The Ellis’ journey to ‘happily ever after’

Kadeen had just finished styling her hair, and as she approached him, her stunning mane flowed freely in the wind. He couldn’t believe how beautiful she looked. His mouth opened, and his jaws dropped. Stuck between the reality before him and the beauty of the woman, he realised he needed to act quickly to capture her attention before the moment passed into a fleeting memory.

Fred Ellis successfully captured Kadeen’s attention. His debonair style, charm and wit enveloped her, and she could not resist the urge to get to know this very handsome and articulate man.

“Fred and I frequented the same salon. We would always see each other from a distance, but we never really spoke. I knew he was a bit enamoured by me, as I had seen him watching and admiring me surreptitiously on more than one occasion. He also came to my store once in a while to buy lottery tickets,” Kadeen told Island Wedding.

“One Saturday morning while he was having his pedicure, I entered the salon to have my hair done. There was a lively discussion going on about some juicy gossip and he had the pictures, and I wanted to see them. We exchanged BBM pins and from there he shared the pictures and we spoke occasionally. About a month later he asked me out to dinner,” Kadeen added.

Fred, on the other hand, was captivated by Kadeen’s confidence and her courteous yet subtle ways. “I was happy that I was able to speak with her. We developed a strong friendship, so much so that I was prompted to invite her to dinner. This was our first date, and we went for a nice drive afterwards. We had great conversations, and I knew that I wanted to be a part of her life for the long haul.”

Over time, Kadeen grew to love Fred’s compassionate heart, appreciating his consistent care and willingness to go the extra mile for others. And, as for Fred, he loved the personal moments spent with Kadeen, savouring the close, intimate details they shared during their time together.

Both Kadeen and Fred are family-oriented individuals. Despite not having biological children together, Kadeen openly embraced Fred’s children from previous relationships. As the years passed, their extended families became intertwined, and the love they shared continued to blossom.

Although Kadeen is a bit introverted and Fred is very social and extroverted, they managed to create the right atmosphere to ensure the thriving of their relationship. “I enjoy socialising with friends, while Kadeen prefers ‘us’ time,” Fred revealed.

“The saying that ‘opposite attracts’ applies in our case. We are quite different in many respects, but we complement each other. He is the yin to my yang, and he brings happiness and laughter to my life even when I am sad. He is always there to cheer me up and put a smile on my face. I love Fred because he is my rock, I can always rely on him,” Kadeen said.

Fred and Kadeen’s journey down the aisle took a lot longer than anticipated. After 12 years of being together, both decided to take their relationship a step further. On Valentine’s Day, February 14, 2022, Fred proposed to the love of his life. “I am not big on speeches, so I wrote her a love note. I knew this would be a special occasion, so I ensured that the note captured the essence of what I wanted to say. Needless to say, it hit the spot, and almost one year later Kadeen became my wife,” Fred shared.

On July 15, 2023, Fred and Kadeen became husband and wife in a lavish and spectacular ceremony held at The Jamaica Pegasus Hotel in New Kingston. “We wanted an indoor venue because it was in the middle of summer and the temperature was quite hot; so The Pegasus hotel had a number of options that would allow us to host our reception indoors, as well as execute the vision we had for our wedding,” Kadeen said.

Over 70 persons bore witness to this grand event, with a bridal and groom party of 12 people. This group included the maid of honour, bridesmaid, best man and groomsmen, as well as the close family and friends of both the bride and groom.

The couple opted for a colour combination of burgundy and dusty rose, reflecting their vision of a classy and elegant wedding. The bride wore two dresses for her event; her white ceremonial dress by Bliss Bridal Boutique and her gold reception dress by Cochen Bridal. Adding to the beauty of the wedding was the couple’s three-tier cake created by Fabulous Cakes by Alana. The wedding planning and design were handled by Futurevents Ja, and the bridesmaid dresses were provided by Cochen Bridal.

The lovely couple has yet to embark on their honeymoon, but plans are in motion to celebrate this special occasion in the coming year.

Fred is still excited that Kadeen is the woman of his dreams. He appreciates how she takes care of him, makes him feel special, supports everything he does, and always brings a smile to his face.

keisha.hill@gleanerjm.com