ISLAND WEDDING - From testimony to holy matrimony for Melessa and Nathan

When Melessa Angus stood up during the ladies’ evening service at church and shared her testimony, it not only opened Nathan Thompson’s eyes to her journey but also warmed his heart. Nathan introduced himself and exchanged numbers with Melessa soon after. Their connection quickly blossomed into an unexpected romance, and the two later walked down the aisle nearly three and a half years later.

For a while, Melessa had been praying for the right life partner. She wanted the Lord to do the choosing, rather than picking on her own.

“I asked God to show me a sign and let me know when he has arrived. The moment I met Nathan, I knew he was the one. I felt a spark, and it felt like God was saying that this was my husband,” Melessa told Island Wedding. 

During that church service, Nathan explained that Melessa was the last to give her testimony, “She was sitting about two benches behind me, I turned around, and I saw her beautiful face.” In that moment, he knew there was something special about her.

When the service ended, he invited her to the church's youth service, where the pair exchanged numbers. 

“My first impression of her [was] that she's a very cool and kind person. She was very humorous and easy to talk to,” Nathan revealed. 

For Melessa, she noticed that Nathan was easy on the eyes. She also admired his active involvement in church.

 “Initially, I thought he was very cute. I loved his height. He was very involved in church; he even played the drums, and I liked that,” adding that, over time, his relationship with God grew even stronger, something she deeply appreciated. 

Going to the movies at Sovereign village in Portmore, St Catherine, for their first date, Melessa recalled having a great time with Nathan, “To this day, I still have the ticket stubs from our first date,” she added.

After meeting in August 2022, the pair made their relationship official that October on National Heroes Day.

Since then, Melessa continues to be in awe of her soulmate’s loving, compassionate, and God-fearing nature. “Because I'm a Christian, I love the fact that he has a strong relationship with Jesus; it is very important to me.”

Nathan played an instrumental role in assisting with and supporting her scholastic pursuits. “He really aided me in my journey of going back to school to get my teaching degree,” she explained, adding, “I honestly wasn't feeling very encouraged to go back but he really motivated me and helped through the application process… and, even now as I'm in [my] third year at the Saint Joseph's Teacher's College, he still helps me with my assignments, motivate[s] me, and keeps me on track.”

Additionally, he continues to make her feel loved and appreciated each day, often telling her that she is the one for him, and that it became clear to him she would be his wife.

For Nathan, she is not only his twin flame but also someone he describes as compassionate, trustworthy, God-fearing, and optimistic. 

“Melessa always believes in me, and she is always motivating me to achieve my goals. I was insecure about myself, and she came into my life and changed that. She has shown me what true love looks and feels like. She allows me to express myself, inspiring me to think positively. And she always encourages me to pray and read my Bible,” he said.

Nathan noted that Melessa set herself apart from other women very early in the dating game. Genuine from the start, their relationship was both refreshing and promising. “She met all of the requirements I was looking for in the woman I wanted to be my wife, winning me over with her pure heart and radiant smile. That smile warms my heart every time she stares at me. I just knew she was the one,” he admitted. 

The couple courted for two years and four months before Nathan made last year’s Valentine’s Day one to remember by asking Melessa to be his wife. He secured a reservation at the Spanish Court Hotel earlier that week and, on the day, bought her dress and accessories for the occasion.

“At the restaurant, we enjoyed a wonderful three-course meal in the best company. When it was time for dessert, I asked the waiter to decorate the plate with the words ‘Will you marry me?’. As the restaurant played Ed Sheeran's Perfect, I went on one knee and popped the question,” he recounted. Of course, Melessa, who loved every minute of the surprise dinner, said yes. 

With a year to plan their dream wedding, the duo went with Let's Talk Weddings Ja to make their nuptial visions an enchanting reality. The bride-to-be described the process as a smooth encounter from start to finish, “Shonick McFarlane took care of the intricate details, from hiring vendors to getting everything prepared for the main event.”

On March 7, specially invited guests — some of whom had witnessed the church testimony three years earlier — gathered at Terra Nova All-Suite Hotel on Waterloo Road in St Andrew to celebrate Nathan and Melessa’s new chapter in holy matrimony.

The stunning bride confessed that their wedding was an amazing experience, “I couldn't have asked for a better wedding. From the ceremony to the reception, everything flowed naturally, and the day was really beautiful,” Mrs Thompson reflected, noting that the best moment of the day was seeing the guests having a great time. 

The handsome groom shared similar sentiments, stating that the wedding was everything he had hoped for and more. “It's difficult to choose a favourite moment because our wedding day was incredible from start to finish. But, if I could pick the best wedding memory, it would be when I saw my wife for the first time that day and held her hands. That was a very emotional moment for me. I even started crying,” he highlighted. 

krysta.anderson@gleanerjm.com