Stefanie and Kesley
“Kesley and I met in June 2013, at a wedding in New Orleans, so you can say we met in an atmosphere of love, celebration, and respect! I am originally from Houston, Texas but my family is from Trinidad.
Kesley, my husband, was born and raised in Trinidad. Although we lived in two different places, our time together always felt familiar – as if we were somehow connected and bonded, like it wasn’t our first time meeting each other. The major part of our courtship was a long-distance relationship. Kesley later migrated to Texas. The rest is history after that!” – Stefanie
Destination Wedding
We both agreed it would be awesome to get married in Trinidad, where our roots were, in order to be close to our families and mostly for our eldest loved ones, who were unable to travel. It felt great to have our closest American friends visit Trinidad, to celebrate our union with us, as it allowed them to experience all I had always talked about over the years during my travels, while visiting my family in Trinidad.
Remote Wedding Planning
Planning the wedding was not a logistical nightmare as we initially thought and were warned about. Thanks to Instagram and Facebook, we planned everything from the palms of our hands and with prayer! However, living abroad and having a Destination wedding in Trinidad and Tobago, meant we couldn’t meet vendors and visit venues traditionally. So, we did what we could with recommendations from friends and family. It was social media that led us to the most beautiful and amazing day of our lives.
Our Tropical, Rustic Themed Wedding Ceremony
We started with our visual concept, a tropical rustic-themed wedding. Once we found, (via Instagram) the venue for our reception and church for our ceremony. everything else fell into place. From there, via Facebook, we found our angel, Events By Tricia. Tricia and her team were simply the BEST! She definitely has it together when it came to planning and making me a first time and anxious bride feel calm. I remember fondly her assurances, usually timely, that “everything will be fine” in the most calming and relaxing tone ever!
The Outcome
All of our vendors were professional and amazing at what they offered. The decor, the food, the cake, the flowers, our bar staff, my hair & makeup were done with much attention to detail, and respectful of our wishes and vision. Kesley and I along with our family and guests couldn’t stop talking about their service and presentation!
Modern-day Planning Abroad
Though social media has its own reputation, often times a negative and very shallow one, I think it’s important to mention how much reach a business can have through social media.
Being able to display to foreign clients, via social media – the authentic and organic island experience that Trinidad and Tobago offers, surely solidifies it as a destination to have your wedding! “
– The Medfords, Stef and Kesley
Vendor Partners:
Venue: Drew Manor, Santa Cruz
Church: Maraval RC Church, Our Lady of Lourdes
Planner: Events by Tricia
Decor: AbFabEvents
Cake: Debbie Cake Artistry
Photographer: Sam Jackson Photography
