Featured in Issue 32, Tricia and Siwatu’s wedding was an ethereal and luxurious celebration of love and family at the Nobu Hotel in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico.
Tricia McDermott had sworn off marriage. After losing her husband, father, and grandfather all in 5 months in 1 year, she decided to take a break from dating. For the next decade, she focused on rebuilding her life and told all of her friends that she would never marry again. But then came Siwatu Spikes…
Siwatu came across Tricia’s dating profile on Facebook where she wrote she was “sassy and sophisticated.” He was intrigued and swiped first. Tricia followed suit – it was a match! However, it was a week before Tricia’s 50th birthday party, and Siwatu didn’t get an invite.
He recalls, “We had our first date, and then Tricia made me wait 2 weeks for the next date.” But the wait was worth it when Tricia invited him to her friend’s wedding in Mexico. Siwatu said YES to a second date in Mexico, and on November 12th, he asked her to go steady.
Within a month of dating, Tricia couldn’t help but smile when her friends asked if she planned on getting married again, and she replied immediately: “If he asked me today, I would say ‘yes’!“ In less than 3 months, she told Siwatu she loved him. To Tricia’s surprise, she’d found love again. It was only a matter of time before Siwatu would propose.
During a trip to Hawaii, they “by chance” walked into a jewelry shop and picked out a ring.
They left with Tricia’s only instructions being that she wanted the proposal to be ‘romantic’ and that she was wearing something ‘pretty.’ Siwatu ultimately proposed (to Tricia’s horror and delight) while she was wearing a white bathrobe on their hotel balcony at sunset. She said “Yes!” without hesitation – bathrobe and all!
The pair tied the knot in an “ethereal luxury” themed wedding at the Nobu Hotel in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. With their friends and family surrounding them and loved ones looking down from above, Tricia shares, “There’s no doubt that our hearts and souls knew each other and were meant to find each other later in life guided by these angels.”
Keep scrolling for more on their love story.
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- Couple: Tricia McDermott and Siwatu Spikes
- Location: Nobu Hotel Los Cabos in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico
- Wedding Date: May 2, 2024
- Photographer: Reem Photography
Quick Facts:
- Wedding flowers: Roses & Orchids
- Favorite item on the menu: Everything, but the miso cod and lamb dishes were mouthwatering!
- Bridesmaids/groomsmen gifts: Bridesmaids received Hermes earrings, robes, slippers, and a necklace; Groomsmen were gifted a Gucci money clip, initialed cufflinks, and lapel pins.
- First dance song: “Thinking Out Loud” by Ed Sheeran
How did you meet?
So, for those who don’t know, Facebook has a dating app (now you know). My profile was very specific, requiring my future mate to be interested in real estate.
Tricia claimed that she was sassy and sophisticated (yes, she knows how to self-promote). I swiped first OBVIOUSLY and then Tricia swiped (we really don’t remember how it works anymore) – but needless to say, it was a match!
It was a week before Tricia’s 50th birthday party and apparently, I wasn’t invited to the party. We had our first date and then Tricia made me wait 2 weeks for the next date. Within a week or so of that FIRST date, she invited me to her friend’s wedding in Mexico…and I said YES to our 2nd date in freaking Mexico! Several military briefings later, we were in Mexico, and on November 12th, I asked her to go steady.
The proposal:
Siwatu doesn’t like to disappoint. Tricia usually jumps in head first and says, “Just Do It”! This is the story of their lives…
Siwatu: I’m the thinker, some say overthinker; Tricia is impulsive and makes decisions quickly – which is surprising given her profession as a lawyer. But I later learned that she’d been contemplating this for over a decade after losing her husband because she’d told all of her friends that she would never, with a capital “N” ever get married again.
We found ourselves in Hawaii and “by chance” walked into a jewelry store. I claim it wasn’t planned and Tricia insisted that she didn’t want a proposal next to a jewelry counter. So, we chose the ring and left. I believed I had instructions from Tricia to be “romantic” while she just wanted to be sure she was wearing something “pretty.” Tricia, though, was dressed in something pretty ALL. DAY. LONG… Yet, a long day passed without a proposal.
We had a beach walk, a scenic drive along the ocean with breathtaking lookout points, a rainy Polynesian experience with a luau AND fire show, and still no proposal. Finally, Tricia and I got ready for bed, she was in a white robe.
Sitting on a balcony watching the sunset, I started to wax poetic about how many times I wanted to propose throughout the day, but it just wasn’t “perfect.” Tricia calmly responded (belying her inner turmoil), expressing her love and that there should be no pressure because she’d planned to spend her life with me regardless.
