Where It All Began: A Jamaica Destination Wedding on Juneteenth and Six Years of FRWD Style
Six years of meaningful celebrations, unforgettable stories, and moving FRWD.
Some celebrations stay with you forever. Others become part of your story. This one helped shape ours.
Six years.
It's hard to believe that FRWD Style Weddings & Events is celebrating six years of creating experiences, telling stories, and bringing people together.
Over the years, we've had the opportunity to celebrate incredible couples, work alongside talented creatives, travel to beautiful destinations, and turn meaningful moments into unforgettable memories.
But every story has a beginning.
And as we celebrate six years of FRWD Style, it only feels right to revisit a celebration that holds a particularly special place in our hearts.
A destination wedding in Jamaica.
On Juneteenth.
With two people who weren't just clients. They were family.
This is the story of Ronnie & Gaby, our first destination wedding in 2021, and the celebration that helped shape so much of what FRWD Style has become.
Chapter One: A Celebration That Felt Like Family
One of the most rewarding parts of being a wedding planner is being invited into someone's story.
But sometimes, that story is already connected to your own.
Ronnie is my best friend's brother, which made the opportunity to be part of his wedding to Gaby especially meaningful. This wasn't simply about working with a couple to plan a celebration. It was about showing up for people who felt like family and helping bring an important moment in their lives together.
And with that came a different kind of responsibility.
When you know the people at the center of the celebration personally, every detail feels a little closer to home.
You want everything to be beautiful, of course.
But more importantly, you want them to feel
supported, celebrated, and completely present.
Looking back, I realize that this experience reinforced something
that has become central to how we approach
every FRWD Style celebration.
Great experiences begin with genuine connection.
It's about listening, understanding the people we're celebrating, and creating something that feels authentically theirs.
Chapter Two: Love, Legacy, and a Juneteenth Wedding in Jamaica
On June 19, 2021, Ronnie & Gaby celebrated their wedding in Jamaica.
There was already something special about bringing loved ones together for a destination wedding, but celebrating on Juneteenth added another meaningful layer to the occasion.
Juneteenth commemorates the end of slavery in the United States and represents freedom, resilience, remembrance, and the importance of community.
And here we were, celebrating love and family in Jamaica, an island with its own rich cultural heritage and history of emancipation.
The significance of the date and destination made this celebration especially memorable.
But what I remember most vividly wasn't just the setting.
It was the people and the moments that brought their story to life.
A Walk Down the Aisle That Meant Everything
One of the most touching moments of the wedding was watching Gaby make her way down the aisle accompanied by her father and her and Ronnie's son.
Three generations. One incredibly meaningful moment.
There was something beautiful about seeing the people who represented different chapters of her life walking beside her as she stepped into the next one.
It was a reminder that weddings aren't just about two people.
They're also about the families, relationships, and experiences that have shaped them.
For me, that moment captured the kind of storytelling that can't be manufactured through design. It was authentic, emotional, and entirely theirs.
Jumping the Broom: Honoring Tradition and New Beginnings
Another unforgettable moment was watching Ronnie & Gaby jump the broom.
Rooted in traditions associated with Black marriage and family history, jumping the broom has become a meaningful wedding ritual for many Black couples, symbolizing commitment, unity, and the beginning of a new chapter. Seeing this tradition incorporated into their Juneteenth wedding was especially powerful. It connected the celebration to something larger than the wedding itself.
Heritage. Legacy. Family. The future.
And it reinforced something we've always believed at FRWD Style: the most meaningful wedding traditions are the ones that genuinely connect to the people celebrating.
The Morning-of Suit Situation
Now, not every unforgettable wedding memory happens during the ceremony.
Some happen behind the scenes.
And this one still makes me smile.
The morning of the wedding, I found myself troubleshooting with the resort cleaners over Ronnie's suit. Because, of course, even in paradise, wedding-day logistics have a way of keeping things interesting.
It's one of those moments that reminds you what wedding planning actually looks like beyond the beautiful photographs.
Sometimes it's reviewing a timeline.
Sometimes it's coordinating with vendors.
And sometimes it's figuring out how to resolve a suit situation before the groom walks down the aisle. It's not always glamorous, but it's part of the job. And quite frankly, it's part of what I love about it. Being able to step in, find solutions, and help keep the experience moving forward is just as important as bringing the creative vision to life.
The beautiful moments matter. So does everything happening behind the scenes to make them possible.
Vendor Credits:
Planner: FRWD Style Weddings & Events
Photographer: Sharvelle Photography
Travel Agent: TNT World Travelers
Chapter Three: More Than a Jamaica Destination Wedding
There's something unique about destination weddings.
The experience begins long before the ceremony.
