When a towering moko jumbie slowly danced down the aisle at Crown Point Beach Hotel in Tobago, Jamaican entrepreneur Michael Robinson experienced something he had not anticipated on his wedding day.
“I got goosebumps,” he recalled. “I’d seen them in parades before, but this was my first time up close and personal.”
For Robinson, who married Atlanta-based Trinbagonian media personality Marissa Williams on October 10, the moment captured the extraordinary cultural experience the couple had carefully created for their family and friends.
What unfolded was far more than a destination wedding. It was a weekend-long celebration of Caribbean identity, cultural preservation, friendship and what the newlyweds described as their desire to leave a “legacy of love”.
For Marissa, Tobago was an obvious choice.
“My love affair with Tobago and its culture goes way back, to a time when Great Race was THE place to be in the summer,” she explained. “I have enduring friendships and memories of over three decades tied to there.”
When Michael entered her life, Tobago was among the first places she introduced him to.
“It sealed the deal when I realised he loved Tobago as much as, or even more than, me.”
The couple’s vision was made possible through the Crown Point Beach Hotel, which agreed to host the celebration after many years without staging a wedding.
Marissa was particularly grateful to the hotel’s leadership, including Ms Best, for embracing their plans. However, supporting Tobago extended well beyond the wedding venue.
Guests enjoyed a Buccoo Reef excursion with Barry of LB Tours, a heritage experience with Sustainable TT, and meals at D Fish Pot and Zee Grill Seafood Restaurant.
Games Night at the hotel evolved into a spirited karaoke sound clash, with classic soca and reggae competing for supremacy.
“I wanted to generate revenue and build awareness of local businesses because sometimes the best way to show love is to invest in them,” Marissa revealed.
That philosophy extended to the wedding ceremony itself.
Traditional drummers Dominic Williams, Peron Frank and Shervlon Forbes opened proceedings, accompanied by the stirring words of Ella Andall’s “Bring Down De Power of Love”.
The bridal party danced to Andall’s “Rhythm of a People”, while the couple incorporated music from Stephen Marley, Erykah Badu and Destra Garcia into their unconventional celebration.
Moko jumbies Jahmalie and Ojah Bisnath added spectacular movement and colour, while Bele dancers and a traditional old-time Tobago wedding re-enactment introduced international guests to cultural expressions associated with the Tobago Heritage Festival.
The heritage presentation, coordinated through AR Talent Group and Anton Roberts, with Petal Joseph’s involvement, was particularly important to Marissa.
“My life’s work is introducing the beauty of our culture to unfamiliar audiences,” she explained.
“When I’m on radio, I spend my time promoting Caribbean culture and music to mainstream American audiences. The wedding seemed like an opportunity to further that mission with our international guest list.”
Although already familiar with Tobago, Michael was nevertheless moved by the performances.
“Drumming is a big part of Jamaica’s cultural heritage, but we don’t have moko jumbies,” he said. “The Jamaicans didn’t know what to expect, and they were all pleasantly surprised. They loved the cultural performances.”
The celebration also departed from convention in its most personal moments. Instead of separate mother-son and father-daughter dances, the couple invited their parents, siblings and children onto the dance floor for a collective family tribute to the late Mighty Sparrow.
The gathering included Marissa’s parents, Marie-Ella and Michael Williams; her brother, Nigel Smith; Michael’s mother, Merline Brown; his brother, Joel Brown; and children India and Jared Robinson.
Fashion provided another showcase for Trinidadian creativity, with Marissa wearing a wedding pantsuit by Claudia Pegus and an evening ensemble by Robert and Richard Young of The Cloth.
Hair and make-up were handled by Anya De Silva Shaw and Krysta Wallace, respectively, while Audaz Eventz coordinated the celebration. Reverend Christine Hart officiated, with Roland “Rembunction” Yearwood serving as master of ceremonies and Peter “Chinee” Garcia providing the music.
Among the guests were hip-hop legend Chubb Rock, Marissa’s co-host on the Atlanta-based Authentic Caribbean radio programme, and Trinidadian media personality Sharon Pitt.
For Michael, the weekend was also a celebration of the connection that brought the couple together.
“Her vibrant spirit and passionate heart drew me to her,” he said. “My heart knew she was my person almost immediately.”
Their shared values and cultural similarities have since inspired what he describes as a continuing adventure of discovering each other’s families, communities and histories.
Marissa said the weekend was deliberately designed to help guests connect before the wedding itself, allowing them to relax, build friendships and fully embrace the experience.
By the time the ceremony arrived, the atmosphere reflected exactly what she had envisioned.
“I heard so many guests describe the weekend as magical… and our international guests fell in love with Trinbago culture. So that’s mission accomplished.”
For Michael, the memory is one he hopes will endure.
“Together, I hope we’re able to touch hearts and open minds as we make our dent in the universe,” he said.
“It was a few days of magic that will fuel hearts for a lifetime.”
