ARUBA Feb 1st, 2013- How a `no wife, no dogs and no kids’ motto can result in a spectacular wedding !! Life is sometimes funny – just when you think you have everything under control, it makes you stop and think. Listen to this story, which puts bride Djamella Wagemakers and groom Raymond Kempen in the spotlight.
Yesterday was their wedding day, and what a day it was: filled with love, laughter and a few tears, as the perfect wedding should be.
Raymond, manager of MooMba Beach and Hadicurari, is the man, who vowed never to get married, never to get a dog nor children. Today he is married to Djamella and they have two dogs called Nera and Gayo. Two out of three ain’t bad!
Six years ago Djamella worked for a while on Aruba, at Perle d’Or, to be exact. Once back in the Netherlands, Djamella started working at Raymond’s restaurant in Rotterdam and before long there was a twinkle in his eyes whenever he looked at gorgeous Djamella. The twinkle evolved into something more and soon the couple was living together. Their motto: have fun, don’t get married, no dogs and no kids. But a super cute puppy made them reconsider part of this motto and Nera came to live with them.
After a few years in Holland, Djamella was homesick for the great weather on Aruba, and she convinced Raymond to go on holiday to Curaçao and Aruba in November 2010. Once here Raymond fell under Aruba’s spell, and the couple moved to Aruba on 31-1-2010, exactly three years ago. Raymond started working at MooMba Beach and Djamella found a job at Divi’s Aruba Weddings for You. Soon Nera got a local friend: another lovely pup called Gayo.
last year, on January 1st, 2012, during the MooMba New Year’s Dive, Djamella received one of the biggest shocks in her life, when Raymond spontaneously asked her to marry him. For him it was as much a surprise as for her: he asked a passing-by photographer to take a picture, he sang `Stuck on You’ by Lionel Richie through the DJ’s microphone and a bottle of champagne was at hand to be poured. Raymond thanked Djamella for being so wonderful, making his life so full and rewarding and asked her to be his wife. A choked-up Djamella could only say `Yes’!
So yesterday, on 31-1-2013 (so many 1’s), Raymond and Djamella were married in the company of 24 family members and friends, who flew in from Holland to be present at this wonderful occasion. Djamella’s brother Lorenzo and Anouk, Raymond’s nephew Alain, parents Anton and Joke, Sjaak (75) and Wil, sister Joanna, uncle Ewald and aunt Gabrielle, cousin Nick and Laura, best friend Jocelyn and Jacco, who got married last year in July with surprise guests Djamella and Raymond being their best present, best friend Linda, brother Arthur, sister Sandra with her husband Anton, cousins Rick and Linda, uncle and aunt Ron and Marjo: they were all there at the civil ceremony, at the spectacular lunch at Marandi, at the paranda bus trip across the island and at the sunset vows as well as at the party at Hadicurari. The guests were rendered speechless by beautiful Djamella and handsome Raymond. `If any two people should get married to each other, it’s them!’ was the verdict.
We hope Djamella and Raymond will have a super happy, great life together, with lots of love and happiness. And remember: two out of three ain’t bad, for now!!
Masha, masha pabien!
Story Courtesy of Aruba Daily
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