All in God’s timing

It all started on a church bus in October 2014, when Dane Wilson and Abbiegale Sealie were just teenagers. Like many church kids, their relationship didn’t begin with romance but with a simple act of kindness that sparked a lasting friendship. Over the years, that bond grew and deepened, ultimately leading the couple to say ‘I do’ on Saturday, September 20, at Boone Hall Oasis in St Andrew.

Abbiegale recalls the moment their bond was forged, “He was sitting beside me, and my feet started cramping, so I asked if I could stretch them out on him. Of course, he said yes and from there a friendship sparked.”

In that moment, Dane spontaneously declared Abbiegale his best friend. Laughing as she remembered it, Abbiegale went along with it, accepted the title.

As they grew more familiar with each other, Abbiegale realised her initial impressions of Dane didn’t capture the full picture. “At first I thought he was a nerd, but when I got the opportunity to know him, his personality and the way he speaks changed my mind. He is very smart and sweet,” Abbiegale told Island Wedding.

For Dane, he was very observant of her and in the end realised it was all in God’s timing. He explained, “My initial impression of her was just that she was the quiet girl that walks to church and speaks to no one. But overtime, I realised she was just waiting on me to steal her heart.”

They shared their first memorable ‘best friends date’ at Devon House in 2018. Staying true to their friendship and keeping any romantic expectations at bay, the outing became a moment of unexpected and hilarious spontaneity.

“When her ice cream fell on the ground, all we could do was laugh,” Dane added.

It was during a mission trip around the end of 2020 at a friend’s house that the relationship began to shift, revealing a romantic possibility that Dane hadn’t considered before. “For me, I was just being a good best friend, but real interest was not sparked until it was mentioned to me how good she would be for me if I gave it a try,” he admitted.

After that laugh-filled afternoon, their relationship gradually grew, and they officially began dating in February 2021. To mark the occasion, they celebrated with a meal at Macau Gaming Lounge and Bar in St Andrew.

Over the years, Dane fell in love with Abbiegale’s humility and ever-present smile, while she admired his caring and loving spirit. From the earliest days, one trait reassured her most: Dane’s unwavering commitment.

“[Dane] treated me with much care and love and made it clear I was the one for him,” she added.

Intrigued by his intelligence and completely assured by his love, it was clear that God intended their bond to become something eternal.

The moment Dane decided to formalise their covenant was filled with secrecy and nerves, though Abbiegale’s intuition could not be denied. In November of last year, he proposed during a birthday dinner that Abbiegale herself had planned at Ming Cuisine.

“I later found out that there was a secret group where they were planning a surprise for me,” Abbiegale shared. “Closer to the birthday dinner I kind of expected it because, first, he was talking to my mother longer than usual, and I could see the expression on her face. Secondly, my friends were stressing me out on what I should and should not wear, normally they do this, but this time it was worse! I still thank God they did it.”

Despite all the signs, Dane successfully played it cool. “When we were in the car, I told him that I think he is going to propose, and he was like, ‘Why would I propose at your birthday celebration?’ ” Abbiegale explained. “After he said that, I just thought that I was overthinking it.”

The surprise went perfectly, even after a brief wardrobe mishap forced Abbiegale to step aside with her friend to fix her outfit. When she returned, Dane was on one knee, ready to pop the question.

“When I looked down I saw the love of my life on his knees asking me to be his wife. Honestly, I was shocked and I felt nervous,” Abbiegale confessed.

Guided by Pastor Stevenson Samuels, Abbiegale and Dane exchanged their vows at Boone Hall Oasis, surrounded by loved ones who had witnessed their journey from childhood friends to life partners.

“It was very touching and sentimental. It felt like the world paused in a moment to celebrate with us,” Abbiegale shared, expressing gratitude to her guests.

For Dane, his favourite moment came early on into the when his bride walked down the aisle to say yes to spending the rest of her life with him.

ruth-ann.briscoe@gleanerjm.com