Wedding | Toni & Leighton

Tell us a little about yourselves!

During a night out with our respective friend groups on February 29, 2020 (Leap Day — because of course our story would start on a once-every-four-years date), we locked eyes across a bar and, as they say, the rest is history! We instantly bonded over our shared Caribbean roots — Leighton, born and raised in The Bahamas, and my family hailing from Trinidad. 

Then, as we well know, the world shut down a few weeks later due to the pandemic. So instead of a “normal” first date, we masked up and wandered the nearly empty National Mall at the height of cherry blossom (and allergy) season. Five hours flew by in what felt like five minutes and we’ve been inseparable since.  Three years later, Leighton proposed during our anniversary trip on a private sailing boat in Annapolis, Maryland. 

We’re a true corporate America couple, Leighton a management consultant and me an attorney, but we learned soon into our relationship that life is too short. Just a year after we started dating, my father passed away after his battle with cancer. So despite demanding work hours, we always prioritize living life to the fullest, and forging a path authentic to us.

Why did you decide to get married where you did?

Travel and adventure have been cornerstones of our relationship from the beginning. We love immersing ourselves in new cultures and experiences, so a destination wedding was a no brainer. When it came to choosing where, we wanted a location that might already be on our guests’ bucket lists, but still accessible enough to make the trip doable.

Lisbon, Portugal quickly became the top contender. The idea of blending our friends’ backgrounds and our families’ prominent Caribbean cultures while experiencing a gorgeous country together felt like a dream. 

My mom and I first went to meet our incredible wedding planners, Tales, in January 2024 and on the second day of the trip we visited 1743 Palacio Fonte Nova, a once-abandoned Portuguese estate. Despite the heavy restoration process, the view of the house from the garden brought my mother to tears. It also doesn’t hurt that we love doing things down the path less- travelled and after Leighton found out we could be the first wedding, of our size, at the venue, we had to go for it!

How many guests did you have?

We are so eternally blessed and grateful that 118 of our nearest and dearest made it out to Portugal to celebrate our wedding weekend. While a majority of our guests travelled from the States, our loved ones also ventured from The Bahamas, Trinidad, Jamaica, Amsterdam, Switzerland, and the UK.

What was your budget? 

Because our engagement spanned nearly two years, our wedding planners kept us constantly updated on market shifts, as Portugal grew in popularity for destination weddings. Thanks to their expertise, we were able to cut costs in smart ways and make adjustments without sacrificing the experience we envisioned for our wedding weekend.

Tell us about your outfits.

For the two events prior to the wedding day, we provided our guests with dress codes and color schemes, that Leighton and I did the exact opposite of! For the first night, on the gorgeous rooftop of Palacio Tancos, we requested that our guests wear bright colors to embody the gorgeous Lisbon sunset, while Leighton and I opted for softer, more neutral tones. Leighton wore a custom sand-colored linen suit by Studio Suits while I chose a cream and pink-patterned Agua by Agua Bendita dress. My accessory choices honored and blended our Caribbean backgrounds: poinsettia flower earrings to commemorate the national flower of Trinidad, and a Bahama Handprints purse to highlight Leighton’s Bahamian heritage. 

To expand on an all-white beach party, our “day before” event at Lorosae Beach Club, was a mix of ivories, creams, whites, and neutral colors. Leighton and I were the “pop of color” – Leighton in a french-blue custom suit by Studio Suits and me in a vintage turquoise sequin dress from Happy Isles Salon NYC, which made my Little Mermaid dreams come true. As much as I embraced the bridal journey, the one thing I shunned was wearing white for every event. So, it was only right that we embraced color before the big day. 

As for wedding day, Leighton prioritized ease and purchased both his ceremony tux and reception jacket in Portugal from two of Lisbon’s premier suit stores, Rosa & Teixeira and Mister Man, respectively. He accented his suits with gold accessories, including a bracelet with the names of our loved ones who’d passed. For shoes, Leighton wore the “Marty” dress loafers by Giuseppe Zanotti. 