It's the excitement of traveling somewhere special, reconnecting with people you love, discovering a new environment, and sharing moments that become part of your collective memories.
Jamaica gave Ronnie & Gaby a beautiful setting for their celebration.
But the destination itself was only one part of the experience.
What made it memorable was the connection between the people who gathered there.
And five years later, those memories remain a meaningful part of our story.
At FRWD Style, we've continued to build on that idea.
We believe a wedding should be more than a beautifully designed day.
It should be an experience that reflects your story, your personality, and the people who matter most to you.
The design should feel intentional.
The planning should feel thoughtful.
And the experience should feel like you.
Because when all those elements come together, something special happens.
You create memories that stay with people long after the celebration ends.
The Planning Edit: Seven Things to Remember When Planning a Destination Wedding
Five years after our first destination wedding in Jamaica, our appreciation for thoughtful destination wedding planning has only grown.
Whether you're considering a Jamaica destination wedding, a Caribbean celebration, or a multi-day experience somewhere across the world, there are a few things we encourage every couple to consider.
1. Start With Your Story
Before falling in love with a venue or destination, think about why the location matters to you.
Is it connected to your family history? A favorite vacation? A place you've always dreamed of visiting together?
The most memorable celebrations begin with intention.
2. Remember That Your Guests Are Part of the Experience
Destination weddings require guests to invest time, money, and energy into celebrating with you.
Make that experience thoughtful.
Consider travel information, accommodations, transportation, welcome gatherings, and opportunities for everyone to connect.
A great guest experience starts well before the wedding day.
3. Build a Team That Can Handle the Unexpected
Remember Ronnie's suit?
That's exactly why having a dependable planning team matters.
Destination weddings come with unique logistics, and not everything will go according to plan.
Having someone who can troubleshoot, communicate with vendors, and keep things moving makes a difference.
Your wedding day should be about celebrating, not managing unexpected problems.
4. Give Yourself Breathing Room
Flights get delayed. Weather changes. Plans shift.
Build flexibility into your schedule and allow time for your guests to enjoy the destination.
Not every moment needs to be programmed.
Sometimes the best memories happen between the planned events.
5. Understand the Local Requirements
Marriage license requirements, vendor regulations, permits, and venue policies can vary by destination.
Research these details early, especially if you're planning to legally marry outside the United States.
Working with experienced local professionals can help simplify the process.
6. Let the Destination Influence the Design
You don't have to recreate a traditional ballroom wedding in a tropical setting.
Consider the destination's architecture, landscape, textures, and local character when developing your wedding design.
The most compelling experiences often feel connected to the place where they're happening.
7. Make Space for the Moments That Matter
Of all the memories I have from Ronnie & Gaby's wedding, some of the most meaningful were the simplest.
A father and son walking Gaby down the aisle.
A couple honoring tradition by jumping the broom.
Family coming together to celebrate a new chapter.
Those moments are what make a wedding personal.
And they're a reminder that while the details matter, the story is what stays with us.
Chapter Four: Six Years Later, We're Still Moving FRWD
When I think about the journey from that Juneteenth wedding in Jamaica to where FRWD Style stands today, I feel incredibly grateful.
Grateful for the people who trusted us early.
Grateful for the couples who welcomed us into their stories.
Grateful for the lessons learned, the challenges overcome, and the relationships built along the way.
And especially grateful for the people who believed in what FRWD Style could become.
As we celebrate six years, we're also preparing for another exciting chapter.
We're refining how we tell stories, how we approach design, and how we create experiences that feel intentional from the very first conversation to the final moments of a celebration.
Our creative perspective has evolved.
Our experience has grown.
And our vision for what's next is becoming even clearer.
But at the heart of FRWD Style, the same belief remains:
The most unforgettable celebrations are the ones that feel like you.
Ronnie & Gaby, thank you for trusting me to be part of such a meaningful chapter in your lives.
From that beautiful Juneteenth celebration in Jamaica to everything we've created since, you'll always hold a special place in the FRWD Style story.
And to everyone who has been part of these six years, thank you.
For the trust. The support. The memories. And for allowing us to continue doing what we love.
Six years of FRWD Style.
Five years since our first destination wedding.
And so many more stories waiting to be told.
We're just getting started.
With love,
Franklin J.
Founder & Creative Director
FRWD Style Weddings & Events
Your Story. Your People. Your Experience.
Planning a destination wedding in Jamaica, the Caribbean, or somewhere beyond?
At FRWD Style, we bring together thoughtful planning, creative direction, and intentional guest experiences to create celebrations that reflect the people at the center of them.
From intimate destination gatherings to multi-day wedding experiences, we're here to help you create something meaningful.
Let's start with your story.
Schedule your complimentary 30-minute chat with FRWD Style and let's explore what's possible.
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