Saintly nuptials: Romaine Dixon weds his dream girl Esmerdis

Fairy-tale sparks did not ignite when Romaine Dixon first met Esmerdis Lorenzo at the New York City International Christian Church. Reflecting on their paths crossing in June 2022, the future Mrs Dixon heartily giggled, recalling how blissfully unaware she was then of what would blossom.

“The attraction was not immediate,” she shared with Island Wedding after tying the knot a little over a month ago at Fort Tryon Park in Manhattan, under an autumnal canopy of yellow-and-orange-leaved trees.

“It grew over time; we went to the same church, so we saw a lot of each other,” reminisced Esmerdis, who, like her husband, is a Caribbean transplant hailing from the Dominican Republic. “After a few months of meeting, we were asked to lead a youth group at church together, and that’s how we got to know each other better, and started dating,” she added.

For Romaine, who was raised in Sligoville, St Catherine, and discovered by SAINT International CEO Deiwght Peters seven years ago, launching a hugely successful modelling career with campaigns for luxury fashion houses like Hugo Boss, Dior, and Fendi, Esmerdis quickly became his ‘dream girl’.

“I knew for certain this past December when I was reflecting on all we had been through for the year,” he said.

Esmerdis, a commercial face who counts Fenty Beauty and L’Oréal Paris among her client roster, revealed her moment of epiphany. “I knew too because of how he led me in the relationship, with God always at the centre, and I always felt heard and saw how he valued me above himself.”

After receiving permission from his future father-in-law, Estanislao Gervacio, to marry Esmerdis – with her sister Esmeralda translating his words, “Take care of my daughter, and God be with you” – Dixon began planning a surprise proposal. Lorenzo vividly remembered the moment:

“Romaine planned a date [ in June] and made me believe it was for our one-year anniversary celebration. We had lunch in a beautiful garden at the home of one of our friends in Hamilton Heights. At the end, Romaine said he forgot the dessert and went to get it. When he came back, all of our friends were there with balloons and flowers, and Marry Me by Train was playing. Then he proposed and I said, ‘Yes!’ It started raining right after.”

The Big Day arrived on October 25.

Guests gathered at the Upper Manhattan park, bordered by the Hudson River, as the bridal party, dressed in a palette of vintage mauve and rosewood, took their positions.

“It’s [Fort Tryon] a beautiful park that has a lot of nature and doesn’t feel like New York City, but you are in the city. I love nature, and fall is my favourite season. We went there when we were scouting for places and we both liked it, and decided on it. Also Romaine used to pray in that park every day, so it’s a special place,”explained the bride who turned heads in a voluminous, ivory Matthew Christopher gown with a sweetheart neckline.

Flying in from Jamaica for her son’s nuptials was Marie Dobson-Dixon as well as Romaine’s older sister, Tranique Dixon, who joined Esmerdis’ mother Altagracia Lorenzo and the rest of the bride’s family for the happy occasion.

At the altar, the groom, looking sharp in a single-breasted Kenneth Cole tuxedo with a notch lapel, exchanged vows with his bride, guided by Cory Blackwell, lead evangelist of the church where the couple worships.

The newly-weds and their guests then relocated to The Lighthouse, a rented church space, for the reception. Their first dance was to his-and-hers song selections: Romaine’s being Ed Sheeran’s love song Tenerife Sea,while Esmerdis opted for Dominican singer Juan Luis Gerra’s Mi Bendición (My Blessing).

Later, the couple sliced into a three-tiered wedding cake – a vanilla, cream-filled confection – baked by their church sister Mariah Arzu, a pâtissier.

“I see us more in love with each other, and having three kids. I would want to start my own coffee chain business, and for us to live in another country and become missionaries who travel the world,” Romaine shared.

The couple recently returned from a honeymoon cruise to The Bahamas.

lifestyle@gleanerjm.com