Island Wedding |Rashaan and Stacia’s perfect ‘I do’ in Montego Bay

For Jamaica-born Stacia Royes, who moved to the United States at age five, it was always important to bring her husband, Rashaan Robinson, home for their wedding so he could experience the culture that remains a big part of who she is. Their love story, which began in their teenage years, came full circle in March when they exchanged vows at The Palms, Rose Hall in Montego Bay.

Stacia told Island Wedding, “Marrying an American man, it was important for his side of the family to get familiar with my culture and embrace it, just as [I] came to America and embraced the US culture. I always wanted a destination wedding, so what better place than to come back home?”

Attending Elizabeth High School in New Jersey, their first meeting was far from a typical high school romance, consisting only of brief encounters between classes and quick greetings.

“Rashaan will [say] he had a serious crush on me but I wasn’t interested,” Stacia shared, adding, “I was heavily into school and activities while he was not. I was a cheerleader for the school, while he pretty much just went to class and hung out with friends.”

In 2019, life brought them back together as adults, and what began as a simple reconnection soon deepened into something more. Starting as friends, they quickly realised there was a natural ease between them.

While there was no grand moment that immediately signalled forever, love quietly revealed itself in their everyday interactions.

For their first official date, the duo kept it simple at a lounge.“We just got food and drinks and talked for hours,” Stacia recalled.

Following a brief breakup in 2021, the depth of their feelings became undeniable.

“We got back together and shared that it was really the worst time in our lives. We were both miserable,” Stacia confessed. “I think that was when we knew it was love and that we were meant to be together forever. The heart knows what it wants.”

For Stacia, one of Rashaan’s most endearing qualities is how he always finds a way to make life lighter.

“[Rashaan] is always trying to make me happy,” she shared. “He is very funny even when he’s not trying to be. If I’m mad at him for some reason, he will do or say something silly to make me laugh and get me out of the bad mood.”

Rashaan, in turn, admires Stacia’s strength and the way she keeps everything beautifully together. “Stacia is a very hard worker, smart, a great mother, very giving and always puts others first,” he said.

By the time the proposal came, their love had already weathered time, distance, and the certainty that they had found their perfect match.

PERFECT PROPOSAL

On December 15, 2024, what Stacia believed was a routine shopping day turned into the moment Rashaan asked for her hand in marriage. The couple was on a group trip celebrating her best friend’s birthday when he quietly set his plan in motion.

He took Stacia out for brunch and then to the mall, keeping her occupied while friends prepared the proposal setup. The original plan had been a helicopter ride over the city followed by the proposal upon landing, but weather conditions forced a change of plans.

“I walked [through] the door and said, ‘Why is it so dark in here?’ not knowing that they dimmed all the lights and had the candles lit,” Stacia reminisced about their return to the house.

Inside, candles were arranged in a heart shape as Stacia’s best friend handed her a large bouquet of roses. Rashaan stood waiting in the centre of the room, while their friends gathered around them and Stacia’s parents watched the moment unfold from Jamaica via FaceTime.

For Rashaan, the moment carried both nerves and conviction. “But I was confident at the same time. I worked hard for this moment. I was nervous, of course, but excited and just wanted to say the right things,” he admitted.

THE BIG DAY

On March 7, as the couple prepared to tie the knot, the morning began with looming rain clouds, forcing every detail to be carefully reconsidered. Amid the uncertainty, Stacia admitted she was nervous.

“Plans changed at the very last minute due to weather conditions, with rain forecast throughout the day,” she explained. Still, everything fell seamlessly into place.

“The rain held off all day. The sun shone so brightly, and there was a nice breeze. We couldn’t ask for a better day,” she added.

With the weather fears behind them, the bride walked down the aisle to meet her groom, beautifully clad in a custom, hand-beaded Matopeda gown designed in Nigeria and shipped to the United States. She carried a cascading bouquet of white orchids, roses, and baby’s breath.

The reception, held at the same venue, was everything the couple had hoped for. One of the most emotional moments came when Stacia shared a dance with her mother.

“As an only child, she has been my rock, my number one cheerleader and the one who has had my back from day one,” Mrs Robinson shared. “She sacrificed so much for me and has always been there for me no matter what. So it was very emotional.”

ruth-ann.briscoe@gleanerjm.com