Odette & Cal

From Halifax to Bermuda and Togo to Halifax, Odette and Cal’s love story is one that goes the distance. And their wedding does, too.

One look at Odette Gbeve was enough to make Cal Bassett sing. “I went to church and she was in the choir, looking gorgeous as usual. It was love at first sight,” he says. “I joined to get closer to her.” But the timing wasn’t ideal—he was about to finish his degree and was moving back to his home in Bermuda—so it was goodbye until five years later, when an out-of-the-blue Facebook message from Odette the catalyst for a long distance relationship.

In early 2017, after two years of travelling back and forth and falling deeper despite the space between them, Cal showed up back in Halifax, unannounced, and popped the question to Odette in front of all of her friends as their song, “Unconditional Love,” played. “All of the expenses and time missing each other, the love brought us through and it all worked out,” he says of their journey to man and wife.

Family and culture were the most important details for the pair as they planned their stunning spring wedding in Bedford. They enlisted help from wedding planner Fallon Jones and designer Cathy Akinkunmi to help the vision take shape.

“I wanted something really traditional, I never pictured myself in a white gown,” says Odette. “I’m actually away from home and I wanted to feel close to home, and close to my culture on that special day.” She brought in clothing and accessories for the couple and their bridal parties from Ghana and Cameroon, hired Burundi drummers for the reception and planned a dance that she and her bridesmaids would perform at the ceremony. The evening was energetic, enchanting and unforgettable.

“It was just so emotional,” says Odette. “Having everyone together celebrating us and having fun—we’re all busy and special occasions are the time when you get all your sisters and family together. It was just such a joyous moment.”