Island Wedding | Orange, sand and ‘I do’: Mark and Elizabeth bring fun, flair to Trelawny wedding

A Tinder match led to a transatlantic romance, a leap of faith to Wales and, eventually, a rooftop proposal in Ocho Rios. On July 25, Mark Jones and Elizabeth Owen exchanged vows at Silver Sands in Trelawny, surrounded by more than 100 family members and friends. With an orange wedding dress, Jamaican and Welsh touches and a lively reception, their seaside celebration was anything but ordinary.

Their journey began in early December 2024, when Elizabeth, then living in Florida, matched with Mark, who was based in Swansea, Wales. He opened their conversation by asking about her favourite destination. She was initially drawn to his travel photographs and, as their conversations continued, to his consistency and communication. The couple’s wedding website describes their connection as proof that “Tinder, airline points, and a little bravery can change your life”.

Elizabeth eventually took a chance and flew to Wales to meet Mark. At the train station in Swansea, she arrived with two oversized orange suitcases, while Mark hid behind a column, pretending he had not turned up. When he finally emerged, the meeting felt natural to Elizabeth, “like we’d known each other forever”, despite the excitement of seeing someone special in person for the first time.

Mark later booked the same flight back to Miami as Elizabeth, and they continued travelling between their respective homes, gradually becoming part of each other’s social circles and meeting one another’s family and friends. They now live in Florida.

Marriage had already been part of their conversations. After travelling between Miami and Wales and spending extended stretches of time together, Elizabeth said they knew the relationship was real. “So the proposal wasn’t a shock, but the timing was,” she told Island Wedding.

The proposal came on November 21, 2025, during a trip to Jamaica for Elizabeth’s 50th high school reunion. While there, she and a group of longtime friends rented a villa in Ocho Rios to extend their time together. Mark chose the occasion to pop the question on the rooftop.

Having her friends present made the moment especially meaningful. Mark had become part of their circle and wanted to honour the women who had shaped Elizabeth’s life and welcomed him into theirs.

NATURAL CHOICE

Jamaica was a natural choice for the wedding. Elizabeth was born there and lived on the island until she was 16, and she still returns to visit friends. Silver Sands offered their loved ones a place to stay close, reconnect and share in the wedding weekend. “Jamaica brought all the pieces of my life together in one place,” she added.

Elizabeth envisioned a relaxed, vibrant celebration, an “elevated party” rather than anything formal or traditional. The weekend began on July 24 with a welcome gathering dubbed ‘The Night Before—because one day together simply wasn’t enough’. She wore white with blue accessories in a nod to the Caribbean Sea before choosing orange, her favourite colour, for the wedding day.

Her dress was a vivid departure from the usual bridal palette. She found it online through Shein, and her dressmaker made a few adjustments. “When I put it on, I felt like I was glowing,” Elizabeth said. Choosing orange, she added, reflected the confidence to wear what felt right for her, without worrying about tradition or other people’s opinions.

The ceremony brought Jamaican and Welsh touches together. Elizabeth and Mark poured orange and green sand into one glass vessel to represent their joined lives. Jamaican and Welsh flags decorated the desserts, while an officiant who was one of Elizabeth’s close friends read a poem in Welsh. Another friend shared a Louise Bennett poem in patois about marriage.

Two moments stood out for Elizabeth: walking towards Mark, “feeling my past and future collide”, and hearing their guests stand to pledge their support for the marriage. Hearing those words spoken by the people they loved, she said, was “incredibly moving and absolutely beautiful.”

The reception carried the easygoing spirit the beautiful bride had imagined. Appetisers and a signature cocktail preceded the buffet dinner, while the DJ kept the dance floor busy.

“The dance floor turned into a friendly showdown of ‘wine and go down’, with the Trinidadians and Jamaicans battling to see who could dip the lowest,” Elizabeth recalled, adding, “Just remembering it brings a smile to my face.”

There were heartfelt toasts, too. One came from a friend who had known Elizabeth since she was three, while another, from one of Mark’s friends in the UK, had the guests laughing. But the biggest surprise was a flash-mob dance planned in secret by Elizabeth’s goddaughter and the officiant. When guests suddenly began moving in sync, Elizabeth realised the routine had been prepared for her, and soon everyone had joined in.

“It was a huge, joyful surprise,” she explained.

For Elizabeth and Mark, seeing more than 100 family members and friends reconnect in the villas, on the beach and at the festivities was one of the weekend’s greatest joys. “We were truly touched by the love and support they showed us,” she said.

Three weeks after the wedding, the pair honeymooned in the Maldives, a longtime destination on Elizabeth’s bucket list. Looking back on their journey, Elizabeth said it taught her “that it’s never too late for love” and that sometimes the best things happen when you take a chance on someone unexpected.

nyoka.manning@gleanerjm.com