Celebrating Black Brides: Profile #51

Couple: Lindsey Stewart and Daniel Smith

Date of Wedding:  May 27, 2017

Place: Louis Armstrong Park (New Orleans, LA)

Officiant: Axelle Karera (close friend from graduate school)

Fun facts: 

The bride is from Louisiana and the groom is British.  They bonded over a shared love of jazz (the bride being from its birthplace and the groom being a jazz musician).

The couple was mindful of the complex history that brought a descendant of enslaved people (the bride) together with a person belonging to a people who participated in the Atlantic Slave Trade.  Thus their wedding took place in Louis Armstrong Park, which encloses "Congo Square," a place where slaves met on Sundays to engage in religious ceremony and celebratory rituals.  It is said that what went on in Congo Square birthed New Orleans jazz.

One of the pictures of the couple below is the two of them under what is called the Grandfather/mother Tree in Congo Square--one of the oldest oaks in the ring.  The umbrella pictured in the photo wasn't actually theirs.  A black woman tour guide saw them, stopped her tour, and started arranging them for the tour.  A complete stranger.  It was a *very* New Orleans moment.

In another photo below, the couple jumped the broom, an old slave ritual for weddings.  The couple wanted to find a rituaionl that allowed them to honor their grandmothers, with whom they have a special relationship.  They found a version of the ritual where the grandmothers swept before laying the broom down for the couple to jump.  In the right side of the photo, the bride and groom's grandmothers are holding hands.

In the third photo, the groom is signaling a brass band to start playing.  In New Orleans style, they couple hired a brass band to second-line after the wedding and for the reception, held in Basin St. Station (a train station that holds much historical significance for the development of jazz).

Celebrating Black Brides: Profile #50

Couple: Michelle Obama and Barack Obama

Date of Wedding:  October 3, 1992

Place: Trinity United Church of Christ (Chicago, IL)

Officiant: Rev. Jeremiah Wright

Fun facts: 

The couple met in 1989 when the groom interned at the bride's law firm.

Their first date included Baskin-Robbins ice cream and Spike Lee's Do The Right Thing

The bride's brother walked her down the aisle and the groom's brother served as the best man.

The couple's first dance was to "You and I" by Stevie Wonder.

Celebrating Black Brides: Profile #49

Couple: Eleanor Brokenbery and Ulysses Robinson

Date of Wedding: April 17, 1949

Place: Home of bride's mother (Big Bethel, VA)

Officiant: Rev. J.D. Adkinson

Fun facts: 

The house was decorated with spring flowers, carnations, and potted plants.

The bride wore a navy blue dress with matching accessories.

The bride carried a bouquet of Gardenias.

The couple married on Easter Sunday.

Celebrating Black Brides: Profile #48

Couple: Nicole Eason and Devon Melvin

Date of Wedding:  May 3, 2005

Place:    Wake County Courthouse (Raleigh, NC)

Officiants: Wake County Justice of the Peace

Fun facts: 

The couple met in 2004.

One of the first things the groom told the bride was that she was going to be his wife. The bride did not take kindly to that declaration.  

The couple dated for 8 months.

One day they woke up and decided to get married.  They didn't have rings or family present.  Two strangers who were also getting married that day served as their witnesses and signed their marriage certificate.  The bride and groom returned the favor for that couple as well.  They testify that it does not require a traditional wedding to have a strong marriage.

The couple purchased their first home six months after marrying and they had the first child 1.5 years later.

The groom supported the bride while she completed nursing school.

The couple are the proud parents of two daughters, Genesis and Karma.

The bride and groom are convinced that they are soul mates because of their spiritual connections and ability to often communicate without words.

They are best friends and 90 percent of the time, if you see one of them, you will see both of them.

They couple loves to travel on cruises and are headed to Bermuda soon.

The couple continues to shower together after 13 years and the groom tucks the bride into bed every night.

Both partners are humanitarians; they try to quietly empower others financially, emotionally, etc.

The groom's nickname for his bride is Bunny.  The groom did not know that the nickname of the bride's father was Rabbit.

Celebrating Black Brides: Profile #47

Couple: Kenya Harris and Rev. Joseph Pridgen

Date of Wedding:  May 29, 2010

Place: Bethel AME Church (Greensboro, NC)

Officiants: Rev. Dr. Cardes H. Brown, Jr and Rev. Dr. Conrad K. Pridgen (groom's father)

Fun facts: 

The groom told the bride he wanted to marry her the day they met.  He said, "I am not looking for a girlfriend.  I am looking for a wife and I believe it's you."  The bride responded by telling him that was the worst pick up line she'd ever heard.  She proceeded to stop calling him shortly after that day.  The groom was persistent chasing the bride for 5 years before she agreed to date him seriously.

The couple dated for 3 months and then got engaged.

The couple married on the bride's birthday so they now call the day her "Birthversary."

One of the couple's favorite movies  is Disney's Phineas & Ferb and they've seen every episode twice!

The couple dates each other every day, but they don't spend money on every date.  They sometimes simply put their phones down and spend time together doing something that brings them joy.

Celebrating Black Brides: Profile #46

Couple: Nina Stone and Joel Russell

Date of Wedding:  July 29, 2007

Place: Wagner House (Clayton, NC)

Officiant: Rev. Theodore Breeden

Fun facts: 

The bride and groom had their first date in 2002.  They saw the movie Panic Room.

Since they have very busy schedules, the couple found a unique way to keep the flame burning in their marriage.  They schedule lunch dates twice a month.

The bride and groom are the proud parents of four adorable children including twin girls.  Their names are Joel Jr., Jael, Jade, and Joi.

