Jacqueline & Michka

How was the proposal?‍

Michka proposed at home, right on our stoop. He started with: “Three four seven, two five five…” A few years back, Jacq told him that if he ever wanted to marry her, he’d have to know her phone number by heart. Turns out, he’d been saving it for this very moment. Then – and we can’t remember in which order – Michka handed over a handkerchief embroidered by our dear friend and artist Zoe Buckman with the words You Are My Home in French, and opened the ring box. We walked around the corner to find all our dearest friends and family secretly waiting in our little garden for the L’chaim. Our friends Jazzie and Noli had created a beautiful spread, complete with nods to some of our favorite food memories across five years together.

^{^ Roberta while pregnant with Jacq, Jamaica 1989}

Why are we schlepping to Negril?‍

We had a pretty magical trip to the Rockhouse back in 2023 – and the whole time, we kept saying, “We wish our families could experience this place.” Michka has long been connected to the Rockhouse family through his work – he was part of the Miss Lily’s crew in NYC, which is owned by the same guys. And for Jacqueline, Jamaica has always held a special place: she spent her early years flying down for winter vacations to visit her beautiful late grandmother, Savta Rheta, who began spending winters there when New York became too cold for her health during her final years.

Can the grandchildren come?‍

Kids are welcome across all wedding plans and festivities. Just a heads-up: unfortunately, Rockhouse doesn’t allow children under 12 to stay on the property. But good news – Skylark does! If you’re planning to bring kiddos to Jamaica, let us know and we’ll help make sure everything works smoothly.

Can we see the ring!‍

What’s a henna?‍

Henna is a pre-wedding tradition celebrated in places like Morocco and Algeria (where Michka’s parents are from!), where the bride’s hands are decorated with beautiful designs meant to bring luck, love, and protection.

^{^ Michka’s mom, Dominique at her Henna, 1980}

What about all the family and friends who can’t make it to Jamaica?‍

We totally get it – it’s a big trip, and there’s zero pressure. That’s why we’re throwing the wedding in New York, so it’s easier for our favorite people (that’s you!) to show up if they can. We’re planning a full Shabbat weekend with beautiful meals and time together, ending with a traditional chuppah ceremony and a big party on Sunday.