One dance opened the hearts of Odette and Andrew Gordon

“Too good to be true” was Odette Williams’ initial reaction upon meeting the man who would eventually become both the love of her life and her husband, Andrew Gordon. Their introduction came through a mutual friend, and despite the distance between them, Andrew managed to capture her heart in a way she had never imagined possible, starting with one dance.

“We met through my childhood friend, Tanika Mclune, who gave me a serious talk before introducing us because she was afraid that I wasn’t ready to be with one woman,” Andrew told Island Wedding.

Playing Cupid was the order of the day, and Tanika executed it so well that Odette was genuinely impressed. “Initially, I thought he was too sweet to be single or that he had some major issues that I didn’t know about just yet,” she admitted to Island Wedding. The confessional didn’t end there.

Following their ‘random’ encounter, luck was on their side as they crossed paths again the very next night at a birthday party. In that festive setting, the two strangers danced as though they had known each other for a lifetime. Since then, they have never stopped dancing together.

Andrew finds himself drawn to both Odette’s outward beauty and her inner qualities. He cherishes her loving, romantic, patient, and loyal nature, which complements her physical charm. “My wife is always pushing me to reach my true potential. She motivates me to be the best I can be,” he said, adding, “She’s definitely a go-getter. I have to keep pushing forward to keep up with her. She is big on communication, and sometimes as men, it’s hard for us to communicate or seem as if we’re vulnerable, however, with her, communication is easy. She is the best.”

Handsome and charming from the very start, Odette continues to be fascinated by Andrew’s patience and great sense of humour as well as his reassuring and loving nature, especially to family. “We’ve definitely had our fair share of ups and downs, and sometimes out of nowhere, he will say that things will be fine. When the obstacles came, we never caved in or gave up on each other. We worked together and prayed together. Today, we have a beautiful family, and he ensures that we are good.”

While Odette takes a pragmatic approach to life, she points out that Andrew is big on faith. “Even when something is staring us dead in the eye and we know what the outcome will be, he always sees the good in every situation and in everyone. He is always optimistic, and sometimes I don’t know how he does it, but he always has a positive energy,” she added.

Before they knew it, Andrew was making plans for the next step of the relationship, “Months prior to the engagement, I started asking questions about her ring size and the type of cut she likes. I did it in a way that she didn’t suspect a thing, acting as if I wasn’t ready to take that step, just to surprise her.”

He went on to pop the question during a birthday toast. “His proposal was amazing! It happened at the stroke of midnight on my birthday. He poured me a glass of wine, and when I turned around to take it, there he was with the prettiest ring I’ve ever seen,” Odette enthused

As they got ready for their big day, the bride-to-be was filled with gratitude for Janice Riley of Izma Designs, who not only fulfilled their dreams for the intimate and private celebration, but also played a crucial role in the wedding planning and décor. Janice Riley was a saviour when it came to the all-important “yes to the dress” moment.

“I bought my original dress online, and when it arrived, it wasn’t what I expected. Stressed out, I reached out to Janice two days before my wedding and she recommended Exquisite Bridal Boutique. The owner was so accommodating. We met and I found my dream dress,” she revealed.

After four years of knowing that they were the one for each other, Odette and Andrew joined hands and hearts at the Christar Villas Hotel and became Mr and Mrs Gordon. The blushing bride recalled feeling like a queen on that fateful day, and it certainly showed.

As the newlyweds reminisced about their extraordinary wedding day, what truly left the groom breathless was the sight of his beautiful bride approaching him, “She looked amazing; she looked absolutely stunning,” he reflected.

From there, the husband-and-wife duo shared a soul-stirring first dance to Don’t Know Much by Aaron Neville and Linda Ronstadt. Floating on cloud nine, Mrs Gordon reminisced, “At that moment, it felt like my husband and I were the only ones in the room.”

krysta.anderson@gleanerjm.com