From a social media message to a LIFETIME TOGETHER
The Nicholases’ love story
FROM THE age of 17, Shaneka Jemison made clear her intention to one day get married.
She even went as far as to get a wedding dress made. Oh yes! She was proactive, all right!
But it wasn’t until 12 years later that Jemison walked down the aisle and said her ‘I dos’ to her prince charming and the man behind that one social media message.
“One day, I signed in on social media and saw a message from a young man that said, ‘Hi’. Normally, I wouldn’t give it much thought, but I had some spare time then. I sat for a while looking at the message, wondering if he couldn’t do better than ‘hi’,” Jemison told Family and Religion.
“I then visited his page and started scrolling through his pictures to get a better understanding of this shy guy as based on his messages, I wouldn’t be getting much from him.”
She decided to reply a few days later, and as the online conversations increased, numbers were exchanged.
TALKING TIL DAWN
“On numerous occasions, we would be talking until the Sun came up. It got to the point where he connected his phone to Digicel’s postpaid just so he wouldn’t be out of credit when talking to me.”
André Nicholas said that he was drawn to Jemison first, by her smile.
“There seemed to always be one (smile) splashed across her many pictures. As I grew to learn more about her, it was her infectious laugh and her witty personality that drew me to her. There is hardly a dull moment when she is around. She is adventurous, ambitious, creative, and at least once a month, she would try to sell me a on a new business idea. The fact that I only wanted to be the best version of myself I could possibly be, because of her, caused me to believe she was a keeper.”
And being the best version of himself was certainly enough for Jemison.
“I was drawn to his kind, protective nature, his
personality, the fact that he is goal driven and will stop at nothing to get what he wants. Honestly, he is the sweetest, most amazing human being I know. His compassion knows no bounds. He would call me on a daily basis and try his best to serenade me with songs from Sizzla. Also, it was an added bonus that he was a man in uniform,” she said with a laugh.
With most of their date nights seeing them dress down and going to a football match, the movies, or the park, Jemison said that she was pleasantly surprised when he told her one day to wear heels.
“We were never the fancy type, but this particular evening, he told me he was coming to pick me up and I should wear heels. That evening was spectacular: dinner by candle light outdoors, under the stars, floating candle in the pool. It was by far the most memorable date.”
And so, too, was the proposal, unexpected and unforgettable.
“We knew a wedding would happen, we just didn’t know when or how. We bought a house and moved in on Saturday, September 3, 2016. We spent the entire weekend unpacking. Nick thought I was working hard and came up with the idea to treat me to a relaxing night, hot bath, scented candles, and music. Somewhere between the giggles and being caught up in the moment, he slipped a ring on my finger.”
HOPE GARDENS
The two later became one at the Hope Botanical Gardens, against a picturesque backdrop, in an intimate ceremony with about 40 close relatives and friends.
In a home filled with love and excitement, the Nicholases are looking forward to creating unforgettable experiences daily.
“The fact that we are completely opposite in itself is unique. Our home is full of life, fun, and excitement. We try to leave the serious stuff for later in life. In our 20s and 30s, we just want to make memories, laugh while we still have teeth, and eat without counting calories,” she ended.