More than a wedding!

Chester Francis-Jackson, Gleaner Writer

A recent study out of the United States found that the institution of marriage is fast becoming redundant.

While that may hold true there, let us here in Jamaica not rush to embrace that notion, as while empirical data may be absent at the moment, the institution of marriage is alive and well here. Just check the large number of young marriages being reported on the pages of this newspaper. In Jamaica, the process of marriage still includes the time-honoured tradition of courtship. As marriage has evolved, so, too, has the period of courtship!

The Jamaican maxim, 'see me and come live with me are two different things', being uppermost in the minds of those pursuing matrimonial bliss, the period of courtship has become longer, thus giving each party the real opportunity to better know each other. A case in point is the beautiful Shana Newman and her beau Rodger Brown. After nearly a decade of dating, the beautiful couple tied the knot a few Saturdays ago in a traditional and beautiful ceremony at the Holy Trinity Cathedral, on George Headley Drive, Kingston.

Meant for each other

Brown and Newman are not your ordinary lovebirds! The couple have been vacationing on the north coast together, holidaying abroad together, partying together and spending quality time together with each others' families while basically getting to know each other. So much so that friends and family took it as a given that the two would eventually wed, believing the two were meant for each other.

While Newman believed in the totality of their love, she is by no means a docile miss, and this saw her heading off to Paris to pursue further studies, an intervention that caused many to wonder if their love would survive. Brown, however, harboured no such fear, and Newman did not entertain any such whimsical fancy that she would be swept off her feet whilst in Paris, because, as far as she was concerned, she had already found her Prince Charming. She did, however, have career goals, and until Prince Charming made some definite plans and commitment, she would pursue them. Some say absence makes the heart grow fonder, and while this may be the case, upon her return to Jamaica a year later than originally planned, the two did not rush into marriage - much to the chagrin of many a friend and onlooker! Firm in their belief and commitment to eachother however, they resumed their song and dance of love which led to their walk down the aisle!

Dears, most reportage on weddings concentrate on the church ceremony, as if that is the be-all and end-all of the marriage, omitting the various components like the bridal shower! For bride and groom, theirs would be different, and the bridal shower and bachelor party were not treated as some secret lodge meeting off limits to some, but were regarded as open celebrations, to be shared. Being mindful of her beau's Indian origin, the bride planned an Indian-themed wedding which included some of the Indian rituals. The bridesmaids hosted a Mehendi bridal ceremony-shower where the women had their painting henna-done. The couple used the Ganesh symbol on wedding invitations and other printed material.

The Ganesh symbol signifies their love, auspicious strength and intellectual prowess, likened to that of the Indian elephant as the largest and strongest animal in the forest. But it is gentle, very affectionate and loyal. It can be very loving and forgiving, yet it's as strong as an army to defend that which it protects. It's always devoted to its family. Juanita Ramos and her husband Michael Nunez, a Venezuelan artist, were flown in to emboss all guests' names on a piece of art for the special occasion. And as the couple both share a passion for art, this piece will be hung in the family home.

The traditional big day, however, was the actual wedding, and true to form, the bride and groom were simply and awesomely fabulous - she as stunning as a model for a wedding catalogue; he a picture of sartorial resplendence, straight from the pages of Gentlemen's Quarterly! Scheduled for 3 p.m., the bride was fashionably late, arriving nearly an hour or so after the appointed time. She was worth the wait, however, as she was a picture of loveliness as she walked down the red carpet to join her waiting groom whose best man Steven Brown (his brother), stood by his side mopping droplets of sweat from his brow. The Rev Fr Franklyn A. Jackson was the officiating clergyman, and he was as paternal as he was neighbourly, as he discharged his duties, and it made for a beautiful ceremony. The ceremony over, the newly-weds, looking flushed and radiant from the excitement, emerged from the cathedral under a shower of rice, before settling in for the Kodak moment and, pictures taken, it was off to The Jamaica Pegasus hotel for the reception.

The reception was at the hotel's famed Talk of the Town on the 17th floor, but that was after pre-reception cocktails on the Top of The World terrace, on the hotel's roof, with its simply amazing 360-degree view of Kingston, the outlying parishes and towns. Dears, it was a dream wedding, a dream prelude and a dream reception, as relatives and friends gathered not merely as passive observers but also as interactive participants to the culmination of the matrimonial ceremony! It was way into the night before guests called it a night and thus allowing the couple to motor off to Secrets Montego Bay for their initial honeymoon, with party two to follow in 2011.

Guests

Among those out sharing in the joyous occasion, were mother of the bride, the fabulous Roseann Delfosse Newman; parents of the groom, Kenneth and Vinnette Brown; the bride's aunt, Betty Delfosse-Ingleton, who jetted in from Zanzibar; the bride's maternal grandmother, the very charming Elaine Delfosse; her sibling Cynthia Evelyn and sons Kenneth and Edward Evelyn; her sister, the beautiful Nagina Newman; uncle Donovan Delfosse and wife Dee-Dee, in from Canada; Carol Delfosse; cousins and friends Sahai Ingleton, who jetted in from Florida for the occasion; and the lovely Sulan Smith, her dad, famed musician Earl 'Chinna' Smith.

Also in attendance were Monsieur and Madam Benoit Le Bouhart, in from France; Abe Dabdoub and wife Gisele Dabdoub and their daughter Karen Dabdoub; Dr Carmen Bowen-Wright; Mr and Mrs Neil Seaton; Shirley Headley; the esteemed Peju Wislon; noted attorney Patrick Bailey; Ricardo and Suzanne Allicock; Warren Burrowes; Kathy Francis-McClure; businessman Ravi Daswani, in from Montego Bay; Mr and Mrs Deryck Russell; the very charming Dawn Young; Mr and Mrs Tommy Leyow; Richard and Tisa Ramdial; Mr and Mrs Kirk Holbrook; the charmingly lovely Melody Aarons; Mr and Mrs Tyrone Sang; Mr and Mrs Lascelles Brown; Mr and Mrs Earl Watson; Mr and Mrs Clive Brown; Mr and Mrs Delroy Cowan; Mr and Mrs Owen Brown; Mr and Mrs Stephen Hendricks; Mr and Mrs Michael James; Matthew Garel and Amanda Hanna; Ruth Levy; Richard Fraser and Christine Bell; Chadwick Lim-Sang and Alison McIntire; Rohan Gunther; the lovely Gillan Samms; Robert Davidson and Tiffany Lue; Lloyd Lawrence; Diane Curry; Tafari Burns and Sheron Henry; Gavin Duncan and Kai Evans; Andre Grant and Sherice Norton; plus a number of others.