Jeneva and Roderick’s romance began at the grocery store. Roderick immediately captivated Jeneva with his humor and charm. They exchanged numbers and have been inseparable ever since. For their wedding they wanted to be sure to showcase both the groom’s American culture and the bride’s Haitian heritage. Through their decor and cuisine they blend the two together to symbolize their new union.
Read all about Jeneva and Roderick’s first encounter, extravagant proposal, and perfectly passionate wedding.
Bride & Groom: Jeneva & Roderick
Occupations: Nurse/Teacher & Fork Lift Operator
Wedding Date: November 19th, 2017
Wedding Location: Milander Center for Arts and Entertainment
Tell us how you met and all about the proposal. Roderick and I met at the grocery store. We were both standing in line at the deli counter waiting for our numbers to be called. He said something funny and we immediately hit it off. We exchanged numbers and immediately became inseparable. We still joke about our first him cutting in line.
On the day of the proposal my then boyfriend ask me to pack my bags for the weekend to go to Miami. This wasn’t out of the ordinary because we travel to Miami very frequently throughout the year. Once we arrived, he dropped me off at my parents’ house and asked me to be ready no later than 4pm. At this point I still didn’t think that this day would be a memorable moment in my life. He picked me up we drove 20 minutes to a North Perry Airport, a private airport in Pembroke Pines, FL. I immediately hung up the phone with the friend I was talking to during the ride there and started to question him. I asked why we were there but ignored me. Another vehicle pulled up next to us. The gentleman opened my door and asked me kindly to step into another vehicle that would escort us inside the gate of the private airport. Once we arrived, the gentleman offered us some champagne, finger foods, and asked us to wait as he prepared the helicopter for flight. That’s when it hit me that we were going on a helicopter ride. I asked Roderick if he had been taking classes since he always told me how much he wanted to learn to fly. We noticed a pool table and began playing as we patiently waited. The pilot came inside and informed us that he was ready. I started to get nervous. My heart was pounding. I had butterflies in my stomach as my Steve Madden heels slowly moved across the room. I finally took a deep breath and we entered the helicopter. The pilot got us safely into the sky and allowed Roderick to take control. He took us across Miami Beach and it was a beautiful view. The sun began to set and I noticed that his mood changed and he started to get nervous. He kept looking at me but didn’t say anything. Even the pilot looked back at me and yet I couldn’t understand why I was a certain of attention. The pilot then decide to do tricks and plunge the helicopter downward and I nearly had a heart attack and insisted I was ready to go. Once we landed, he escorted us back inside the building, where romantic music was playing and more champagne was handed to us. Roderick began to tell me how much he loves me and how I always support him. Then, he got down on one knee, pulled out a beautiful ring, and asked me to marry him. I was in total shock and I forgot to say yes! I stretched my hand out to pull him up and passionately kissed my finance!
How did you know they were “the one?” I’ve never met someone who makes me laugh as much as he does. In the beginning of our relationship, I developed strong feelings that were too powerful to ignore. Our love connection became authentic and expand to a long term connection. His love makes me feel secure, safe, and calm. Most importantly, I realized he was the one for me when I decide that I wanted to move to Orlando. I made a huge decision to relocate to broaden my career options and although it sometimes 0put strains in our relationship, he was willing to drive three hours every weekend to visit. On his last visit he informed me that he wanted to move and that he was willing to pack his things and leave his job of five years where he recently got promoted as head lead to be with me. I knew then that he had to be the ONE because he was willing to sacrifice everything to be with me.
What was wedding shopping like for you? I travelled city to city to find my dress. The longest distance I traveled was 243 miles and yet I still didn’t find the “wow factor” dress I was looking for. After a few tries, I finally found the right dress. I took sister with me to a small boutique in Orlando and explained to the owner what my expectations for the right dress were. The first dress she handed to me finally gave me the feeling I was dying for. Everyone around me, including strangers were amazed at the dress. I couldn’t stop smiling. My journey of dress shopping finally came to end and I was satisfied. For my accessories I wore long silver crystal earrings, a beaded veil, a crystal headpiece, and beautiful crystal Christian Louboutin shoes. The groom wore a fitted white tailored tux with a velvet burgundy butterfly tie.
Did you incorporate any culture into your wedding? We wanted to include aspects of my Haitian heritage and his American culture. We incorporated Haitian cuisine, Kremas (a popular Haitian drink), and danced the zouk, kompa, and Dade-county dance known as jookin.
Wedding party gifts: The bridesmaids received robes, tote bags, and earrings.
Favorite item on the menu: Everything! We had Haitian cuisine such as black mushroom rice, macaroni gratin, sauce chicken , seasoned tilapia, and mixed vegetables. Everyone cleaned their plates.
First dance song: “A Couple of Forevers” by Chrisette Michele
What is your best memory from your wedding? Our photographer captured so many beautiful moments. My favorite picture is of the moment when I walked down the aisle with my father. I remember seeing my future husband crying. This tough, silly, mucho man started crying in front of everyone the moment he laid eyes on me. Another one of my favorite pictures is of me with my flower girls. The best quote that can be used to describe the image is “Little girls with dreams grow up to be women with vision.” Another photograph I love is of my bridesmaids. They’re each holding a chalk board describing how they met me. It’s the perfect photo for my wedding album. The next image is of my loves helping me getting ready for my big day. My sister is kneeling down to put on my shoes. My other sister is holding on to my arm to help me with my balance and my mother is helping me with the veil. My final image is when my husband kiss me on my forehead. It’s a moment I will forever cherish.
What is the best wedding advice you can give to engaged couples? The best advice I can give engaged couples is to have the wedding of your dreams and not anyone else’s . It’s your memorable moment that you will forever cherish. Try not to take everyones’ opinions and consider a wedding planner or wedding designer to make your vision a reality.
Vendors:
Designer – Tica Rose Events
Photographer – AVD Photography
Photo Booth – Miami Event Photo Booth
DJ – Mike cooley
Saxophonist – Miguel Newberry
Caterer – Doris Catering
Dance Floor – MPE Event Group
Makeup Artist – Shan B
Hair Stylist – Kathy
Florist – Natani
Ceremony & Reception location – Milander Center for Arts and Entertainment
Cake – Lux Cake
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