Bride’s hometown: Cranston, RI
Groom’s name: Darren Cayard
Groom’s hometown: Providence, RI
Wedding date: January 2, 2015
Wedding venue: Providence Biltmore
Tell us how you met: We met through a mutual friend in high school.
Darren: I remember the first day I saw her- me and a bunch of friends we’re walking through Providence Place Mall where Claribel just happened to work. I was really shy so while my friend was saying hi to her, I stayed off to the side. I remember looking at her and thinking, “Sheesh she’s tall,” Even though we didn’t actually meet that day, we formally met a couple days later on the Ripta bus.
Claribel: I thought he was shy and stand-offish the day in the mall, but on the number-eleven bus on a twenty-minute ride, we learned so much about each other! It was the start of a really good friendship.
We had been on and off for about three years but made it official on October 25, 2012. So roughly five years, ten months and twenty-eight days from today…or 698 days…whatever is easier to say.
On October 19, 2013, Darren threw a surprise masquerade ball birthday party for Claribel with a few of her closest friends and family. Together they planned every detail: location, candy bar, drinks, down to getting a dress for Claribel. During the event, Claribel’s mom gave a speech expressing how proud she was of her daughter. Once she was done, Darren then gave a very unique proposal. He rewrote the lyrics to “Come Close” by Common and Mary J Blige, which is one of Claribel’s favorite songs. The entire proposal was recorded and can be viewed here.
