An Engagement Shoot In Barbados

It’s always great to know somebody; especially when they introduce you to the love of your life. Melissa and Jason met through mutual friends who attended Wesleyan University. In 2008, Melissa was invited to join her cousin at a NYC nightclub and celebrate a college friend’s promotion.  Upon arrival, she was introduced to Jason and thought he was a handsome guy!  Because Jason had the daunting task of organizing the guest list of attendees, he was extremely distracted and on his phone while seated at a table full of ladies! Melissa thought “Who does this guy think he is?” and left the party in true diva fashion after only 10 minutes!

Fast forwarding 2 years, Melissa and Jason participated in a hilarious email chain on life, love, and relationships, where their paths crossed once more.  The two of them were engaged in a raucous debate on all things Venus vs. Mars.  Later, Jason included her on an email appeal letter to raise money for his non-profit organization. It was then that Melissa realized that they had more in common than she originally thought on that fateful night in that NYC nightclub! They both shared a passion for community development and philanthropy. They had their first date on April 10, 2010.  Enjoy these gorgeous photos from Coterie member, Amy Anaiz photography.

Wedding Date:

April 10, 2015

Wedding Location:

The Rooftop at Lime Grove, Holetown, Barbados

The Photographer: Amy Anaiz Photography

The proposal:

After taking nearly 3 months to plan Jason’s 35th birthday party, the surprise was on her after an amazing night with a “Welcome to Old Havana” themed party, complete with a bongo player, salsa dancers, a cigar bar, and signature drinks. When sharing the last toast of the evening and wishing him a happy birthday, Jason then took the mic.  Because Melissa was so engrossed in planning the party, it allowed him time to meet the multiple jewelers and pass the ring across her eyes without her noticing a thing. Jason told the crowd that despite Melissa’s repeated questions about what he wanted for his birthday, the only thing he could think of was for Melissa to spend the rest of her life with him. He then took to his knee, in front of 90 guests, and asked her to marry him!

The first date:

Their first date was an amazing seafood dinner at JP’s Restaurant in City Island, NY. After great conversation over a delicious meal, Melissa attempted to spontaneously teach Jason how to go “crabbing.”  After realizing that it just wasn’t going to happen, the two of them sat on a nearby bench and spent hours talking as they watched the calm waters and sunset

Favorite thing to do as a couple:

Melissa and Jason really enjoy discovering new Netflix series and enjoying what they’ve deemed as “Fat Kid Sunday”.  They’d go to their local Trader Joe’s supermarket to make sure their special cabinet was filled with all of their favorite treats and look forward to their Sunday snack time!

They also love to travel! Due to his job as an IT Consultant keeping him on the road nearly 5 days a week, all over the United State, Jason had never traveled for leisure.  After their first trip together to Cancun, Melissa and Jason were hooked on the fun and learning that they were able to do as a team, while they traveled different countries together and have a blast!

The engagement session:

It was fate when they chose Amy Anaiz as the photographer for their engagement shoot. They discussed dates for the shoot and realized that they’d all be in Barbados at the same time! How perfect to have an engagement shoot in Barbados? Amy was going to be there to shoot the wedding of a mutual friend and Melissa and Jason were to be there to meet their wedding planner and select a venue for their destination wedding.  What made it more special and surreal was that they all would be in the same hotel!

Because of the delay in Melissa getting her hair and makeup done, Amy was able to navigate them through a quick e-session in Holetown, just as the sun was setting; providing an incredible backdrop for their photos.  Afterwards, they returned to their hotel on the beach for a quick outfit change. In the rain, Melissa and Jason worked with Amy to complete the 2^nd half of their engagement shoot.  Amy nailed the shoot and they couldn’t have asked for anything better!

Wedding planning…

Melissa has always known that she’d have a destination wedding. With Jason’s family being from Barbados, it was an easy decision to choose it as the location for their wedding. With the help of Melissa’s Maid of Honor and wedding planner, Neakai Lewis of Events by Neakai, planning for them, has been a blast.  They’ve also gotten lots of help from Munaluchi Coterie member, Shari of Click Wed Caribbean and plenty of love and support from their friends and family.

Tell us what you’re looking forward to most of the wedding day:

Melissa says she’s looking forward to building a life and family with Jason. “Building a partnership with someone who encourages me to chase my dreams is all that I could ever want. I look forward to becoming Mrs. Jason Forde”.