Nine years after stylist Vanessa Aziza Anglade and George Frederic-Kibala Bauer, the director of digital utilities at the GSMA, first met at a party hosted by the McGill Caribbean Student Society, they got engaged in Montreal, where they first locked eyes. He had planned an entire week of events and activities and arranged for Vanessa’s cousin, Naomi, to take her to brunch, as he set up for the proposal. Upon their return to Vanessa’s hotel, they went to the roof, where George had prepared an arrangement of roses, balloons, and champagne. “I was so excited, I couldn’t stop giggling while he got on one knee and popped the question,” Vanessa recalls.
“I am Bahamian, so we knew we would have the wedding somewhere in The Bahamas,” the bride shares. “A few years ago, we visited the Pompey Museum of Slavery and Emancipation in Nassau, where we were surprised to learn that many of the first freed slaves who settled in Andros were from The Congo. We both share Congolese ancestry on our dads sides and thought what a full circle connection of our heritages and love story, from there we started researching hotels and venues in Andros.” Kamalame Cay ticked all their boxes with its coconut grove and abundant greenery.
Aesthetically, Vanessa knew she wanted a wedding that highlighted the natural beauty of the venue with subtle nods to their Congolese and Bahamian ancestries. “I wanted to use layered lighting with candelabras and tea lights to create a moody atmosphere, against the dense vegetation with splashes of color from our traditional Congolese print cloth that my in-laws brought us to use for table runners and hand fans,” the bride shares. To help bring their vision to life, the pair tapped Marva Munroe of Chic Bahamas Weddings, and Over The Moon Top Photographer Caroline Lima was behind the lens.
For her summer wedding, Vanessa found her dress outside of the typical bridal boutiques. She ultimately chose a custom design by Dilara Findikoglu. “I wanted something sexy with an editorial vibe,” the bride explains. “I wanted it to have a sort of ship wrecked/washed up at the beach feeling. . .There were details I had to have like a corset, a bustle, and pearl droplets.” She completed the look with a freshwater pearl rosary instead of a bouquet and Maison Margiela Tabis, which George also sported.
The bride’s beauty was inspired by famous women and held up through the honeymoon. Hairstylist Tara Miller and makeup artist Gail Clarke made Vanessa feel like the most beautiful version of herself. “I wore mermaid braids inspired by a cross of Zoe Kravitz’s iconic braids styled like Pamela Anderson’s messy ’90s updo,” she shares. “It was low maintenance once installed, withstood the humidity, and was the perfect no fuss honeymoon hair after.”
Bridesmaids complemented Vanessa well in silk chiffon bias-cut dresses with a corset that the bride designed herself and raffia boater hats. George looked handsome for the ceremony in a custom Oswald Boateng black suit with a Ghanaian print.
On July 22, 2023, Vanessa joyously danced down the aisle to “Brown Girl in the Ring.” George’s uncle, who is a Catholic priest, officiated the heartfelt ceremony, before the couple exchanged their own vows. “I felt incredible, seeing all of my loved ones gathered together at the same place at the same time to support us and bear witness to our commitment to one another,” the bride remembers. “I was just radiating excitement and joy.”
After being announced as married, the newlyweds and their wedding party entered the reception with a choreographed dance to a medley of “Bokoko” by Roga-Roga, Extra Musica, “Baby Boy” by Beyoncé and Sean Paul. A delicious dinner concluded with Vanessa and George going into their first dance to “Katchua” by Ya Levis and cutting their wedding cake from Tier Cake Loft.
Later on, there was a Junkanoo Rush with colorful headpieces, and the whole party danced to Afrobeat and dancehall with the deejay, Mike Branch, until the early hours. The happy couple celebrated even further during their honeymoon in Mexico.
