Tinder sparks lifetime connection for Cion and Othniel Brissett
Published:Tuesday | September 19, 2023 | 12:05 AMKrysta Anderson/Staff Reporter
Othniel Brissett initially joined Tinder for a good time, but found his lifetime in the beautiful eyes of Cion Robinson. Their journey began with a mutual swipe, followed by weeks of scintillating conversation, and a first date, which took an unexpected twist when Othniel joined Cion at her hair appointment.
“Our first date was actually at a hair salon. He left work and met me there. While I did my hair we chatted, and he even rubbed my feet. We were at the salon for approximately six hours and he took the opportunity to stay until my hair was finished,” Cion told Island Wedding.
Othniel’s initial thought was, ‘Wow! She’s beautiful.’ In the same breath, he thought she was completely out of his league, but noted that it was worth a try. “Her first words after seeing me in person was, ‘You short eehh?’ We both laughed and spoke as if we knew each other for years,” he added.
After weeks of daily phone calls and sparks flying upon their in-person meetups, Othniel fell in love, and he knew from early on that she was the one for him. The two became an official couple just one month into their courtship on March 16, 2018.
Cion found her “humble lion” to be loyal, patient, romantic, chivalrous, and adventurous. “I always refer to Othniel as my humble lion,” she shared, adding that he is a positive influence in her life.
“His energetic personality can light up any room. He is courteous and one-of-a-kind, the one that still opens a car door for a lady. He has a [listening] ear for anyone in need, always going above and beyond to help others. I can recall when he first got his car and I was not able to leave work on time. He would sit and wait for hours until I was able to leave work, and he has never complained up to this day. The bond he has with his family and friends is impeccable because he is a genuine individual by heart,” she revealed.
She elaborated that Othniel’s maturity has led to her making positive life choices. “I am now focused and driven. My education comes first; I appreciate the sacrifices he has made for me to reach my goals. I give respect for that because you hardly find a young man that helps a woman to be consistent in reaching and achieving her goals.”
As the backbone of their relationship, he is the one who fights for what’s important and mends all broken pieces. “The love and affection I have received has nurtured the love we have for each other. I kept playing hard, but the day I knew he was Mr Right was when he saw that I was in a bad place in my life and he was persistent in making things better for me.”
Enamoured by her beauty, Othniel is equally enchanted by Cion’s compassion, resilience, ambition and confidence, “Cion, my wife, has shown me the real definition of true love; unconditional love. We met at a place in my life when I basically gave up on love and decided I was over with relationships. She came into my life and had me doing a 180 turn. She showed me and helped me [to] love again. We have been through the storms together and it has made us stronger as a couple, and we keep growing together.”
He is grateful to Cion for helping him to see his worth. “In her eyes, I am her hero, her superman, even though I am short,” he said with a laugh, adding, “Her love is one of the strongest points in our relationship.”
Realising that he could communicate with Cion without judgement and would always feel at ease, Othneil decided to take action. After dating for four and a half years, he asked his loving girlfriend to be his devoted wife.
“She thought I would ask her on her birthday, but I was way ahead of her. I invited her out with me two days later on November 24, 2021, to Negril just to chill. We got drinks and sat close to the cliffs at a private and secluded spot located on the west end, watching the sunset overlooking the sea. While songs played she said, ‘Neil, these are our songs we always listen to’, not knowing what was going to happen. I took her hands and we started walking to the edge of the cliffs. At that moment I stopped, went in front and took the ring from my pocket. I went down on my knees and before I could say the words, she started screaming and saying ‘Yes, yes, yes!’ The camera started flashing from the photographer and she turned around, only to see my mom. With tears in her eyes, she hugged and kissed me and ran to my mom,” he recounted.
Nuptial arrangements were made, courtesy of Othniel and wedding planners Izma Designs. The team made the couple comfortable from the planning stage and flawlessly executed a magical experience. As for the statement attire, the bride-to-be said yes to a beautiful princess dress from LuxBrides Ja.
On July 13, Othniel and Cion became Mr and Mrs Brissett in an intimate ceremony at the Hibiscus Lodge Hotel in Ocho Rios, St Ann. “It was a dream come true,” the bride reflected. Her favourite moment was walking up the aisle. The moment her eyes locked with her groom, tears followed in quick succession.
The groom shared, “My best moment, because there were so many, was looking at my beautiful bride walking up to me. All I could remember is our journey, triumphs, sorrows and all our experiences, and we have made it thus far. I felt a rush of emotions and tears flowed freely down my cheeks; tears of joy and love.”
The newly-weds shared their official dance as husband and wife to I Belong to You by Jacob Lee. “I felt loved knowing that I got married to my best friend. It made me very emotional listening to the song Othniel had chosen,” Cion added.