Inspiration

Caribbean Love: Barbados Destination Wedding

Jennifer and Peter met in November 2014. Jennifer was covering the Harlem Business Alliance dinner and was on her way to go and chat with a staffer when Peter spotted her. “I remember being annoyed at the time, but when he called out to me – it was like, ‘hello, what’s wrong?’ all of the annoyance evaporated,” said Jennifer. “I spotted Jennifer walking across the room. It looked like she was running late or something. I could tell she was anxious or nervous. So I said something funny to her and she came and spoke to me after her work was done,” said Peter. The two spent the evening talking and before the end of the night, Jennifer gave Peter her card. He called the very next day, and they’ve been together ever since. The couple chose Barbados for their wedding location to pay homage to Jennifer’s mother’s side of the family. The couple planned a truly Caribbean celebration complete with steel pan players, several floral displays featuring flowers and plants native to Barbados, and a traditional Bajan buffet dinner with cou cou and flying fish, jerk chicken, macaroni pie, rice and peas, and more. Check out their tropical nuptials at the Sugarland Gardens, captured by Lisle Warner


Bride: Jennifer H. Cunningham, 34, senior editor, Bossip.com

Groom: Peter E. Mulligan, 35, science teacher in New York City 

Place of residence New York, New York

Wedding date: August 5, 2017

Wedding location: Sugarland Gardens, Haymans Farm Road, St. Peter, Barbados 

Wedding theme: Caribbean Love 

Honeymoon Destination: Barbados, West Indies 

Engagement story Jennifer: 

It was my birthday, and we’d just come back that day from a lovely week long trip to L.A. I wanted to go out to dinner to celebrate that evening, and we went to a seafood restaurant in Harlem. Pete kept asking me what the best birthday present would be, and I kept telling him that our lovely trip and dinner were enough. After dinner, we walked back to my car on 125th Street. As we were walking, he suddenly stopped in front of the Apollo Theater. He asked me, who are some of your favorite singers who performed here? I was a little confused, but I answered him: “Michael Jackson, James Brown, Ella Fitzgerald…” and as I’m answering I notice him get down on one knee and take a little box out of his pocket. When he opened the box and showed me the ring, I put my hand over my mouth and then exclaimed “Holy S**t!” Then he asked me to marry him. It was surreal. A crowd had gathered and people were even honking as they passed by. He slipped the ring on my finger and we hugged each other for a long time. 

From the Bride: 

I remember being really worried for most of the day because Pete had been so sick. The night before our wedding he was so ill that he wouldn’t leave the suite, and he didn’t get out of bed until it was time to get dressed for the wedding. I was also nervous because it was MY wedding. But those anxieties melted away when my father walked me down the aisle. I was surprisingly calm, and I remember the ceremony feeling incredibly surreal – like I was watching it from afar.   

From the Groom: 

I had pharyngitis, which got worse on the plane and worsened again two days before the wedding. My throat felt like it was closing up, and eating and drinking became the hardest thing ever. So I think that it’s needless to say that my wedding experience was interesting to say the least. I felt like I was gonna to die on my big day. I couldn’t move, I needed care. I couldn’t eat or drink and I didn’t know if I was gonna make it. But I knew everything was going to be okay because it was loud in the next room where my wife was getting ready, and she seemed like she was excited. 

Your best/most memorable moment: 

Jennifer: My best moment of the wedding was hearing the vows from my husband. They were so heartfelt and beautiful, and really spoke to our love journey together. 

Peter: Getting to the altar and feeling healthy, and then watching my wife come down the aisle. She looked so beautiful. 

Wedding song: 

“Just The Two Of Us,” By Grover Washington Jr. via steel pan. We both grew up listening to the song, and it took on new meaning when we became a couple. 

Favorite wedding detail: Peter: It was the food. The flying fish was the best thing I had on the trip. It’s Barbados’ national dish, and I think it really gave the wedding a Bajan flavor.

What are you most looking forward to as a married couple? 

Jennifer: I am looking forward to continuing to share my life with my best friend. We’ve already had a whirlwind few years, so I can only imagine what’s in store for us, especially once we start trying for a baby. 

Peter: Traveling, having cute little kids with her smile, continuing on our own journey. 

Advice for a Bride/Groom on their wedding day: 

Be sure to take it all in. It goes by really quickly, and can become a bit of a blur, so it’s important for couples to stay present and in the moment. We would also suggest that other couples be prepared for anything and go with the flow. Peter was really sick the day of the wedding and we had to change the venue the day before the ceremony. 

Sources

Lisle Warner|Sugarland Gardens|Paloma Blanca/Kleinfeld Boutique|Monique Lhuillier|Alfred Sung|Kamal Kadri|Bake you Happy by MzIndulge|Chef Oliver Jordon|Barbados Tourism & Marketing|Tania White, Embellish Weddings by Design|Party Trident DJs|Rochelle Holder|Forever Flowers|Apex Copy Center|Tamarind Cove Resort

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