Wedding at Rose Hall Great House in Jamaica

A bride and groom kiss on the steps of a large stone building, surrounded by their wedding party and guests.

Wedding at Rose Hall Great House in Jamaica

September 17, 2025
Words by Olivia Curley
Photos courtesy of MyPhotoMagic

Some couples pick a wedding venue for the view. Sarah and Tuomas chose theirs for the view—and the haunts.

Rose Hall Great House in Montego Bay is legendary, rumored to be haunted by the White Witch. For a moment, the couple hesitated. But standing among the sweeping lawns, ocean breezes, and towering palms, hesitation turned to awe. “At first, the legend of the White Witch gave us pause,” they admit. “But after touring the venue, we decided the legend added to the eccentricity of the venue.”

It was a fitting choice for a couple whose relationship has always been about turning detours into adventures!

A bride in a white wedding gown poses indoors by a window and antique furniture, stands in a tunnel, and is shown in a close-up wearing a veil. A collage features three men in tuxedos indoors, a woman playing violin on mansion steps, and a bride holding a bouquet of red and pink flowers.

Love That Crossed Continents

Sarah and Tuomas’s story began in Hong Kong in 2018, when a casual pregame turned into a lifelong partnership. From there, their long-distance love stretched across Paris, Finland, Greece, Luxembourg, and New York before they finally landed in London with their pup Reuben. By the time they started planning their wedding, one ceremony was never going to be enough.

They married first in Finland, then invited friends and family to Jamaica for a second, larger celebration. Why Jamaica? For Sarah, the island was practically another family member. “Jamaica holds a special place for my family and was a refuge during the pandemic, especially,” she explains. Her parents even built a home there, making the island a natural extension of her history.

A bride and three bridesmaids pose together outdoors; floral arrangements on stairs; a large group gathers for a wedding in front of a grand estate. A wedding ceremony and celebration outdoors and on mansion steps, with the bride, groom, guests, and bridesmaids dressed formally.

Taking Back the Meaning of Rose Hall

Rose Hall’s colonial past isn’t light history, and the couple didn’t ignore it. “Many of the guests were descendants of slaves, and to know that now we were hosting a grand wedding in a space where we wouldn’t even have been allowed to raise our heads when it was first built added to the poignantness of the moment.”

They balanced this weight with intentional joy—writing their own vows, weaving in a Maya Angelou reading, and filling the air with violin music handpicked by Sarah. Each reception table bore the name of one of their favorite novels, a nod to their shared love of books.

A bride and groom stand close together on stone steps outside a large white building, surrounded by guests and greenery. A wedding setup with a decorated lounge area, a large seating chart with guests’ names, and a bride and groom walking outside a historic building.

Adventures in Jamaica Wedding Planning

If their venue had ghosts, their planning had characters of its own. Getting the perfect menu required a four-hour drive to Kingston. “We had to drive to Kingston to taste our caterer’s food because they could not make it down to Montego Bay,” Tuomas recalls. Instead of frustration, the couple leaned into it. “While in Kingston, we made a detour to visit Bob Marley’s studio and made some great memories on the drive.”

That same spirit carried through the whole process. With Sarah’s parents on the island monthly, trusted local friends, and planners from LesLo Events, the couple built a team that turned challenges into celebrations. “One of the most valuable things we learned was the importance of having trusted local contacts at your destination,” they say.

Three musicians play steel drums outdoors in front of flowering bushes. Below, two images show a table set for a formal event and a floral arrangement with red and green flowers. Elegant event space with white round tables, wooden chairs, floral centerpieces, green drapery, and a canopy ceiling; includes detailed views of table settings and a lounge area.

A Celebration Like No Other

On the wedding day, Sarah walked the gardens in an Ines di Santo gown, flanked by bridesmaids in Amsale, while Tuomas and his groomsmen wore crisp Suitsupply suits. Guests feasted on dishes from Pink Apron, danced to DJ Vince Adams, swayed to steel drums from Linval Allen n’ Friends, and soaked in every elegant detail designed by LesLo Events and brought to life with florals by Tai Flora Luxe.

For Sarah and Tuomas, it was never about throwing just another destination wedding. It was about layering personal history, cultural history, and love into an experience their guests would carry with them long after the night ended.

Or, as Sarah put it, “We wanted our friends and family to feel the freedom, love, and joy of spending time in Jamaica.”

And under the stars at Rose Hall, with music, laughter, and maybe a ghost or two, that’s exactly what they did.

Collage of a formal event with floral centerpieces, round tables with green accents, and guests dancing under draped fabric and greenery. A couple shares their first dance, guests dance at the reception, and the couple stands by a white wedding cake with red flowers, holding glasses.