From the golf course to the altar!

He first spotted her on the golf course in his homeland, Trinidad, in 2006. By the time he was ready to speak to her, she had disappeared. A couple of months later, he saw her again, and almost the same thing happened.

In November of that same year, Tanya Barnes and Barry Eligon met each other again at a party where he got a chance to invite her to play golf with him. She accepted, and they played again a month later, but when he asked, she told him she was not interested in a relationship.

In fact, even though she went golfing and to other events with him, they were all regarded as "non-dates", and to prove her point, Tanya drove her own car to meet him each time. As his luck would have it, their first official date was dinner early in 2007 and they were engaged a year later.

As he tells their love story that culminated in marriage on July 31 at the Terra Nova All Suite Hotel in St Andrew, Jamaica, Eligon is obviously happy his pursuit paid dividends.

"I was attracted to her natural beauty, intelligence, brains and sense of humour, I thought, how lucky I am to find a woman with all these qualities!" he told Outlook.

It was an equally happy occasion for the beaming daughter of Anthony and Betty Barnes, as her only sibling, The Gleaner's Deputy Managing Director Christopher Barnes, executed his duties as master of ceremonies superbly, much to the delight of some 170 guests. The groom's parents are deceased but a large contingent of close family members and friends from the twin-island state joined him in Jamaica for the happy occasion.

They will enjoy a family holiday here before returning to Trinidad and thereafter the newly-weds will take their honeymoon.

A vision of loveliness

Tanya collects replicas of elephants, and images of the powerful animal dominated programmes and other wedding memorabilia. The ceremony was officiated by Deacon Michel DuChaussee and the Reverend Lance Henry. The new Mrs Barry Eligon was a vision of loveliness in a Mei Ling gown with headpiece by Natalie Purvis of Vamp. The wedding cake was by Nila D'Andrea and floral arrangements by Audia Archibald. Charmaine Chinloy coordinated and provided decor for the event.

- B.E.