"Many waters cannot quench love, neither can floods drown it."

Not even a natural disaster could prevent Cassell and Grace Samuels from professing their love for each other and tying the knot on February 2, 2007. The husband and wife just celebrated their first wedding anniversary and in the same spirit are giving thanks for having overcome the very eventful eve of their wedding.

It was just the day before their wedding ceremony that the couple's recently opened bakery and restaurant in downtown Kingston was destroyed by fire. Every tangible item, including food and drink being stored at the establishment, that was to be used for the wedding the next day went up in flames.

Hard pill to swallow

While that must've been a hard pill to swallow, the husband-and-wife-to-be at the time were just thankful for life as they say it could have been tragic.

"We were doing last-minute shopping, and funnily he (Cassell) was just eager to go to the bakery and I was telling him to wait until we finished what we were doing, but he was just insisting."

"Even when we were up in Constant Spring, he just wanted to go and I said it didn't make sense to waste gas. When we stopped at his house to rest and eat, it was the same thing and I kept telling him to wait and relax. And trust me, it was a good thing, God is good," said the self-proclaimed spokesperson for the two. She believes that if it wasn't for her strong will, her husband would have gone to the bakery and been killed in the fire because of the collapse of part of the building.

The Samuelses are still enjoying their honeymoon and live in Spanish Town and have exceptionally fond memories of their big day, one they believe was made even more special because of their misfortune.

"People were calling and telling us to cancel the wedding but we said no. The wedding was the biggest; even people who we didn't invite showed up just to give their support," said the husband gleefully.

Late for wedding

Like most brides, Grace was late for her big day. The groom arrived at the church at 4 p.m., two hours late and his bride-to-be was still not present. This put him on edge, according to his wife. "My daughter had to be consoling him because he started to fret and started to think that I had run away and that I wasn't going to go through with it again, especially because what had happened the day before. But I was just late because both the day before and the wedding day were very hectic," she said while playfully touching her husband. Certainly it was a relief when she made it to the church at 5 o'clock.

Both Christians, they attend the Bible Way Apostolic Church and are so far enjoying the blessings and the happier times of married life. There are challenges but Samuels says it is the encouragement of his wife and strong will that have kept him in the church. For his wife, the best part of being married is having and enjoying her husband's company.

The two got married after a little over a year of courting and for their first anniversary, they celebrated by taking a trip to the country as well as having a "nice dinner". Come Valentine's Day, they will host a party at their home and on Sunday (the day after), they will head to church with members of their bridal party for praise and worship.

- Latoya Grindley