A Low-Key Luxury Wedding With Tropical Details in Jamaica

Rroya-rae McIntosh and Jordan Daley first met in college but didn’t keep in touch—until social media brought them together a few years later. “Jordan randomly popped up on my Snapchat shortly after I graduated in 2016,” Rroya remembers. “A conversation sparked over a funny video and we haven’t stopped talking since!”

After Jordan proposed in March 2021—at dinner overlooking Central Park—the duo began planning a destination wedding in the most meaningful of places. “We are both Jamaican and have such a deep love for the country that it was only fitting to have our wedding there,” says Rroya, who has an even more personal connection as she attended high school in Montego Bay. “It simply feels like home to me.” That said, they didn’t want the typical resort wedding, so they skipped the all-inclusives and explored a variety of venues. “We fell in love with The Tryall Club. The property is so vast and simply breathtaking," she shares. "It does a magnificent job of showcasing the beauty of Jamaica.”

The vision was “high-style, low-key luxury,” Rroya says. “We wanted it to feel luxurious but also like home.” They worked with D.C.-based planner CM Events & Design, known for working in the Caribbean. “It is the best of both worlds to have a U.S.-based team who is also experienced with your destination,” Rroya says. “And, they make diversity a priority when building a vendor team. All our vendors were from various backgrounds and cultures, and worked seamlessly together.”

Read ahead to see all the tropical details of the couple’s September 4, 2022, as planned by CM Events & Design and photographed by Hana Gonzalez Photography.

Showcasing the destination was a priority, so they let the tropical greenery shine against a neutral palette of white, tan, and touches of black. A palm-tree monogram logo branded everything from the invitation suite to canvas welcome bags. 

For their poolside rehearsal dinner, their attire matched the palette: Rroya wore a chic Zimmermann dress, while Jordan donned a sandy suit. 

“It started to drizzle while we were getting dressed, but I was truly never worried for a second,” Rroya says of the wedding day morning. “I knew in my heart the day was going to be perfect.” Instead of leaning into the jitters, she made the most of a little rain, stepping outside with her bridesmaids to spray Champagne.

Rroya fell in love with a strapless corset gown by Marchesa, adorned with three-dimensional floral embellishments. “I loved that it showed my curves,” she says. “Pretty with some spice!”

“For all of my dress fittings I wore a padded pearl headband, and after a while I just couldn’t picture wearing my dress without one!” she says. It was a conventional complement, too. “I went for a simple low bun because I didn’t want to risk it with the Jamaican humidity—the weather ultimately helped me make the decision that I would have some type of updo. I wanted a style I could wear the whole night and didn’t have to worry about a hair being out of place.”

Jordan opted for black tuxedo pants with a sophisticated ivory dinner jacket. “To honor his childhood friend, Pepe, who passed away from sickle cell disease, it was important to him to wear Pepe’s wishbone pin,” Rroya shares. “His groomsmen and childhood friends have been passing it down for each special occasion, and it was now Jordan’s turn to wear it proudly.”

Ever the romantic, Rroya was really hoping for some tears from her groom on their wedding day. “But, I came to terms with the fact that my grand entrance would not trigger a single tear in my lovely, oh-so-nonchalant husband,” she says with a laugh. “So, to aid a smooth and swift ceremony-to-reception transition, we went with a first look. I also hoped that maybe—just maybe—he would cry if it was just the two of us. He didn’t.” Still, it was the moment it all became real for both of them.

Rroya wanted her maids in sleek, all-white gowns to complement her embellished one. “Fame and Partners had the perfect chic dresses for an outdoor ceremony.” 

The Caribbean Sea served as backdrop for their lawn ceremony, and dramatic florals lined the aisle and encircled the altar. “Parasols, fans, and bamboo chairs were perfect touches,” Rroya adds. 

As Rroya’s father walked her down the aisle, a live saxophonist played “At Last” by Etta James. 

“The entire ceremony felt like a scene from a tropical fairy tale,” Rroya reflects. “We wrote our own vows. I found out later that Jordan was attempting to arrange a piano for our ceremony so he could sing his vows! Unfortunately, a piano was not available at the time, so he read the lyrics to the song instead.”

At cocktail hour, bartenders slung coconut pineapple margaritas and passionfruit mojitos from behind a custom-made bar. “The cocktail napkins had various Jamaican proverbs on them, with their meanings," explains the bride.

“One of our favorite reception details was the escort wall with custom jerk seasoning jars,” the bride describes. “The wall said ‘If you can take the heat, find your seat.’” Their 126 guests did just that. 

A mix of rectangular and circular tables featured compote arrangements with garden and tropical florals. The couple pegged two different florists to collab on the design—Washington, D.C.-based Springvale Floral and Jamaica local Tai Flora Luxe. “Also, I really love tortoiseshell, so we brought that detail in through the table numbers and flatware.”

The couple made a grand entrance from above into their wedding reception dinner. “I wanted our guests to get an authentic Jamaican experience, so I went with staple Jamaican dishes for the dinner menu,” Rroya says. 

The cake was modeled after Rroya’s Marchesa gown, with ivory 3D florals adorning the three tiers. Inside, coconut cream was another nod to the tropical location. 

For the dance party, the bride changed into a Retrofête dress that mirrored the palm trees from their invitation suite—and had a hemline short enough to kick up her heels.

The rest of the night was a joyous party for the couple and all their guests. “Our DJ had amazing energy,” Rroya remembers. “He plays in dance hall clubs and definitely had everyone on the dance floor.” After all the festivities, the newlyweds kept the tropical theme and escaped to a romantic and relaxing honeymoon in Bali.