It was truly romantic when 38-year-old Steven John Adams and 33-year-old Christie Alysha Chuck stared longingly into each other’s eyes as they waltzed across the lavishly appointed grand ballroom of Sandals South Coast to R&B crooner, Major’s love medley Why I love you.
But let’s roll the track back to a popular 2012 soca beat, playing at a Caribbean Beach party in Miami on thanksgiving weekend, when Steven first laid eyes on Christie.
They had a lot in common, including the fact that they are both Jamaicans living in the United States. They had also shared mutual friends for a long time but didn’t really know each other. That night, however, Steven became mesmerised by Christie’s exotic beauty.
“There was just something about her as I watched her dancing by herself, I just had to get to know this beautiful woman,” said Steven.
Christie also remembers when Steven walked over.
“He had a very kind smile and his eyes were captivating,” she said, “but what really caught my attention was just how he approached me with such respect. He really took his time to get to know me before asking for my number.”
That very night Steven called Christie; they spoke all night until they both fell asleep and that was, as Christie puts it, the beginning of forever.
Fast forward eight years later to Christmas 2020: both Steven and Christie were at her parents’ home celebrating the joy of the season when, having decided that he couldn’t imagine his life without her, Steven got down on one knee and asked Christie to marry him.
“She would never pressure me but by then, I knew I was the love of her life and that she was mine,” said Steven.
“He gave me a lovely diamond necklace and I thought that was my gift, but then he got down on one knee and brought the ring out of his pocket and proposed to me and of course, I said yes,” Christie reminisced fondly.
Following their engagement and adamant that they wanted to return to Jamaica for their big day, Christie and Steven spent time researching possible wedding locations on the island, but were drawn to all the positive reviews about Sandals South Coast.
“I knew that Sandals South Coast was large enough to accommodate the amount of people that I wanted to invite,” Christie said of their wedding group of about 96 family members and close friends.
“I also loved how much Sandals South Coast really catered to weddings; the main focal point on the resort’s page is weddings and couples and love. Even being here now, it is a property surrounded by so much love,” said Christie.
Steven was also quite thrilled with the idea and left most of the planning to his wife-to-be.
“This just really brought it all home for me, it was like a dream come true,” he said.
A FAIRYTALE BEGINNING
A perfectionist at heart with a penchant for clean lines and pure whites, Christie desired a wedding experience that was grand, whimsical and reflective of her preferred aesthetic.
“I had an idea in mind, but Val and Rita just took my vision and made it come to life beyond words,” she gushed about the Sandals South Coast wedding duo of Weddings Manager, Valecia Galbraith and Assistant Wedding Events Manager, Rita Johnson and their team.
The most heavenly whites, punctuated by perfectly placed gold highlights and dripping with bountiful arrangements of phalaenopsis orchids, roses and hydrangeas, brought the wedding’s theme to life. Each element came together to create perfect backdrops for the celebration of a romance a decade in the making.
Prior to the wedding Steven and Christie also had great opportunities to connect with their families and friends at exclusive wedding functions including a rum and games night featuring a premium bar, great food, entertainment and a photo-worthy bonfire. The couple says they were also thankful for being on a large resort with ample entertainment at every corner and enough space for everyone to congregate and perhaps give them some space of their own as well.
“It was so much fun to get everybody together and everybody had such a good time,” said the beaming bride.
This destination wedding experience and the people who came along to celebrate with them were particularly significant for Steven and Christie as it coincided with their 10th anniversary as a couple.
“We wanted everything to be flawless and Sandals South Coast ensured that it was,” said Steven.
Christie admits that from the moment they landed in Jamaica they’ve been spoiled, particularly by their Sandals South Coast butlers, whose service Steven describes as top of the line. The couple also stayed in one of the resort’s 20 beautifully appointed and spectacular Rondovals and could easily appreciate the privacy and elegance of this space.
From couples to large wedding groups, Sandals offers customisable destination weddings in several exotic Caribbean island venues that are truly unique and inspiring. From Over-The-Water Wedding Chapels that feature stunning 360-degree, panoramic water views and a glass floor aisle to Over-The-Water and Oceanfront Gazebos to Garden Gazebos and European Wedding Gardens that create an elegant, sophisticated backdrop of manicured lawns and serene pools.
Couples may also have a tropical wedding included with stays of three nights and over at any Sandals® Resort.