Now, my process wasn’t as simple. To include as many friends and family as possible in wedding dress shopping, I tried on countless dresses at salons across the East Coast. But I knew that, as soon as I stepped foot in Danielle Frankel’s atelier in New York, that I would walk out with one of her gowns. And true to form, after trying on “Sutton” it was the first, and only, dress where I had the “this is it” feeling. And it was definitely not what I initially envisioned as my ceremony gown! A true “trust the process” moment. 

For the reception and after party gown, I wanted something light and airy, essentially to feel like a fairy in the forest. Undone by Kate created the most gorgeous custom gown that was the result of a beautiful collaboration process. Kate also embraced my desire for color and adorned my dress in subtle green vines. My mom and sister were so obsessed that Kate and her incredible team also created their custom gowns for wedding day, so it was truly a family affair. 

And, of course, aligned with my desire to stay away from all-white, I found the cutest and comfiest green sling-back Dolce & Gabbana heels that I partied in all night.

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

Caribbean people love — and I mean love — to party, or as Trinidadians say, fête. So we knew we had to throw a proper Caribbean fête, with the right blend of music, in the heart of Portugal. Our goal was for the entire weekend to feel like a continuous party, from start to finish, and for our guests to bond and come together as one by wedding day. 

One of our biggest initial stressors was finding a DJ who was well-versed in the many genres we needed to be played, particularly Caribbean music, in Portugal. So after stalking every Caribbean party hosted in Portugal via Instagram, we found our incredible DJ, Xavier BLK, who seamlessly blended everything from Soca, Dancehall, Rake n’ Scrape, Afrobeats to Miami Bass, Reggaeton, and early 2000s Alternative Rock. One of our favorite memories during the wedding weekend was the Soca versus Dancehall battle Xavier curated during our after-party. We truly had the time of our lives!

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

My late father had a larger-than-life personality — he would’ve absolutely been the center of attention on our wedding day (and loving every minute of it). We wanted to make sure his presence was deeply felt throughout the celebration, as if he was physically present: from a dedicated cocktail, to birds and butterflies as place cards, his favorite flower – purple orchids – as our bouquets and boutonniere, and a reserved seat for him in the front row, next to my mom. 

And since none of our grandmothers could be with us — with only one still living and unable to make the trip to Portugal — we dedicated a “Nana’s Corner” to honor all of them. It showcased their talents, from woven straw work to their personally sewn and crocheted creations. We also honored Leighton’s late grandfather, with a reserved front row seat. 

Beyond dedications to our lost loved ones, the overall mood of the decor and guest experience entrenched in Caribbean culture was incredibly important to us. I never really felt drawn to bright florals or tablescapes and wanted a moody and deep-colored aesthetic, as if our wedding was in the middle of the forest (shoutout to my tween love of the Twilight Saga that has persisted all these years!). Leighton gave me full reign to run free with this and the incredibly talented styling and planning combination of Bosque Concepts with our wedding planners absolutely delivered, as if they plucked the vision right out of my head! A winding ceremony aisle leading to piles of gorgeous moss and varying purple and green florals, where, during the ceremony we were handfast in cords the colors of our countries’ flags. Guests were greeted by misty fog as they entered the reception tent and were surrounded by more gorgeous moss, mushrooms, artichokes, deep purple florals and candles, the list goes on. The decor and florals were a beautiful juxtaposition to our bright Trinidadian and Bahamian flags that were proudly waived by our guests throughout the night. I couldn’t have asked for more!

Any tips for couples getting married?

If you feel like a massive wedding isn’t for you, and you’re contemplating a destination wedding, just do it! It was the perfect way to curate a smaller guest list of our nearest and dearest, without the obligatory invites. And just remember, whoever is meant to be there will be there. 

More importantly, don’t hesitate to hire the local wedding planner! Trust their planning and the vendors they work with. It will make your lives exponentially easier.

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

There are so many! 

