Pure and profound love – The Timolls’ story

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Krysta Anderson

March 30, 2020

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“As the large wooden doors of the chapel opened and I saw my bride for the first time, our minds and hearts communicated in a way only love could evoke.” This sincere sentiment, echoed by the proud groom, only expresses a drop in the ocean of affection and emotion he has for his beautiful blushing bride.

Kenneth Timoll and Lian Chen first met on familiar grounds ­– outside their front doors. With the coming and going into the same residential complex, the two kept their admiration at a distance until one day, thoughts became words. “We ran into each other while taking out the trash or going to the gym. Polite hellos turned into short conversations of getting to know each other better, hanging out, and eating, which we both loved to do,” Kenneth told Flair’s Island Wedding.

With that solid foundation set in place, it was only a matter of time before these neighbours worked their way inside each other’s hearts. They made their relationship official on July 5, 2017.

“I couldn’t help but notice how tall and charming he was,” Lian reminisced. Kenneth was fond of her ambition and strong work ethic. “Coming in and going out from work showed she worked long hours ­– early mornings, late nights ­– which meant she was hard-working, sometimes working on a Sunday and holidays. This took dedication and ambition, and I liked that because it matched my work ethic,” he said.

As time went on, Lian found her beloved to be understanding, a complete gentleman, warm-hearted, generous, hard-working, dependable, and family-oriented. “He has given me so much: love, affection, respect, honesty, loyalty, support, and protection,” she said.

She continued, “I always thought I was mature, but Kenneth has helped me grow more. He has taught me to be patient, understanding, calm, and realistic, and all of these lessons spill over into our relationship. Alike in many ways, we understand that if there is a problem, we resolve it. We thrive on communication.

Aside from her beauty, which initially caught his attention, Kenneth discovered that his other half was also loving, outspoken, and strong. She was somebody he could count on and trust to never stop trying and loving. “She has taught me much about honesty, along with setting and fulfilling personal and relationship goals. We have always been direct and honest to one another. We’ve learned to make mutual compromises and to make each other happy, and she has always been the balancing factor of all my shortcomings,” he said.

A year and nine months after the start of their relationship, Kenneth took one step closer, setting romantic plans in motion to make Lian his wife.

IDYLLIC PROPOSAL

Lian had always dreamed of visiting France, so the ideal place for the proposal would have been Paris. But that would have been too obvious. So he decided that they would make a quick trip to New York, returning to a quaint and elegant restaurant by the Brooklyn Bridge they once dined at, River Café, before going to Paris.

With a photographer and saxophonist already booked, he got additional help from Lian’s best friend, Rochelle Drummond, who travelled from Canada and got everything ready while they dined. Easing his fears was the soft sound of the sax outside the restaurant. He turned to her and said that even though it was cold, he wanted them to listen to some music before calling it a night.

Then, it happened. “As we approached the musician, there was a white handcrafted card with her name on a bench with two dozen roses. She stopped. I encouraged her to go look at the card. While our song played and she got swept away by the card, I stood behind her and took the ring out, went on one knee, and then she turned around to the surprise of her life. This was our moment. I said to her, ‘Lian, I’ve loved you ever since I met you, and I’ve been thinking we should spend the rest of our lives together. So my question is, will you marry me?’ She said yes. I placed the ring on her finger and got up and hugged her while the photographer captured every moment of the tears of joy,” Kenneth said.

Screams from the distance came from Rochelle and Lian’s mother, who Kenneth had also secretly flown in for the occasion, as they came running to celebrate the moment. Following an engagement shoot and congratulatory party hosted in their honour by Kenneth’s supportive friends, who made the trip just for him, the newly engaged couple jetted off to Paris to continue the celebrations.

Lian enrolled the assistance of wedding planner Aeisha Panton to make all of her nuptial dreams a majestic reality. And Rose-Marie Chen, fashion designer of Rochen Designs, was honoured to custom-make her daughter’s wedding dress, veil, and earrings, as well as the bridesmaids’ dresses.

On January 11, before God and close family members and friends, Kenneth and Lian became the Timolls in a beautiful, breathtaking wedding ceremony at The Chapel in Prospect Plantation, St Mary. The merriment overflowed into a wonderful reception at Frankfort Villa. Lian was a vision of exquisite elegance as she walked up the aisle to wed her handsome prince. “The chapel brought a romantic charm, and the reception was absolutely magical. Twinkling lights strung across the floor, fresh flowers draped on the tables, pristine glassware – it was perfect. Our wedding day was everything, and I relive it in my heart every single day,” the bride recalled.

Story by Krysta Anderson

krysta.anderson@gleanerjm.com

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Author

Krysta Anderson

Tackles sex and relationships with honesty and openness. For months, she took readers on a journey of self-exploration with personal dating column 'Single but Iffy to Mingle'. Now she's ready for an even bigger adventure.

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