Valentine’s Day Anniversary

This valentine’s day, February 14, 2017, at least 13 other couples I know of are celebrating their second anniversary today along with us. Today is not just Valentine’s day for us. It’s our cotton (second) anniversary and with all that’s happened since, it seems to have rushed by, yet taken its time. Two years agao this time, I was having the time of my life as a  chosen 141414 bride of MSW Events‘ mass wedding titles “The Search“. Fourteen couples, from fourteen parishes, getting married on February 14th.

Our 141414 Story

How We Won

My husband and were engaged and trying to plan a small intimate wedding. The truth is, I was flustered and felt like the planning was just was not my area. We had however settled for an April 2015 date and was planning towards that. Back in October 2014, someone had sent me the link to the competition and I glanced at it, and made a passive inquiry. Somewhere in the shuffle, it got dismissed from my thoughts.

 

The following January I was at home on vacation. It was the first of three weeks and boredom had started to set in being home alone with nothing to do. One morning I received a message, reminding me that day was the closing date to submit our love story for a chance to win the free wedding. I’m still not sure why, but I opened a word document, threw my feelings into words, added a picture and submitted our entry. Just like that.When my husband  (then fiancé) came home, I told him what I had done, he read it, pointed out a shameful grammatical error and we chuckled and forgot about it. Our winning entry story is here.

On the Friday morning of the last week of my vacation around 9am, I checked my phone and saw that while I was busy rummaging around an ackee tree outside (for want of ackee and something better to do), I’d missed a call from my intended. When I called back he asked if Id been on Facebook since morning. I said no and he instructed me to sign on and see what he tagged me in. So I did and there it  was. A newspaper article announcing  the winners.

 

Today is not just Valentine’s day for  us. Today it’s out cotton (second) anniversary and with all that’s happened in the past few years, it seemed to have rushed by. This time two years ago I was having the time of my life being a chosen bride of MSW Events‘ 14.14.14 mass wedding staging.

Fetted

The entire thing was free. Dress, makeup, select spa/hair/nail services. You just needed to show up, rings and shoes in hand! I had my own hair and nails done. So just like that, I was getting married in two weeks instead of two months. For us, the irony was incredible since we had initially chosen February 14 to get married, but decided against if after we realized time had run off and left us with too short a time for planning. God works in mysterious ways does he not?

In two weeks we had meetings, dress and tux fittings at Petals & Promises, an outing to Blue Hole, a Moet & Chandon sponsored luncheon, a Ribbiz happy hour game night and  bachelor/bachelorette parties until finally the big day arrived. It was quite the funny ordeal when the husbands dropped us wives at Train Fit Club for the bachelorette party and didn’t want to leave when the body builder trainers were spotted! They demanded to know what we would be doing, but it was not to be!

The event was streamed live so our family and who were unable to make it on such short notice was still able to experience it with us. The event could not have been more beautiful thanks to Monique Walcott and her MSW team. Even with thirteen other couples, it managed to be a bonding experience. Not once did I feel like this day wasn’t about just me and my husband and our family and friends.

“Not once did I feel like this day wasn’t about just me and my husband and our family and friends.”

Happy Anniversary!

It was truly inspiring to be brought face to face with 13 other couples who were at different stages of their relationship but all in love and bubbling with excitement throughout. Of all 14 couples, 3 were vow renewals at 1 year plus, 10 years and 21 years. The rest of us were newbies. 

So on this day, Happy Anniversary to us all!

Mr. & Mrs. Murphy

Mr. & Mrs. K. Brown 

Mr. & Mrs. D. Brown

Mr. & Mrs. Reid (us) 

Mr. & Mrs. Cox

Mr. & Mrs. Caloo

Mr.& Mrs. Housang

Mr. & Mrs. Haughton

Mr. & Mrs. Wright

Mr. & Mrs. Ricketts

Mr. & Mrs. D. Bailey

Mr. & Mrs. J. Bailey

Mr.& Mrs. Clarke

Mr. & Mrs. Williams

Some Couples We Met

Shandean and Kemoi Reid (My husband and I)

“Today, we reflect on the fact that we are two years into our life journey after vows. 141414 a beautiful experience, one that I would gladly repeat to a T. We have since welcomed our beautiful daughter and we are excited to continue on our journey. Come what may, with God in the mix and our promise to always respect, love and fight for each other, we hope that 2 will become 20 and more.”

Vanessa and Junior Bailey

“Marriage has been great so far, I believe what facilitated and made the transition so easy was the fact that we were always open and honest with each other. Junior and I shared everything and was direct about individual goals as well as goals to achieve as a couple. There are bumps in the road, along this journey of life but there is no one I would rather ride it out with.”

Makeda and Clayton Cox

“14-14-14 gave my husband and I the opportunity to have a fairytale wedding that was beyond what we imagined. We will remember our wedding day and the fun events we got to experience forever.

 It has been 2 years since we walked down the Isle and met each other at the altar and our love for each other is stronger than ever. Our family has multiplied to 4. We thank God and MSW events for helping us with our union.”

Kadian and Donhue Brown

“Two years ago today, on a beautiful sunny day, we promised to spend the rest of my life with you. I promised to love you during the good times and the bad, when we’re struggling and when we’re flourishing. When you’re at your worst and when you’re at your best. I promised to have you and to hold you until my dying breath. I  promised then. And again, I promise.”

Shena and Ralston Ricketts

“For us the 141414 experience was a mind bubbling one. The fact that we got married in a mass wedding setting was some what surreal.’ It wasn’t the typical wedding we dreamt of but one that gave us the chance to express our love for each other,to the world in a superb fashion. It gave us the opportunity to bond with THIRTEEN other couples from different walks of life.

It has been two years of commitment and we are more in love more than ever. We have been holding on to the fundamental principles of marriage. With God all things are possible, with that in mind, we keep him at the centre of marriage.”

P.S. Couples, did you have your champagne aready? Lol