A Wedding At Tensing Pen: Checkey and Jimmy

Checkey Beckford and Jimmy Atkinson met for a quick coffee date in March 2014. But what was slated to be a quick 30 minutes turned into nearly four hours of talking in the coffeehouse and strolling through Union Square Park. Although it was wintertime in New York City, the pair had found paradise in each other.

Nine months later, they were engaged, dreaming of an unforgettable wedding experience rather than a single day of festivities. The island of Jamaica became their destination of choice. With Checkey originally from Trelawny Parish, hosting a destination wedding made it possible for her family still living in Jamaica to attend. It also gave Jimmy’s family a taste of where she grew up. After looking at a few other resorts, the couple was wooed by the romantic cliff views of turquoise Caribbean water and intimate atmosphere at Tensing Pen.

“I just couldn’t imagine my wedding pictures without one of us standing on that footbridge,” Checkey said.

Once again, the pair had found their paradise.

“My favorite memory of our wedding is having all of our closest family and friends on vacation with us celebrating our big day in this beautiful place—we couldn’t have asked for anything more,” Checkey said. “Tensing pen enabled us to do that in a private, beautiful setting. The nature of the boutique hotel allowed for just our guests to take over the space, yet there was plenty of room for everyone to do what they wanted.”

The couple planned a dinner the first night to welcome everyone to the island and decidedly kept the rest of the schedule flexible so visitors could be as leisurely as they pleased. Most guests made a long weekend out of the occasion and enjoyed relaxing on the seven-mile beach, leaping (or watching others leap) off the cliffs at Rick’s Café and exploring Negril.

While planning the wedding experience was stressful, Checkey’s calm partner balanced out her impulse to worry about every little detail down to the votive holders and flower petals, reminding the couple why they work so well as a team. Checkey’s firebrand personality complements Jimmy’s laid-back approach to life. Together, they are able to stay grounded.

The expertise of Tensing Pen’s wedding coordinator, Shanique, also simplified the planning process. “Shanique was very helpful. She kept me on track when I could have gotten lost in the sea of details,” said Checkey.

And once the pair arrived in Jamaica, the native “no problem” mindset triumphed over all the nerves and anxiety involved with the build-up to their wedding. Checkey and Jimmy were married on April 2, 2016.

“I have to say, once I was there, I let go of the stress and just enjoyed being around my friends and family,” Checkey said. “It was beautiful…everything I hoped it would be. In fact, better than I expected it to turn out. The weather cooperated and the décor was stunning. Overall it was just a wonderful experience we will never forget.”

Although the couple has since returned to their New York life, where Checkey is a news reporter and Jimmy works in finance, memories of paradise keep them warm.

“Our friends and family still talk about it as the best wedding they’ve ever been to,” Checkey said.

Interested in a Paradise Wedding Experience like Checkey & Jimmy’s?
Contact the resort wedding coordinator at weddings@tensingpen.com or call 1-800-957-0387. You can also check out our Pinterest Board, @tensingpen/Wedding.