It’s happening ☦️!

Craig and Heather officially met 2 days after laying eyes on each other on September 14,2013 on the memorable beach resort of Bolongo Bay in St. Thomas, Virgin Islands. Craig was attending the wedding of friends Quinton and Alishaa Jones as a groomsman, and Heather was the day-of- wedding coordinator. Since they had already been eyeing each other from days before, they simply just exchanged numbers right before the reception and agreed to contact each other. That evening was a blast!!...literally. The wedding was a joyous success, but it was particularly memorable since a gas station blew up in flames a quarter of a mile away! This lead to Heather and other staff members to stay on site at Bolongo and mingle with the guests long after the event- giving Craig and Heather more time to flirt. The following evening the wedding party found themselves at Coki Point Beach for reggae night which Heather often frequented. She approached Craig with a cocktail and a smile and they enjoyed the rest of the evening together alongside his friends on the beach dancing, laughing and sharing good vibes. Upon the end of the night Craig was left in the trusted hands of the island girl once everyone had caught wind that Craig “caught something on his hook”. And it sure was a BIG CATCH! From that night they spent the rest of Craig’s trip on St. Thomas with each other exploring until the minute they arrived on the airport for his return to Pennsylvania. Three days later he called Heather to thank her for showing him such a great time and to tell her how much he absolutely LOVED the island! Oh, and if she would be his lady. So here they are, 8 years later... making it official!! And we thought these love stories only happened in movies... living the dream! (Image below of Bolongo Bay)

Where the couple met has significant ties and history that many may not know of. To begin, Heather’s late father, John D. Dockery, was very good friends with the owners of Bolongo Bay. He worked closely with the family personally and professionally for years. Since Heather was in her mother’s womb upon John’s passing, her only visions and thoughts of her father are Bolongo Bay! She always felt a strong connection and yearning to be close to the resort. In 2012, Heather’s hired position as an assistant wedding coordinator was more than a duty- it was an honor and a blessing. At the time of Craig and Heather meeting, neither of them were looking for love. Both were in good places as individuals and growing with God. But at this special place, Bolongo Bay Resort, something happened that was meant to happen and it was out of their control. Four years after meeting one another, Craig proposed to Heather at the resort’s restaurant, Iggies, alongside their children Wayln and Russell. It was a classic, very thoughtful and symbolic proposal! Obviously she said yes or you wouldn’t be reading this right now on this wedding website so,...CHEERS! Oh, to add, Bolongo was ALSO where they found out they were pregnant with Russell in 2015. Bolongo Bay has been a special place that has launched such great energy into Heather’s and Craig’s life. To keep that memory and vibe going, when their son John Bosch Heilman passed away on February 20,2020 of heart and lung complications from CHARGE Syndrome, the family planted a carambola (star fruit) tree in his memory on the Resort. Guarded and manicured by the property manager, the Bolongo crew and God’s beautiful creatures. Its first fruit bared the week on John Bosch’s first birthday and abundantly continues to. Even if it should wash away, life will always continue in it roots through the circle of life. The love Craig and Heather share is deeply rooted. It is a seed that has been planted and blessed by God in holy matrimony.