ANTIGUA SUN Antigua – Still the destination of love
News Articles – Special Feature
Written by by ZIA
Sunday, 07 June 2009 19:39
It’s hidden. A wrong turn, and you might miss this heavenly escape from the hustle of life. Decorated with local fauna and flowers, The Inn, nestled gently between hills in English Harbour was selected for this year’s Celebrity Destination Wedding winners Adrienne Scales and Myreon Smith.
In an intimate ceremony on the sand, the couple exchanged vows amidst a truly tropical backdrop of the setting sun, casting soft hues of orange over the gathering, enclosed with flowers from Exotic Floral. Adding to the gentle lull of the waves, local pannist Lacu Samuel gently serenaded the couple throughout the ceremony – the perfect soundtrack to this tropical slice of heaven.
As the justice of the peace and the minister both shared brief words of encouragement, the couple faced each other, eyes locked, and gently whispered “I love you” to each other. As Myreon begins to repeat his vows, a tear escapes from Adrienne’s eye and trickles down her cheek, leading the path for a few more tears to follow suit.
Beautiful in appearance and in their love, it’s easy to see that for moments at a time, they block out everything and everyone around them. The focus is on the this new and exciting venture they’ve begun together, and with the uncertainty of life that lies ahead of them, perhaps magnified by the gentle rushing of the sea against the shore, the couple is sure of one thing in their life – their love for each other.
Exchanging their beautiful rings from Colombian Emeralds, the official jewellery providers for Destination Weddings, the couple squeeze each other’s hands tightly and the small gathering of tourism officials, guests, and special guests from the Sunshine Home for Girls applaud the newlyweds. In fact, one girl was so moved by the beauty and honesty in Adrienne and Myreon’s exchange of vows that she couldn’t help but cry.
Moving over to the pink and ivory decorated table, the couple each holds a glass as they prepare for the sand ceremony. Although it may have been made famous by the bachelorette couple Trista and Ryan, in Antigua and Barbuda and across the Caribbean the sand ceremony has replaced the candle lighting ceremony for decades.
With Adrienne pouring the pink Barbuda sand and Myreon pouring Antigua ’s pristine white sand into a square vase, the two symbolise the inseparable nature of their union. As the Justice of the Peace gives her final charge, for a moment, Adrienne and Myreon once again tune out the people.
Looking deeply into each other’s eyes, Myreon’s eyes now misting over as well, Adrienne whispers to him, “You’re now my husband.”
Myreon, his slight smile widening into a full grin, returns, “And you’re now my wife.”
Sealing the exchange with a soft and passionate kiss, the crowd once again erupts into applause as they congratulate the couple.
Ahhhh. Beautiful, short, sweet and romantic to the last ray of sunset, the Destination Wedding did not disappoint the happy couple in making Antigua and Barbuda an ideal choice for their nuptials.
Congratulating the couple after their cake cutting ceremony, tourism officers Derede Samuel-Whitlock and Shermain Jeremy thanked all involved parties, including the Antigua and Barbuda Tourism Authority, wedding planner Manuela Henry at The Inn, and a host of other key parties, namely celebrity stylist and winner if VH1’s premiere Glam God, Indashio, who styled the wedding party.
After their address, the tourism officers also thanked the nine travel agents for being present, the a handful from the Score 100 initiative, which will see 100 travel agents from around the world visit Antigua and Barbuda before Carnival.
In a previous press release Samuel-Whitlock also noted that the Celebrity Destination Wedding initiative by the Ministry of Tourism is also a beautiful way to usher in and compliment the Romantic Rhythms Festival, which is slated to return next June.
With sighs of satisfaction, having witnessed this beautiful exchange of this gorgeous couple, there’s one thought that lingers through the air. We locals have no need to be jealous. In fact, those on the outside peeping him have much to desire after getting a taste of this romantic tropical rapture gently folded into our breathtaking twin-island paradise. And that’s the realisation, that as far as weddings and paradise are concerned, we who reside here have only to step outside our doors and soak in this romantic ecstasy.
http://www.antiguasunonline.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=247623:antigua-still-the-destination-of-love&catid=60:special-feature&Itemid=56