We are incredibly lucky to have had the absolute best vendor team, here’s just a taste:

First, we would be nothing without our wedding planners, Tales. From my initial meeting with Marta, just weeks after our engagement, I knew we had to work together. From never judging my love for Twilight and making that a reality in our decor (so much so that during our decor trial, they played a song from the Twilight soundtrack as Leighton and I walked into the room). Marta and Madalena were there through it all: the inevitable ups and downs of wedding planning, the doubts and second guesses, we were always met with patience and support. I am just so in awe of their creativity and dedication. And pair that with the masterminds behind Bosque Concepts? Pure magic. Thank you, forever, for making our wedding day vision come to life. 

Our incredible photography and videography team, M/ANIA and Fullcut! You both captured our wedding weekend perfectly, with every detail so gorgeously and intentionally shot. We laughed and cried reliving each moment through your eyes and we will cherish this content for the rest of our lives. Thank you!

The team that Leighton and I lovingly refer to as the vendors who brought the Caribbean and pure culture and vibes to our wedding weekend. Of course, the best DJ, Xavier BLK, who worked so seamlessly with our incredible MC from the UK, Mr. Tandoh – you brought the energy, jokes, liveliness, and everything in between. We couldn’t have done it without you two! 

The talented Bar Factory Solutions team, the geniuses of our cocktail creations, who we just enjoyed hanging out with so much that we may or may not have had several tastings prior to wedding day just because.  

Victoria, the creator of AfriJerk, who I also found through some serious Instagram deep dives, provided the quintessential Trinidadian and Bahamian staples of Corn Soup and Boil Fish (with Johnny Cake!) for our late-night food that kept us fuelled to keep dancing throughout the night. 

Keshia, of Junkie Bride, who I’d been eyeing well before Leighton and I were even engaged and who made the trip from Miami to Lisbon to style my hair. Your energy was a calming force I didn’t know I needed on wedding day. 

The incredible glam team from Joana Moreira Makeup and Tania de Sousa Hair that had my bridal party and I looking and feeling our absolute best! And the boys were equally pampered by Gilmar Barbeiro who gave them all fresh cuts on wedding morning. 

Joana from Molde Design Weddings, one of the first vendors we hired, who created the most stunning and personalized wedding stationary and all signage throughout our wedding weekend.

Finally, our officiant Joanna from Your European Wedding Celebrant. Leighton and I look back on our ceremony as one of the most special and intentional moments of our wedding weekend. And that wouldn’t have been possible without the beautifully moving ceremony Joanna wrote. We cannot thank you enough.

Photographer: M/ANIA @m_aniaphotography | Planning & Styling: Tales @taleswpt | Flora: Bosque Concepts @bosqueconcepts | Videographer: Fullcut @fullcut | Ceremony & Reception Location: 1743 Palácio Fonte Nova @1743palaciofontenova | Celebrant: Your European Wedding Celebrant @yourweddingcelebrant | Rentals: Back UP Rentals @backup.rentals | Makeup: Joana Moreira Makeup @joanamoreira_makeup | Grooming: Gilmar Barbeiro @barbeiro_gil | Bride’s Hair: Junkie Bride @junkiebride | Bridesmaids’ Hair: Tania de Sousa @taniadesousahairstylist | Catering: Imppacto @imppacto | Late Night Food: AfriJerk @afrijerk | Bar: Bar Factory Solutions @barfactorysolutions | Stationery: Molde Weddings @moldeweddings | Ceremony Music: String Quartet Solutions @stringquartetsolution | Cocktail Hour Music: Ebony Steelband @ebonysteelband | DJ: Xavier BLK @xavierblk | MC: Mr. Tandoh MC @mrtandohmc | Reception Tent: Tudona Tenda @tudonatenda | AV & Sound: Groovebox @groovebox_se | Photo Booth: Memory Box Portugal @memoryboxpt| Ceremony Dress & Veil: Danielle Frankel @daniellefrankelstudio | Reception Dress: Undone by Kate @undonebykate | Suit: Rosa & Teixeira @rosaeteixeira | Groom's Second Look Jacket: Mister Man @mister.man1972 | Engagement & Wedding Rings: Diamonds Direct @diamondsdirect | Shoes: (Bride) Dolce & Gabbana @dolcegabbana & (Groom) Guiseppe Zanotti @guiseppezanotti | Groomsmen Suits: The Black Tux @theblacktux