Destiny leads to perfect match

When a radiant Dania McDonald took the arm of her father Warren McDonald, regional managing director of Berger Caribbean and CEO of Berger Paints Jamaica Ltd, on her wedding day in mid-December, she knew she was fulfilling a date with destiny. Just about a year before, she had a sense that something great was going to happen to her soon. That great thing would be meeting the man of her dreams, her perfect match, Christopher Herbert George Edwards.

As the New Year dawned, Dania had had a premonition that 2010 was going to be a significant year for her and she was filled with optimism about her future, even asserting this to a close friend. Little did she know how swiftly events would unfold, for in that same year she met, fell in love and accepted Christopher's proposal of marriage. The two were introduced by the bride's aunt Karen Webster and Hugh Perry Jr, a close friend of the groom who together acted as matchmakers. Their first contact was via a telephone call from Christopher who lives in Jamaica to Dania who currently resides in Toronto, Canada. That the first call lasted two hours and was a wonderful portent that a meaningful connection was established, one which would flourish, deepen, and gather pace in ensuing months.

Soulmates

When they eventually met, Christopher had to agree with the words of one of the matchmakers that Dania was unlike anyone he had met before and Dania knew that he was her soulmate. Marriage was the natural next step.

So, on December 19, 2010, St Marks Anglican Church with its quaint, rural serenity atop a hill in Rio Bueno, Trelawny, was chosen for its intimate setting and was the perfect venue for the gathering of close family and friends who witnessed the wedding ceremony presided over by Father Alwyn Hall.

The entrance to the church was elegantly framed with yards of ivory chiffon and breathtaking floral arrangements flanked the altar and aisle, filling the church with their heady aroma. The high stained glass windows cast a wondrous glow as the afternoon sun streamed through when the ceremony got under way. Unlike most brides, Dania arrived promptly at 3:30 p.m., but delayed her entrance for 15 minutes to enable her elderly grandmother to be comfortably seated.

The bride's exquisite ivory off-the-shoulder dress, encrusted with crystals, was complemented by a spray of ivory cymbidium orchids as she went up the aisle to the music of Trio Ambience playing Pachelbel's Cannon in D to meet her groom who displayed perfect sartorial elegance, wearing a black, well-fitting tuxedo with a  matching cymbidium orchid boutonnière.

In keeping with the overall colour theme of ivory, gold and claret, her three bridesmaids wore beautifully styled claret-coloured dresses and carried bouquets of contrasting green cymbidium orchids.

The bridal party comprised maid of honour, Alexia McDonald and best man, Herbert George Edwards Jr; as well as bridesmaids Ashleigh Robotham and Jhordanne McDonald, and groomsmen Martin Sybblis and Shawn Aguilar.

Following the ceremony, guests were invited to a garden reception on the lawns of nearby Breezes, Rio Bueno. The bride's godmother, Charmaine Phang of Grande Garden in Montego Bay, and her talented team provided all the flowers and oversaw the arrangements for the décor. The entire space was transformed into a magical wonderland of lights and flowers befitting a fairy-tale wedding.

Expressions of gratitude

Trio Ambience provided background music as the guests mingled during cocktails and much admiration for the creators of the beautiful wedding cake - the bride's aunts Thelma Gray and Annmarie Robotham. Under a magnificently decorated tent, the formalities included heartfelt expressions of gratitude in speeches by the bride and the groom who both spoke, making special references to their parents for being exceptionally positive influences on their lives.

The families thanked relatives and friends who came to join them in this celebration of love. In the words of Dania and Christopher: "You have offered without fail, generous helpings of love and support and our love is stronger for having yours. May God continue to strengthen the ties that bind us and richly bless you all."

The newly-weds first dance was to to the song, At Last, by Etta James. Afterwards, everyone was invited to party and celebrate with Christopher and Dania as they began their new life together, their destinies now intertwined ... "perfectly matched".