ISLAND WEDDING
Marrying McConnell: A dance on cloud nine to happily ever after
Published:Tuesday | May 31, 2022 | 12:24 AMKrysta Anderson/Staff Reporter
Four years ago, dance, the hidden language of the soul, united the hearts of Shanice Thomas and Jovaughn McConnell. Their love rehearsals began with an audition at the University Dance Society. She saw the hip-hop dancer McConnell’s video online and grew fascinated by his talent. After exchanging pleasantries by chance during a lecture in college, the leading lady hired Jovaughn for a private dance class for her and her friends. Sparks flew on a subsequent games night. And an unexpected enchanting kiss at a party sealed the romantic deal.
After counting down the sequences which led to the fireworks, the two dated for four months before becoming official. Shanice initially found Jovaughn to be an interesting fellow. “He seemed to have two sides to him. One side, where he is this rough hip-hop dancer, and the other side, where is very decent and put together,” she told Island Wedding.
She went on to fall in love with his creative, selfless, enthusiastic, ambitious, and attentive nature. “Always concerned about others, he is helpful and reliable. His way of thinking is completely different from most people I’ve met. He finds different and artistic ways of achieving a goal, and he’s eager to try and learn new things that will assist his personal development.” Good communication and having a clear understanding of each other is as a result of the trust they’ve built.
Jovaughn was amazed by her effervescent personality and striking beauty and thrilled by her eclectic, easy-going, level-headed, and creative side. “She thinks outside of the box with her interior design and gift box business. She can be stuck in her ways of doing things until she turns to me for help, but she tends to be very calm; never one to make rash decisions in the heat of the moment. Drawing from different aspects and experiences, she does not make anything bother her,” he said.
Shanice played an integral role in motivating him to finish school and start his own social media business thereafter, pushing him beyond his limits, “On Christmas 2019, I went away for a couple of weeks. The only person I could think of, and was dying to get back to, was her. That’s when I realised that Shanice was the one for me.” She shared a similar sentiment, noting that spending time apart for that holiday season felt like a limb was missing. This exciting relationship routine set the stage for the greatest dance of their lifetime, as husband and wife.
On December 21, 2020, on the balcony of their new apartment, the dancer and choreographer organised a quaint flash mob proposal. The energetic dance which ended in Dripping in Finesse by Bruno Mars, featuring Cardi B, gave way to a change of pace with Ed Sheeran’s hit single, Perfect. Family members and close friends delivered roses and hugs to Shanice before her husband-to-be got down on one knee, with a red rose and ring in hand, asking the love of his life to be his wife. An emotional Shanice said yes, “It was everything I hoped for, and more”.
The bride-to-be took the lead in organising the main event, and also enlisted the expertise of the wedding planner, Kara Anderson. “Let’s just say I’m glad it is over,” she reflected on making those arrangements, adding that Anderson and her team did an exceptional job. When it came to choosing the dress, a friend recommended her to LuxBrides JA, “because of the exceptional service and variety. I went with an open mind to try almost all the designs, which I did, and thought I found my dress, until one night, my mother sent me a picture from Pinterest. I asked LuxBrides JA if they were able to remake it, and they did.”
On April 9, a stunning Shanice and handsome Jovaughn danced their way to ‘I do’ and beyond in a breathtaking wedding at the Seacliff Resort and Spa in Portland. The day-and-night celebration was filled with love, laughter, joy, happiness, opulence, and of course, entertainment. “It was perfect,” Jovaughn highlighted. When it came to the first dance as husband and wife, the newly-weds shared two dances. The first was to Ed Sheeran’s Thinking Out Loud and the second was a mix of musical selections featuring the couple’s favourite artists: Chris Brown, TI, Vybz Kartel, Burna Boy, Popcaan, Davido, Wiz Kid, Bruno Mars, Jagged Edge,
“The wedding was definitely the best day of my life to date,” Shanice highlighted. “It was everything, and so much more. My best moment was when we exchanged our custom vows.”