Soyini and Damian just ‘Wiles’ about each other
GIVING BACK to a worthy cause usually attracts the kindest of hearts. But Soyini Phillips would never have imagined meeting the love of her life during such an outreach.
Soyini met Damian Wiles through her foundation, Save our Schools, on Instagram. After observing her charitable efforts throughout Jamaica, he was inspired by her achievements and developed a great desire to join forces with the woman who he describes as a ‘remarkable and authentic soul’. “He had shared an interest in collaborating with my organisation on a new project to assist students across Jamaica that were gearing up for the new academic year,” she told
Island Wedding.
After successfully coordinating logistics between Orlando, Florida, and Jamaica to donate school supplies to over 500 kids throughout rural Jamaica that were adversely affected by the pandemic, the two discovered that they shared similar interests. “We, through that process, discovered our shared interest, hardships, and commonalities. I just remember us laughing at everything all the time,” he reflected.
Her adored her naturally loving nature, confidence and comfort in shining her light. These were rarities, but admirable qualities.
For Soyini, the feeling was mutual. She found him to be amazing, noting that the first time she heard his voice, she thought “’This is my husband and father of my children’. He definitely caught my attention with his love for charity work; he was very polite, respectful and charming.”
With laughter and parallel passions swirling in the mix, these kindred spirits decided to get to know each other. “Our chemistry was undeniable, so just a couple of months after working on that project, I decided to step out on faith and asked her out.” This, he says, was the best decision he had ever made.
FIRST DATE
The first date at Margaritaville in Ocho Rios was actually a double outing alongside Damian’s brother and sisterin-law. The pair danced like no one was watching and enjoyed each other’s company. It was definitely a night to remember, Soyini recalled. She is blown away by how loving, giving, passionate and undoubtedly caring he is, and knew from early on that he was the one. “He was that person that I wanted to tell everything to. One day, I remember him saying, You’re not alone,’ and that meant a lot to know that someone had my back. He makes me feel loved,” she added. He has also nurtured her spiritual side, making sure that they both put God first. They pray every day.
Damian views his significant other as nurturing, selfless, loyal, trustworthy and respectful, sharing that she has profound maternal instincts, always places service above herself, and she’s loyal to a fault to her friends and family. She ensures that they maintain physical health through proper diet and exercise. “I realised that Soyini was the one when she told me that God loved me and that he spared my life for a greater purpose. Knowing what I survived during my years of service in the
US military between Iraq and Afghanistan, she’s always encouraging me to find the beauty in the darkness and storms in life.”
Knowing that she was his wife, it made no sense to prolong the inevitable. After six months of dating, Damian asked Soyini to marry him. He proposed while they were in a park by a beautiful lake in Orlando, Florida. She didn’t suspect a thing, he highlighted, which made the surprise even more romantic. “She thought we were going to dinner and a movie, but I told her we’re going to stop by the lake and feed the ducks until it was closer to the movie time. Little did she know that both our lives were about to change, confessing that the moment felt like a bit of a scene from a movie.”
Soyini enlisted Shevanise Lee as her wedding planner, which made the process smooth. She was excited that the planner shared her vision.
MAGICAL DAY
On September 4, 2021, Soyini and Damian became the Wiles at Laughing Waters in Ocho Rios. The magical day created the perfect occasion for both the couple and their families to unite, all in the name of love. The bride was mesmerising in an enchanting, fairy-tale bridal gown. Her groom wore all white for his big day. It was beautiful from start to finish, the bride gushed, adding that marrying the man she loved and looking out and seeing her family so happy was all she could ever ask for. “The best moment for me was seeing all my siblings together after years apart; that moment brought us together and will be cherished forever.”
The groom was elated to see his bride’s childhood vision come to life, but grew even more excited seeing her walking towards him. “My wife looked like the queen she truly is, and the décor was unmatched! My best moments were seeing her in her dress for the first time walking down the aisle and how proud both our mothers and the rest of our families were.”