Vows – His African Queen
A chance encounter at a gym three years ago, followed by a three-year courtship and proposal in South Africa (the bride’s parents reside there), led to the tropical outdoor wedding in Jamaica of Jai Carlos Henry and Ma-Jali Cordelia Mbali. The wedding took place beneath an overcast sky in the hills overlooking Montego Bay, at the romantic Highland House in Content, St James.
The Styling:
Jali always had an idea of what she wanted her wedding dress to look like so after visiting a pattern shop and finding a pattern that suited her, she and her mother modified it and then sewed the dress themselves, using fabric that Jai’s mother had acquired in Bangladesh. Jali walked up the aisle in a long bias-cut 1930s-style dress that plunged in the back. It was made of fine ivory silk, and lined with thin linen, in the palest of pinks. The halter design was trimmed with lace, and featured ruche detailing in the back, which then flowed into a short train.
The groom opted for a simple khaki ensemble of Irish linen, made by London tailor Orhan, and designed by both Jai and himself. It suited the tropical theme and climate, and best men, Dr Marvin Henry (brother of the groom) and Kenneth Whiteside, sported similar ‘wedding wear’ in white.
Jali’s sisters were her bridesmaids, and they wore dresses made by their mother Charlatte Mbali, and her friend from Durban, South Africa. The dresses were knee-length silk, in salmon pink, with a thin metallic brocade cord embellishment around the bust line.
The bride held a trailing bouquet of coral and pink anthuriums, paired with white orchids. Her bridesmaids carried smaller round bouquets of coral anthuriums and white orchids.
The décor of the ceremony portrayed a tropical theme, with a colour scheme including coral, pink and cream. With this in mind, event planner Alvin McBean draped the venue with fabric and arrangements of ginger lilies, trailing pink heliconias, orchid pandora leaves complemented by trailing asparagus ferns.
As the ceremony came to an end, a light drizzle began, blessing the union. At this point the party moved to the main house where the reception was being hosted. Dinner came courtesy of caterer Rose Lee, who also created an elegant three-tier cake — a traditional fruitcake — decorated with soft pink roses.
The couple went on to honeymoon in Ocho Rios before returning to London.
Photos: Zuluspro Photography