Then, I got on my knee and, to Tricia’s delight (and horror that she was in her robe), I proposed, and Tricia said an exuberant YES! It was perfection.
How did you know they were “the one”?
Siwatu: I knew when I could relax and just be myself, getting the support from Tricia was easy. Loving her wasn’t a task. It just worked. Before I was trying to make things work in past relationships but with Tricia, I wasn’t TRYING to love her. It was natural. Effortless.
Tricia: I knew that Siwa was the one when talking to my girlfriends about meeting someone new in a short time after moving to Charlotte (from Miami) and they could just hear the smile in my voice. When they asked me if I planned on getting married again, instead of my usual reply “never with a capital ‘N’,” I immediately replied: “If he asked me today, I would say ‘yes’!” This was only within a month of knowing him. It was without hesitation that I asked him out on our “second date” to a wedding in Mexico. We were inseparable from that point on (even with Siwa having to drive from Fayetteville, NC to Charlotte every weekend because he was still in the Army), an estimated 11,000 miles in just under a year. I found myself accidentally telling him that I loved him in less than 3 months of meeting him – a real slip of the tongue for me! I was traumatized because I prided myself on being stoic.
Here comes the bride!
Vows by the sea…
Mr. & Mrs…
Did you incorporate any culture into your wedding?
We incorporated a classic Jamaican song for a mother-daughter dance – the song “No Charge” by JC Lodge (a remake of a country song). There was a good mix of reggae music and R&B (Siwa loves line dances). We also added fire dancers that mirrored our experience at the Polynesian Cultural Center in Hawaii where Siwa served a large part of his military career.
Describe your wedding style:
Ethereal luxury was the theme. It was not too overstated but focused on impactful luxe touches such as an acrylic bridge over water, an acrylic arch with cloud-like florals, and ghost chairs that ensured the view of the ocean was unobstructed. Likewise, the lush florals, pillowy chairs, and tablescape from sheer napkins reflected this aesthetic.
Describe your wedding dress and your favorite wedding accessory.
My dress was romantic and sensual with intricate beadwork covering sheer fabric which hugged my curves like a glove. It’s a combination of elegance and drama that cupped and accentuated my decollete (Siwa’s favorite area of my body…other than my smile, of course). My favorite wedding accessory was the Van Cleef necklace that Siwa gifted me on our wedding day. It was rose gold to match our theme.
What is your best wedding day memory?
Siwatu: Tricia’s vows and the girls’ and her mom’s speeches were the most touching because I got a chance to hear how they felt about me.
Tricia: I loved that we learned our first dance within one week…it just reinforced our ability to come together in sync. I truly enjoyed that Siwatu spent hours on our entrance song and merged the classic and new versions of the song “You’re All I Need” by Method Man/Mary J. Blige and Marvin Gaye/Tammi Terrell. The symbolism for us pertained to our growth from our youth (Mary/Method) to a more seasoned couple (Marvin/Tammi) and was embodied in the words:
‘Cause we, we got the right foundation and with love and determination
You’re all, you’re all I want to strive for and do a little more
All, all the joys under the sun wrapped up into one
You’re all, you’re all I need
…
To get by’
From the guests…
Our wedding guests expressed their delight about all the details that we put into making the wedding weekend special. One friend even opined that we’ve “ruined” all other weddings for them and can themselves tell future brides/grooms about our wedding. But they also commented on the fun of the pre-wedding boat ride, plus the robot’s CO2 guns to fire dancers to our first dance with lifts, spins, and dips. So much fun!!! We’re still on a high!
What is the best wedding advice you can give to engaged couples?
Siwatu: It’s not necessarily about you, but be PRESENT. Though I wasn’t in tune with all the moving parts, there were certain things that I wanted to make memorable. So figure out what that is and make it a special request.
Tricia: I would agree with being present. In the days and hours leading up to the wedding, Clear your mind of anything negative and simply trust the professionals you’ve hired to execute your vision. By doing so, I was able to trust my wedding planner, Bailey, and the day was true perfection. My every thought, dream, and idea came true – not to mention that she was a fierce advocate!
Looking for more ethereal-themed weddings?
Click here.
Vendors:
- Planning Team: How 2 Wed
- Venue & Cakery: Nobu Hotel Los Cabos
- Photo Team: REEM Photography
- Drone & Video Team: JJ Studio Wedding Photography
- Florals & Decor Team: Los Cabos Premier Event Rentals and Floral Design
- Hair & Makeup: Elite Custom Hair
- DJ: DJ Shogun
- Fire Dancers/Violins/Robots: Cabo Inside Art & Entertainment
- Wedding Dress: Galia Lahav
- Grooms Custom Suit: The Suited Fox
- Officiant: HOW 2 WED, LLC
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