For Symonia Brown, the dream of a long-awaited wedding felt like a fairy tale finally coming true. “After all these years of being in love, I always envisioned a magical walk down the aisle,” she shares with excitement.
On a memorable drive to St. Mary, Symonia and her brother stumbled upon Carey Island. “We had to stop and explore. The beauty of the island took my breath away, and in that moment, I knew it was the perfect place for my wedding,” she recalls.
Fast forward to Saturday, August 10, 2024—a day filled with love and nostalgia. As Brian McKnight’s Back at One played softly alongside Heartland’s I Loved Her First, Symonia made her stunning entrance, escorted first by her sons, Dante Rhodes and Demetri Harris, and then by her father, Albert Brown. The couple exchanged vows on a picturesque bridge leading to the serene private island, culminating a love story that spanned three decades.
“We first met over 30 years ago; he was my very first love,” Symonia reflects. “Life took us on different paths when Benjamin moved to Canada and I relocated to England. Despite staying in touch for a while, we eventually lost contact.”
The universe had other plans, however. “Six years ago, we reconnected, and it felt like no time had passed at all,” she recounts. Their reunion took place at the Bahia Principe in Runaway Bay, Jamaica, where, within a day, Benjamin proposed, reigniting the spark of their enduring love.
Faced with the challenge of planning the wedding from England, Symonia took matters into her own hands. “Finding a planner was tough, so I decided to do it myself. I turned to Instagram to discover rental businesses for chairs, tables, and decorations. I sourced everything from the UK and shipped it to Jamaica,” she explains.
The culmination of her efforts was a breathtaking ceremony attended by 100 cherished friends and family members, all beautifully orchestrated by the talented MC, Tricia Cameron.
As the newlyweds, the Saverys, look forward to a winter wonderland honeymoon in Canada later this year, Symonia reflects on her journey: “It’s been a long road, but every step led me back to him. This wedding is a testament to that love.”
