From business to marriage

No one or nothing else mattered for Andre Williams and Jheanelle Cameron when they first met. They describe their first encounter as fireworks. They did not want the moment to end as they felt a connection with each other that they had never felt before.

“It was an immediate reaction. There was this gut feeling that there was something special about us, and we were instantly attracted to each other. Both of us quickly knew that we felt the same way,” Jheanelle told Island Wedding.

Work was what brought the duo together. They were co-workers, and while dating a co-worker can come with challenges, both Andre and Jheanelle were good at setting and honouring these boundaries, and over time became attracted to each other’s minds, character, personality, and skills.

Initially, Jheanelle wasn’t looking to mix business and pleasure, but she just couldn’t shake the feeling that she might be walking away from something special. After a while of playing hard to get, she decided she did not want to miss the opportunity to get to know Andre.

“We took the time to get to know each other after that initial spark. We worked on our short- and long-term goals, fears, successes, and what we saw for ourselves in terms of our family and career,” Jheanelle said.

“The honeymoon phase lasts around six months, and that’s when people really start to recognise each other’s strengths, quirks, baggage, red flags, and everything in between. We knew we did not want to get divorced,” she added.

They knew that love is just one of the many components of a lasting marriage and that healthy communication, intimacy, honesty, trust, and respecting your partner and his or her goals, dreams, and desires in life are key to sustaining a lasting relationship.

According to Andre, the first day he saw Jheanelle, he knew she was the one he would marry. “I was so patient even when she was not interested at first. I did not want to rush anything. I wanted her to see who I was and that I am the person she would want to spend the rest of her life with,” he said.

Andre popped the question on his birthday, on October 4, 2021. This made the occasion even more special for the couple. “We were having a conversation when he asked me to make him some tea. I responded and said that is a wife’s job. He pulled out a ring and asked if I would marry him. I was so surprised, and I didn’t take him seriously because he is a jovial person and likes to run jokes at times. After a few minutes, I realised he was serious about making me his wife, and I accepted his proposal,” Jheanelle said.

The two share a strong connection, and Andre appreciates Jheanelle’s kindness and openness. “A relationship takes time, commitment, and work. Jheanelle and I can talk about anything. She respects me and accepts me with all my shortcomings. She is always striving to be a better version of herself and I appreciate her for that,” he said.

The couple tied the knot at the Terra Nova Hotel on August 26, 2023, two years after they were engaged. They picked royal blue as their colour of choice, and over 50 persons witnessed their nuptials, along with their six bridesmaids and three groomsmen.

Andre couldn’t take his eyes off Jheanelle as she made her way up the aisle and named that moments as one of his favourites. “I was thrilled to see my bride walking to me. I can’t even imagine the kind of man I would be without her,” he added.

Newly married, Andre and Jheanelle are looking forward to spending quality time together and making memories that will last a lifetime.

keisha.hill@gleanerjm.com