Island Wedding | A second chance at romance leads Garcio and Shantall to ‘I do’
Published:Tuesday | March 31, 2026 | 12:07 AMKrysta Anderson/Staff Reporter
On Valentine’s Day, as society moved in varying hues of red and white, one couple chose to mark the season’s celebrations by declaring their love in holy matrimony. Garcio Gongasingh and Shantall Pinto first met years ago as teenagers.“We were baptised in the same church and used to sing in the church choir together,” Shantall explained to Island Wedding. It was a later encounter, however, that gave the couple a second chance, setting them on a new romantic chapter.
Garcio recalled Shantall being the most beautiful girl he had ever seen. Despite his efforts to make his feelings known, Shantall had no interest in sharing those sentiments. This was neither daunting nor dissuasive for Garcio, who was in pursuit of ‘happily ever after’.
Years later, while he was on his way home from work, he laid eyes on a familiar angelic face. It was Shantall, on her way home as well. In honour of fate’s intervention, the pair exchanged words and numbers. Garcio decided then and there to shoot his shot once more.
“I messaged her and told her I wanted to be with her and that I was not taking no for an answer. She didn’t yield to my persuasion,” he confessed.
He later convinced Shantall to take him out for his birthday, a night that sparked his romance. But while that moment marked the beginning for Garcio, Shantall said it was a four-hour phone conversation one late night that truly sealed the deal and made their relationship official.
Not only is her beloved kind and genuine, he is also loving, passionate, and adorable. “He loved me from the very beginning. He thinks the world of me and I appreciate that and him immensely,” she added.
It wasn’t long before Shantall found herself flourishing in his caring environment. “When we met, I was broken, always crying and miserable because of my past. With his effortless love, he came in and changed all that by loving and embracing me,” she revealed.
There is no denying how stunning and romantic his soulmate is, and he admires her courage and unconditional support.
“This angelic human is phenomenal,” Garcio said, adding, “She has been a tower of strength when I felt like my world was falling apart. For example, even though I am in the army, I didn’t know much about budgeting, saving or money management. She jumped in and started saving for me until I was able to stabilise myself financially, within months.”
‘FOOD FOR MY SOUL’
It was then that he realised she was the one, “She loved and cared for me like no other. That’s when I started gaining a little weight; she was the food for my soul.”
After seriously dating for just over a year, Garcio decided it was time to spend forever with the love of his life. With the help of her best friend, Rushel Hull McCalla, an event planner, he asked Shantall to be his wife.
“Her mother was migrating, and she always said that she wanted both her mother and father to be around whenever I popped the question. So I reached out to Rushel for help in making this happen and she asked no questions as she knew her friend and knew exactly what she would love and appreciate,” he highlighted. “The proposal turned out better than I expected.”
Shantall remembers all of the effort placed into the occasion, down to her favourite colour, which took her breath away. She was happy to embark on a new chapter with her husband.
For the planning, the budding bride enlisted her matron of honour, Hull McCalla – owner of I Love Events and Decor– to make her wedding dreams an enchanting reality. While there were challenges, the planner made the process easy.
And when it came to the dress, Shantall said yes to a white fit and flare ball gown with shimmer and tulle details from LuxBrides Ja.
“I saw the dress posted on Instagram a few years ago and I told myself that this is the dress I will get married in one day,” she told Island Wedding.
And on February 14, Garcio and Shantall became Mr and Mrs Gongasingh in a beautiful ceremony at The Straight Gate Church of Jesus Christ Apostolic, located in the Bullet Tree district of Colbeck Heights in Old Harbour, St Catherine.
After waiting for some time, the groom, clad in yellow and ivory, stood speechless as his bride walked up the aisle with a red rose bouquet in hand. The celebration continued with a reception a few minutes away at OasisBD on Bowers Drive in the parish.
“Our wedding was everything I hoped for! The colours, decor, vibes and the love made it more than a celebration for me. My best moment was kissing my husband,” Mrs Gongasingh enthused.
To commemorate their first dance as husband and wife, the pair chose First Time by Teeks. “It was like we were lost in time and space, forgetting that there were other people in the moment. That feeling was incredible,” she reflected.