Silveras go back to the beginning for special anniversary shoot

Matthew and Kimberley Silvera have always celebrated their anniversary in a big way. This time around was no different. The dynamic duo, led by sweet sentiment, took a loving stroll down memory lane to where their journey began: Titchfield High School. It was there that the two met and went from first-form friends to forever love.

“We always wanted to do a series of videos that had our storylines, because we have been through a lot. So, while discussing this year’s theme, we made the joint decision to return to our high school. Being there, the nostalgia definitely kicked it. It felt like yesterday. And it was amazing to be reminded of where it all started,” Kimberley told The Sunday Gleaner. This reminiscence included walking the grounds of their alma mater hand-in-and and sharing beautiful moments in the classroom, dressed in uniform.

Circa 2005, the couple met when they were placed in the same form class. Matthew explained that they were both friends initially and he found her to be quite outspoken and charismatic, two very admirable traits in his book. But things took a turn when they had a dispute.

Kimberley shared that, back in those days, she had no feelings towards him, except what she thought was hatred at the time, “I actually hated Matthew in very short order of knowing him because we had an altercation and I didn’t speak to him for three years whilst in the same form class.”

But everything changed when they embarked on studies in upper school. “We didn’t talk on friendly terms until the end of ninth grade, when we both took the same bus from Portland to Ocho Rios to spend our summer holidays,” he revealed.

By June 12, 2009, these ‘enemies’ weren’t just friends; they had become high-school sweethearts. According to Matthew, they couldn’t get enough of each other. “We would talk in the morning before school, during classes we had together, and then we went home on the same bus every day. After all of that, we still would text each other when we reached our home.” Then and there, he knew that she was the one.

While, for Kimberley, “Matt is my first love and my only love. I think I truly realised he was the one when all my plans for the future had him in mind! There wasn’t a life that I could have envisioned without Matt. I was short of nothing with the love we shared. I wasn’t ever curious of what it would have been like with someone else. I felt complete and that’s when I truly knew I had found my forever.”

Outside of Kimberley’s outspoken and charismatic nature, Matthew also found his beloved to be loving, ambitious, supportive, and loyal, “She has always been my number one supporter and the motivational force in my life. We have definitely grown a whole lot, from high school and attending university to starting a family and businesses of our own while aiming for bigger goals together. And we have overcome many obstacles to be where we are right now. I couldn’t see myself where I’m at today without her in the picture.”

After dating for seven years, Matthew asked Kimberley to be his wife on June 12, 2016, with an intimate and detailed proposal, thinking inside of the box, “We usually travelled on the J1 programme together throughout university. In the third year, I saved up and bought the ring, wrapped it in three different boxes along with other gifts as we celebrated our relationship anniversary. But I told her to open that specific box last. As she opened the gift, there was another box inside, which had another box containing the ring. After she got the last box out, I went down on one knee. The moment she opened that box, I asked her to be my wife.”

Walking up the aisle to become Mr and Mrs Silvera was an amazing experience for Matthew and Kimberley. For the bride, she saw the wedding as a blessing, noting that her memorable moment came with the exchange of vows. While, for the groom, “We had all the persons who really loved and supported us from the beginning of our journey, and it was a day filled with tears of joy and laughter. The best moment for me was seeing and feeling how our union brought so much love and unity between the two families. The bond, to this day, is truly special.”

Since saying ‘I do’, the happy couple has started a little family of their own, having a child that is both their pride and joy. And their unwavering love has continued to grow in unimaginable ways.

Experience teaches wisdom and the biggest lesson the duo has learnt as a lawfully wedded couple is understanding the importance of communication and always putting God first. “Our understanding of each other has become more powerful as time went by. [We] don’t ever sweep anything under the rug; [we] address each and every issue we have so that [we both] can get a fair chance to resolve and move forward.”

Matthew chimed in by highlighting that marriage has taught him to always cherish and appreciate your special person, “Don’t let the small things cause you to lose track of the bigger picture. It won’t always be happy times, there will be hardships and sad times. But you have to know that you need to always be each other’s support in either of those situations.”

For people wanting to get married, the Silveras encourage engaged couples to have an open mind and an open heart, “Be mindful that it’s no longer about ‘you’, it’s about ‘us’. Do not go into your marriage like you have won the lottery and this is it. Do not get complacent, always be spontaneous. Do not just ‘hear’ your partner, but ‘listen’. Pray over your union and, the same expectations you have for your partner, practise it for yourself as well. The relationship goes both ways. My biggest advice is to communicate. No man or woman is a psychic, so don’t get upset with your wife or husband and expect them to automatically know and address the problem and communicate.”

krysta.anderson@gleanerjm.com