Wedding | Anissa & James

Tell us a little about yourselves!

James and I first met in class at University College London in September 2018. On our early dates around campus, we discussed our lofty dreams, our shared love for family, and our very different upbringings – mine in Jamaica, and his in the English countryside. Somewhere in those conversations, we started falling for each other.

We’ve navigated so much of life together since our final year at university, from ‘shielding’ apart during the pandemic and supporting one another when loved ones have passed away, to the mundane everyday decision of who’s cooking dinner.

James always says he knew he was going to marry me from early on in our relationship, and his thoughtful nature showed in his attention to detail with the proposal. He found a jeweller in Shoreditch that specialised in Art Deco-inspired designs, knowing what I had in mind, and proposed on a sunny summer’s day in 2023 during a picnic in a Royal Park. It was intimate, scenic, and felt very reflective of us.

Why did you decide to get married where you did?

It might sound a little crazy, but I had our wedding venue picked out – Pattoo Castle in Negril – since 2017, long before I met James. I first came across it on Pinterest and instantly fell in love. I always wanted to get married in Jamaica. It’s where I was born, and much of my family still lives on the island. 

When we got engaged, we knew the wedding would be a destination for at least one side of the family, no matter where we held it. Choosing Pattoo Castle wasn’t just about the stunning views, it gave us the chance to bring our two families, and our two worlds, together in a meaningful way. We all stayed at the villa for a week, and that time together made the celebration feel even more special.

How many guests did you have?

We had 50 guests in total. While most flew in from the UK, others travelled from all over the world, including the US, Canada, Germany, and even as far as Malaysia.

What was your budget? 

We did set a budget, although we did exceed it slightly.

Along the way, we let go of some of the “nice-to-haves” and focused on the elements that mattered most to us. We were also incredibly grateful to have support from family, who generously gifted us certain wedding items and even helped cover a few vendors.

Tell us about your outfits.

My dress, a gorgeous number by Saint Bridal, was suggested to me by my Instagram algorithm (sometimes it really does know you!). I also found my seamstress, Tess from Chalk White Bridal, on Instagram, who did an amazing job sculpting the bodice to me and making the dress look even more perfect. I opted against a veil as I wanted my natural hair to take centre stage in my bridal look.

Finding an afterparty dress took ages. After sending back several white dresses, James suggested I pivot to something completely different. I ended up choosing a gold mini dress from Nadine Merabi, which added a touch of sparkle to our laid-back reception.

James wore a custom double-breasted camel suit from Moss, complete with a monogram of our wedding date, and brown loafers. For the reception, he also had an outfit change, switching his suit jacket for a linen Cuban shirt from Reiss.

What was the most important aspect for you, in terms of planning your wedding?

In the days leading up to the wedding, we wanted to create space for our friends and family to connect, get to know each other, and experience the island together. We put together an optional itinerary for the week, which included a rum tour, a boat party with snorkelling, and a relaxed beach party the night before the wedding.

Some of our favourite moments from the whole trip was seeing everyone bond and form new friendships. By the time the wedding day arrived, there was such a sense of ease and familiarity among our guests that we didn’t feel the pressure to constantly be “on” as hosts.

Were there any elements that were important for you to incorporate?

Even though the wedding took place in Jamaica, we still wanted to incorporate a few English touches. The florals were inspired by classic English country gardens, which paired beautifully with the rustic stone castle setting. The menu even included a nod to home: bread and butter pudding – with a rum-infused twist, of course.

At the same time, it was important for us to honour Jamaica and my family's rural roots. We used seasonal native fruits like star apple and Otaheite apple (also known as Jamaican apple) to hold the place names. Guests were also treated to custom-branded coconuts.

Any tips for couples getting married?

As many couples know, wedding planning can get stressful and even a bit monotonous at times, particularly if there are extra logistics involved like with a destination wedding. 

We’d recommend scheduling fun date nights to break up the planning process and help with decision-making. For example, we went to a few bars during happy hour to help choose our signature cocktails. We also took dance classes together to prepare for our first dance, which turned out to be one of the most fun parts of the whole experience.

We also had a fantastic wedding planner, Chic Events Jamaica, who helped us through the whole process and even got us out of a few last-minute binds.

Are there any vendors that you would like to tell us a little more about?

One of the things that mattered most to us was having the right photography and videography team to capture the day. We chose Yazmine May  and PS Visuals respectively, and they both did an incredible job capturing the day and bringing our vision to life.

Music was another huge part of the celebration. Our DJ, 876 Sounds, absolutely nailed it, playing non-stop bangers all night and keeping the energy high from start to finish.

Photographer: Yazmine May @yazminemayphotography | Planning & Flora: Chic Events Jamaica @chicweddingsja | Videographer: PS Visuals @p.s.visuals | Ceremony & Reception Location: Pattoo Castle @pattoocastle | Celebrant: Pastor Franklin King | Makeup Artist: Your Glam Destination

@yourglamdestination | Catering & Beverages: Eskay Catering @eskaycaterers | Cake: Cakes by Noida

@leeleecooke | Entertainment: 876 Sounds @876sounds | Dresses: Saint Bridal Couture @saintbridal & Nadine Merabi @nadinemerabi | Suit: Moss @mossbros | Engagement & Wedding Rings: Rachel Boston @rachelbostonjewellery | Shoes: Stuart Weitzman @stuartweitzman | Earrings: Monica Vinader @monicavinader | Wedding Party Attire: Club London @clublondon_me & Mango @mango