A Chic Island Wedding in Barbados

A ceremony by a lily pond kicked off this fete, and three-hour dance party of hip-hop and highlife music followed.

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Akua and Folu

Akua Boakye and Folu Okunseinde first clicked on OkCupid in 2011. Though she still wasn't sold on the whole online dating thing, Akua, an ad tech in New York City, liked the playful banter she had with Folu, a data architect. She was into Jay Z and Kanye's latest collaboration; he was not a fan. But as they cyber-chatted, it became clear they had more in common than not—both grew up in New Jersey families with West African roots, went to college in Boston, and have three siblings. And while their musical tastes differed, romantically they were completely in sync, as one date led to three within that first week.

When they got engaged more than two years later, they knew a destination wedding was in their future. Folu had proposed to Akua while they were vacationing in Belize with friends, and they wanted their guests to experience the Caribbean's beautiful beaches and lively culture, too, says Akua. They chose the West Indian island of Barbados, finding their ideal spot in Codrington College, an ocean-facing, 18th-century Anglican theological seminary.

On April 25, 2015, friends came from as far as Singapore and China, and family members traveled from Nigeria, Ghana, and Great Britain to be among the 194 people who witnessed Akua and Folu recite Christian vows in front of the property's tranquil lily pond. Later, everyone moved to the back lawn, where the newlyweds twirled to Miguel's "Adorn" before joining their guests for dinner, served under a tent at rows of long tables. (On the menu: breadfruit vichyssoise, roasted red-onion-and-tomato tart, mahimahi, and braised beef short ribs.) Back out on the dance floor under a canopy of stars, guests danced for three hours straight to everything from hip-hop to highlife (a fusion of indigenous African dance rhythms and Western jazz). "The power cut out briefly," remembers Folu, "so we all just sang and made our own beat until it was restored." In fact, the couple, who had once passionately disagreed about music, were so focused on dancing, "we totally missed out on dessert!" says Akua. "But it was so worth it."

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The Venue

Evonne & Darren Wong

Codrington College, built in 1743, is the oldest Anglican theological institute in the Western Hemisphere.

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Helping Hands

Evonne & Darren Wong

Akua's bridesmaids helped Akua get ready for her walk down the aisle.

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The Fashions

Evonne & Darren Wong

The dapper duo strolled the grounds just before they entered the reception. "Folu was dead set on getting a custom suit made so that he could continue to wear it for the rest of his life," says Akua. He worked with Brooklyn Tailors to come up with the design for his navy blue suit and white shirt, which he paired with a navy bow tie from Thomas Pink. "What really stood out were his orange socks, which matched the lining of his suit jacket," says Akua, who chose a lace mermaid dress by Inbal Dror.

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The Bridal Bouquet

Evonne & Darren Wong

Akua's white bouquet included lisanthus, roses, orchids, wax flowers, and carnations that were offset by pink spray roses.

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Gold Wedges

Evonne & Darren Wong

Metallic Chanel wedges kept the bride from sinking into the lawn during the ceremony.

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The Wedding Party

Evonne & Darren Wong

The 12-person wedding party in something blue: navy suits for the guys and pale Jenny Yoo gowns for the gals.

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The Groom's Entrance

Photographers Evonne & Darren Wo

Folu's parents wore traditional Nigerian Yoruba attire and walked with him down the aisle.

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The Ceremony

Evonne & Darren Wong

The couple wed beneath a canopy of greenery and spider mums overlooking a lily pond. "For our ceremony, we asked Folu's aunt, who is a nun in Belize, to give a biblical reading, and Akua's close friend to give a secular poetry reading by Maya Angelou," says Akua.

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Double-Duty Escort Cards

Evonne & Darren Wong

"We incorporated elements of our love for travel," says Akua. "The escort cards were bright red Coach luggage tags, and they were set on a table decorated with mini suitcases." Instead of using table numbers at the reception, guests found their seats by table name. "Each was named for a city we had traveled to together and included a photo of us there."