Wed | Dec 4, 2024

Destined to be Thomas

Published:Thursday | August 16, 2018 | 12:00 AMRocheda Bartley/ Lifestyle Writer
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The groom (centre) surrounded by his groomsmen in awe. From left Rev Marvin Thomas, Jefrey Dixon (best man), Brian Gillings and David Henlinand.
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From left: Parents of the groom, Lloyd and Donna Thomas, the newly-weds Mario and Shaneka, and mother of the bride Andrea Laidley.
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All the single ladies gathered for Shaneka to throw the lucky bouquet.
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The newly-wed couldn't help sharing her joy with her bridal party. From left: bridesmaid Saffron Fletcher, maid of honour Kadian Coley and bridesmaid Natasha Geohagan and Kamesha Simpson-Gordon.
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The newly-weds Mr and Mrs Thomas were the centre of attention.
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Mario, and Shaneka were playmates at primary school. Little did they know they would become life partners.

The two reunited at the University of the Commonwealth Caribbean and grew closer as the years went by.

Mario popped the question at Saffron Indian Cuisine during New Year's dinner, surrounded by family and friends. He recalls the trepidation he felt as, Shaneka, rendered speechless by his proposal, took minutes to respond. However, when she did, her response was a resounding yes.

 

A TIME TO REMEMBER

 

The lovebirds wed at the Edgewater Baptist Church. "My wedding day brought me back to all the wonderful days of my life, a flood of emotions rushed over. The look of my husband-to-be as I walked down the aisle was priceless. I figured, he was getting all the attention because he looked so darn good," Shaneka shared with Flair.

For Mario, the experience was surreal. He's thankful to Claudine Dixon and Devon Wright, who he says went above and beyond the call of duty to ensure that their special day was a grand success. But, he confessed, he was worried for a while.

"One hour passed after the wedding was supposed to start and I didn't see my bride. She was late and she knows I have a thing about being late. I hate it. Looking back now, I think she really wanted me to think that she wasn't going to come," he reasoned.

This was not the case, Shaneka retorted. "After all, he's the best thing that happened to me, so I would never have second thoughts about him," she said.

She said that she knew they were meant to be from very early. "I knew he was the one for me since the first church event he brought me to. It was a rainy night," shared Shaneka. "Firstly, know this: I am deeply afraid of the rain and he brought me to a crusade. We weren't driving then and the rain came. We stopped under a bus stop and the rain kept blowing in. He stood in front of me and hugged me and I could hear the rain blowing and hitting him on his back, yet only my feet were wet, he soaked himself to ensure that I wouldn't feel a bit of it. I knew then, at that moment, that I would marry him."

And they did, now the two are set to live, love, and laugh happily ever after.

rocheda.bartley@gleanerjm.com