Love on the hook for the Crooks

It’s not every day that you’ll find a romantic partner in a childhood friend, but that’s the beautiful love story of Jevaughn Crooks and Laffaine Lowe. Both hail from the Richmond community in Hanover and shared the same primary school in Lucea. Transitioning from schoolmates to soulmates, the two became high-school sweethearts. Once hooked, their love story continued to flourish for over a decade before they eventually tied the knot and became Mr and Mrs Crooks.

“My initial thoughts of her when we were kids [was] that she was a troublemaker. She, along with another friend of hers, would always playfully pinch me all the time. It was playful, but it really hurt. It wasn’t until high school that I started to see her in a different light. I found myself drawn to her beauty, and I liked that she was a little feisty,” he told Island Wedding.

Laffaine agreed that from the start, they just could not get along. “We would constantly argue or make fun of each other,” she said. But that didn’t stop their friends from playing Cupid and letting them know that this was a sign that they actually liked each other. “They (the friends) thought that we secretly liked each other and that we were just pretending. The truth was, in my eyes, he was the cutest boy in the community and he was my little crush,” she added. So, Laffaine gave him time to catch up to her feelings.

Jevaughn felt it was about time to put an end to the passive flirting and the silly act of pretending they disliked each other. So, on March 25, 2011, just a few weeks after Laffaine’s birthday, she received an unexpected gift. “I remember it was a Friday night. He messaged me, asking if I have a boyfriend. I replied by asking if he had a girlfriend. He said yes,” she shared.

This situation might have appeared disappointing for Laffaine, but her curiosity got the best of her, leading her to ask Jevaughn about his girlfriend’s name. To her surprise, he replied, calling her Laffaine Sameisha Lowe and expressing her as the subject of his affections. In loving fashion, she messaged back and confirmed that her boyfriend’s name was Jevaughn Lamoy Crooks.

Jevaughn not only finds the love of his life incredibly gorgeous, but also selfless, ambitious, imaginative, and a supportive partner. “She is undeniably beautiful, that goes without saying. But, she often puts the needs of others above her own, sometimes against my advice; but this attribute, I suppose, justifies her profession as a nurse.”

MY ROCK

He further explained that as a go-getter, she tends to her tasks, making the necessary sacrifices and demonstrating the will and determination to achieve them. In an innovative way, she bounces ideas his way for feedback, while giving him unwavering support. “If I am doubting myself, she offers me encouragement. She is my rock. She lends that same support to her friends and family as well. She is the one the people in her circle look to for advice,” Jevaughn explained.

He confessed that Laffaine has played an instrumental role in shaping the man he is today. “I recall when I just graduated from the University of the West Indies and was subsequently seeking employment, she actually accompanied me to drop off the résumé for my current job,” he said, adding, “Whatever flaws I had before entering the relationship, I can safely say I have less now and I credit her for that. She has shown me that the key to a healthy relationship is honesty and communication. She has fostered a safe environment for us to be able to express our likes and dislikes, which has allowed us to understand each other and adjust to make each other happy.”

Laffaine has always found her beloved handsome and still gets butterflies when she sees him. She’s also impressed by Jevaughn’s intelligence, thoughtfulness, ambition, hard work, and humility. “He’s always so self-driven, He sets his goals and never stops until he achieves them. I have always admired how serious he took his education and never stopped until he successfully completed his bachelor’s degree in human resource management and operations management.”

His genuine and caring nature has been refreshing on occasions where she wanted and needed it. She shared,“In 2020, we both were diagnosed with COVID-19. We both had respiratory problems, mine was worse and he would stay up watching me just to ensure I was breathing properly while I slept because, he was afraid something might end up happening to me.”

DRAWN BY HIS HUMILITY

Who doesn’t love comfort? Jevaughn works hard to achieve it without asking for much, overcoming significant hurdles to accomplish great things. “I know he’s appreciative and well deserving of all his accomplishments, but he remains so humble, and I love that the most about him.” Always logical and balanced, he complements her impulsiveness, guiding her to make sound financial and emotional choices.

As a couple, they enjoy watching movies, going on adventures, experiencing luxurious hotels, and having romantic dinner dates. “Our favourite chill spot is at Macau Gaming Lounge & Bar. It’s such a relaxing, peaceful, outdoor environment; and the food there is exceptional,” Jevaughn shared.

He realised Laffaine was the one when he discovered how effortless and great their conversations were. “They say when you know, you know; and it was just a feeling, everything just felt right.” So, 11 years after they met, he proposed to Laffaine during her birthday season.

“I proposed to her last year on March 12, three days after her birthday. I took her to the Grand Bahia Principe Hotel. Nervous, I tried my best to keep my cool, in order to not give away the plans. We went for dinner, and it was lovely. Later, we went for a walk on the property and subsequently went to a gazebo, just the two of us. I began expressing how much she meant to me, saying, ‘You are an amazing woman and there is no one else I would rather share my life with.’ I ended with, ‘We have been together for 11 wonderful years and I am not going to let another year pass by without doing this.’ Then and there, I went on one knee and asked her to be my wife and she said yes,” he explained.

An emotional Laffaine reflected. “The proposal was perfect! He proposed to me on the weekend of my birthday last year. I was over the moon! I wasn’t expecting it. My heart couldn’t take it. I cried, I screamed, paused, jumped and of course, said yes.”

The engaged couple chose to plan their own wedding, with the support of family and friends. Despite the time-consuming demands, it was all worth it when they said ‘I do’.

On August 13, Jevaughn and Laffaine had a beautiful garden wedding ceremony at The Palm Terrace in Montego Bay, St James. The nuptial celebrations continued with the reception at the same location.

Sharing their first dance as husband and wife to Other Side by Aloe Blacc, Laffaine remembered the waltz as so intimate that, at that moment, it was just her, the bridal queen, dancing with her king.

“I definitely had my dream wedding,” the happy bride enthused, adding, “It was everything I hoped for.” Her favourite moment was seeing her handsome groom at the altar and his reaction when he first laid eyes on his bride.

The groom, who wholeheartedly agreed with his beautiful bride about the wedding experience, said, “I did my very best to ensure my wife got the wedding she had dreamt of. I purposely waited until I was financially able before proposing, because I wanted to make sure she had the wedding she always wanted, and one that she would remember fondly.”

The best moment for him was when the pastor pronounced them husband and wife. “We also had a fire show at our reception that was awesome as well,” he added.

krysta.anderson@gleanerjm.com