Island Wedding | Fabian and Antonica’s call to ‘I do’

One day, while working at a call centre, Antonica Pinnock was handling a matter that had to be escalated to one of the banks the company worked with. The call connected her with Fabian Douglas, and years later, that chance encounter would blossom into love.

“There were certain calls that I couldn’t handle that had to be transferred to Fabian’s department,” Antonica told Island Wedding.

And something about his voice caught her attention.

“I remember him sounding and being so nice over the phone so much so that I wondered what he looked like in person,” she added.

As time went on, she realised that he remained true to form – nice over the phone and even nicer in person.

Fabian explained that after that first call, Antonica would follow up daily with questions about client queries. “Those questions turned into cute little conversations. Then the conversation led to an office meeting, which later blossomed into romance.”

Antonica was not just friendly; she was also fun, with just the right amount of crazy. Additionally, he noticed her reserved side and the fact that she was protective of her space and her heart.

“Over the years, I’ve realised that she’s still crazy but only for me and protective over what we have overcome and built as a couple,” he said.

Their first date came about just as unexpectedly as their first encounter. After heading home from work one Friday night, they stopped by a gym in Portmore, St Catherine, to drop off something for Fabian’s friend. While there, he suggested they have dinner together.

“Downstairs from the gym was a restaurant called 876 Terrace. He turned to me and asked me if we had had a proper date since we started dating. When I answered no, he responded, ‘Well, tonight is the night’. It was wonderful,” she shared.

In 2021, just before Fabian’s birthday, he asked Antonica to be his girlfriend while they were on their way home.

“Taking her home, I realised this was who I wanted to be with,” he revealed. When she said yes, Fabian received what he described as the best early gift.

But Antonica’s yes came with one condition: she wanted their relationship to eventually lead to marriage. Three years later, Fabian followed through with a proposal.

Enchanted

To this day, Antonica still admires Fabian’s loving, caring, ambitious, tenacious, and supportive nature.

“He encourages me to do my best at all times. And he is a very good listener. He asks the right questions, coming from a place of concern and care, and I love that about him,” she added.

Fabian remains enchanted by Antonica’s beauty, strength, faith, determination, and sense of humour. “She is also family oriented,” he highlighted, adding, “My wife has been pushing me to be great, even before we started dating, through encouraging words, prayer, reviewing work, résumé[s] reports and just telling me that I can do it. She always comes to our relationship with an open and understanding heart, providing a judgment-free and forgiving space in the process.”

When the two aren’t at home chilling, watching television, cooking, or having conversations, they are at church, worshipping together and praying for each other as well as their family members and friends.

“I knew she was the one when I found myself going crazy if we didn’t talk, or I didn’t see her,” he confessed.

So in 2024, Fabian planned to propose to Antonica at a surprise dinner with her family. Instead, he popped the question on the way to a party. The romantic moment was intimate and private, and he got the answer he was looking for.

On the way to ‘I do’, Antonica planned the big day with the help of her cousin. Although the process proved to be tedious at times, she was able to make her vision a beautiful reality.

On May 23, Fabian and Antonica joined hearts in holy matrimony at Cyril’s Weddings and IDoSpot in Lakemoor Gardens, Spanish Town, St Catherine. The beautiful bride walked up the aisle to meet her groom in a gorgeous mermaid gown with an off-the-shoulder sweetheart neckline, a fishtail finish, and an accompanying veil from Unions Bridal Boutique.

The bride revealed that the day was better than she had anticipated, filled with fun and love.

For the groom, the outdoor evening ceremony overlooking the sunset was truly picturesque. And he could not ask for a more supportive set of loved ones who showed their support: “The best moment, for me, was seeing her walk up the aisle looking stunning in her dress. She was as beautiful as ever.”

To commemorate the grand occasion, the newly-weds shared their official dance as husband and wife to So Amazing by Luther Vandross.

“I was in awe for the entire dance. I couldn’t believe that I was actually married and dancing with my forever love,” Mrs Douglas reflected.

krysta.anderson@gleanerjm.com