took some time for her to acquiesce.

The wedding date was set for Friday, April 22, 2022. Destination: Jamaica

Ruelle’s I Get to Love You signalled the bride’s arrival. Karishma, who was escorted by dad Mukesh Chugani, stunned in an off-the shoulder Cinderella wedding gown with a textured brocade bodice and cathedral veil. Welcomed by wedding officiant Stephen Henry the nuptials seamlessly incorporated Hindu and Christian wedding traditions. Heartfelt touches included a Christian prayer delivered by the groom’s mum Patricia Hamilton followed by the Gyatri Mantra by Sunita Chugani, the bride’s mother. As the final words “May we receive thy supreme empowering light, May thou guide our intellect in the right direction” the sun’s final rays of the day appeared to beam even brighter, enveloping the couple in its energy. The couple’s exchange of written vows was followed by the exchange of rings ahead of the exchange of Hindu vows (in English) and the adornment of the bride with the mangralsutra necklace (considered a sacred Hindu custom. Women wear it as an auspicious thread of goodwill and love).

Signing of the marriage register and pronouncement of the marriage complete Mr & Mrs Kirk-Anthony Hamiliton made their way down the aisle to applause and the sound of Jaymes Young’s Infinity.

The reception continued on the property now kissed by dusk with the Caribbean Sea gently lapping at the shores and seductively illuminated by the full moon and the Tai Flora Luxe team. The roll call of guests from as far as Australia, North America, Europe and the entire Caribbean bonded effortlessly, their single desire: to demonstrate their love for Karishma and Kirk-Anthony.

Handling MC duties with aplomb was close family friend of the groom’s Alysia Moulton-White. How good was she? Let’s just say that a lot of begging, pleading and bidding took place post-event and leave it at that.

Toasts were made post-supper, which was catered by the Tryall Club team, and came from the groom’s mum Patricia, parents of the bride Sunita and Mukesh Chugani, and best man Robin Hamilton. It was the maid of honour and sister of the bride’s toast, however, delivered against the backdrop of the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air theme song that would move tears to laughter and pave the way for the groom’s response.

The cutting of the three-tiered, white rose-adorned tiramisu wedding cake by Leanne Cooke-Popkin for Cakes by Noida was followed by the couple’s first dance as husband and wife to Dressed Up in White by Cal and segued into the father-daughter dance and mother-son dance.

A surprise performance by Naomi Cowan, a gift from the bridegroom to his bride, and the opening of the dance floor left all in a mellow mood.

The newly-weds commenced their honeymoon in Jamaica before jetting out to Costa Rica for what Tuesday Style Vows is told is the continuation of the couple’s plan to traverse the globe.