When did you and your husband meet?
R: My husband, Andre Seville and I met while both pursuing our degrees in Computer Science at the University of the West Indies (UWI), in Mona (Kingston, Jamaica). I would see him around campus and we would end up in the same classes, even outside our majors. We never really talked, but would give an occasional hi when our paths crossed, and then one day at the end of our first year I stopped him and we got to talking. We became really close friends and one day he asked me to be his girlfriend after being friends for almost 2 years.
When did you get married?
R: We thought it would be sentimental to get married where it all began, so we got married at the UWI Mona Chapel on August 31, 2013. Our reception was also on campus at the Mona Visitor’s Lodge.
How was your big day?
R: My big day was simply amazing. My family and friends traveled from the USA and Canada and it was so great to have all my sisters and brothers in one space. We live in Jamaica and the wedding was in Kingston at the end of August in the midst of the Hurricane season, so we had some worries that it would rain on our outdoor reception. The day was slightly overcast but it never rained, and although we lost some sunlight when taking photos we had a cool summer day, which everyone appreciated given how hot the summers can get.
The day started with me spending time with my sisters, niece (flower girl) and mother. My older sister did their hair and I did my own hair as that was very important to me. We went to the location on campus where we got ready and had our make-up done by Loni Jones who did a fantastic job on all the ladies. Everyone looked gorgeous!
The wedding started at 4 p.m. and we took pictures outside the chapel after. The bridal party continued the photo shoot while our guests went to the cocktail hour. We took some amazing photos around campus, which had been our second home for years. It was a nostalgic experience and we had so much fun.
After our photo session, we made our grand entrance at the reception and had dinner with our guests while being entertained by DJ Richie Ras and our MC. Our first dance was a combination of 3 songs, one dedicated to the bride, the other the groom, and the last to open the dance floor. The DJ played a mixture of genres ranging from Dancehall, Reggae, Hip-Hop, EDM to Soca. We had a blast dancing and chatting with our guests. It was the perfect day!
How did you wear your hair?
R: I wore my hair in a side swept high bun with a birdcage veil and feather fascinator to play on the peacock themed wedding. I removed the veil for the reception and wore only the feather fascinator. I had blonde streaks in my hair before the big day for a change, and it was the first time colouring my hair since being natural for almost 3 years.
What was your process of deciding how to style you hair?
R: Styling my hair by myself in its natural state meant a lot to me because I wanted to have control of the process and I did not want to worry about humidity if I flat ironed it. I washed and deep conditioned my hair the night before and put my damp hair in two strand twists. In the morning, I stretched my hair with a little heat from the blow dryer and then proceeded to style my hair.
How did your family/husband/guests receive your hair at the wedding?
R: My Mom and mother-in-law were a little worried about how my hair would be for the big day. They asked me questions leading up to the day about how I would style it, but I didn’t give any details except that I would not flat iron it and I wanted to do it myself. My husband loves my hair, and he was confident that I would be beautiful anyway I styled it, so he had no reservations. Everyone loved my updo and my mom and mother-in-law were gushing with compliments after the wedding. That was very special to me because I felt like I proved in a small way that you can be a beautiful bride with your natural hair and not conform to the traditional ideals of beauty.
Is there a blog/webpage where we can find you?
R: I am a foodie, so you can view my webpage www.eatoutjamaica.com and I am also obsessed with Pinterest, so you can follow my boards here: www.pinterest.com/quelzseville.