Celebrating Black Brides: Profile #45

Couple: Tia Rowland and Terry Webb

Date of Wedding:  April 18, 2015

Place: Princeton Church of God (Princeton, NC)

Officiant: Pastor Barbara Vinson

Fun facts: 

The couple picked three wedding dates and put them in a hat.  The date randomly selected became their wedding date.

The bride and groom first met as children when the groom's aunt married the bride's uncle.  The groom was 10 years old at the time and the bride was 6 years old.  They started dating 17 years after that first meeting.

Both the bride and groom come from large families so they had a wedding party of 22 excluding parents, grandparents, hostesses, and ushers.

The couple has three young men ages 12, 16, and 21.

During the wedding ceremony the couple took a moment to salute the bride's deceased father by having his formal military jacket (dress blue jacket) brought into the sanctuary.  See the picture below.

Celebrating Black Brides: Profile #44

Couple: Leslie Smith and Frank Seaton Turner

Date of Wedding:  November 28, 1970

Place: Grace Protestant Episcopal Church (Norfolk, VA)

Officiant: Joseph N. Green

Fun facts: 

The church was decorated with baskets of white and yellow chrysanthemum, palms, and royal blue lighted tapers.

The bride wore a wedding gown of ivory Skinner satin styled with an empire-waist appliqued in Alencon lace. The English net train was trimmed in lace and pearls.

The couple joined guests in a wedding reception held in the Parish Hall of the church immediately after the ceremony.

The bride graduated from Fisk and Columbia Universities.  The groom graduate from North Carolina Central University and was in law school there at the time of the wedding.

Celebrating Black Brides: Profile #43

Couple: Mae Walker Robinson and Dr. Henry Gordon Jackson

Date of Wedding:  November 24, 1923

Place: St. Philip's Protestan Episcopal Church (New York, NY)

Officiant: Father Hutchins Bishop

Fun facts: 

The bride was the granddaughter of Madame C.J. Walker.

9,000 guests were invited to the wedding that was described as the largest African American wedding ever held in the United States.

The couple held their wedding reception at "Villa Lewaro," Madame C.J. Walker's mansion on the Hudson.

The bride and her family ensured that all of her clothes purchased for wedding events were made by and purchased from African Americans.

Events leading up to the wedding took place over a period of eight days and cost $20,000.

The bride's wedding gown was made of sheer chiffon beaded with sea pearls.  Her dress and tulle veil were designed by Pearl Crawford Craft of Philadelphia.

As a wedding gift, the groom gave his bride a diamond brooch.

The couple divorced in 1926.

Celebrating Black Brides: Profile #42

Couple: Natalie Joy Vinson and Cornelius Jeremiah Mills

Date of Wedding:  April 3, 2010

Place: Johnston Piney Grove Missionary Baptist Church

Officiant: Rev. Theodore Breeden

Fun facts: 

The bride and her groom often play sports together and are very competitive with each other.

The couple enjoy family time relaxing and traveling out of town.

Both the bride and groom are jokesters; they keep each other laughing.

They are the proud parents of two girls, Celecia Amber Mills and Joyden Kaye Mills.

Celebrating Black Brides: Profile #41

Couple: Janaka Bowman and Daryl Lewis

Date of Wedding:  June 9, 2007

Place: Duke University Chapel (Durham, NC)

Officiant: Rev. Johnny Hill

Fun facts: 

The bride and groom met during their first year of college at Duke.

Their wedding featured a "Pretty in Pink" theme with Breast Cancer Awareness favor cards to honor Daryl's late mother and her fight against breast cancer.

The couple's story was featured on Good Morning America that fall.

The couple celebrated their wedding night with friends eating tacos at their favorite Durham restaurant, Cosmic Cantina.

The bride's older sister served as the wedding coordinator, decorated the entire venue, touched up the bride's hair, and was a member of the wedding party.

Celebrating Black Brides: Profile #40

Couple: Serena Williams and Alexis Ohanian

Date of Wedding:  

Place: Contemporary Arts Center (New Orleans, LA)

Officiant: Mackie Shilstone

Fun facts: 

The wedding officiant was the bride's "tactical trainer" and had to be certified to conduct the marriage ceremony.

The bride wore a strapless Sarah Burton for Alexanders McQueen gown complete with a cape.

After the ceremony, the bride changed into a custom-made feathered gown. by Versace. 

The couple's first dance was to the Beauty and the Beast theme song, "Tale as Old as Time."

Celebrating Black Brides: Profile #39

Couple: Holly Robinson and Rodney Peete

Date of Wedding:  June 10, 1995

Place: home of Leslie Moonves, chairman and chief executive of CBS, in West Los Angeles, CA

Officiant: Rev. Jesse Jackson

Fun facts: 

The couple started dating after actress Lela Rochon, a mutual friend, invited the bride to a picnic hosted by the groom.

After dating for a year, the groom proposed to his bride on the set of the 1990s sitcom, "Hangin' With Mr. Cooper," which she was starring in at the time.

300 guests attended the wedding ceremony.

Celebrating Black Brides: Profile #38

Couple: Kendrea Tannis and Ángel J. Gallardo

Date of Wedding:  October 23, 2010

Place: The Pergola at the Duke Gardens (Durham, NC)

Officiant: Dr. William C. Turner

Fun facts: 

The bride and groom met in a Divinity School class while the bride was in law school.

The couple honeymooned in Italy where they attended an AC Milan v. Juventus game in Milan.

The couple got engaged and married in the exact same location.

The couple dated for a little over a year and were only engaged for 4 months.

Celebrating Black Brides: Profile #37

Couple: Tilola L. Mitchell and Ryan Isaac Robinson

Date of Wedding:  July 21, 2012

Place: Johnston Piney Grove Missionary Baptist Church (Clayton, NC)

Officiants: Rev. Theodore Breeden, Sr., Apostle Addie M. Rawls, and Dr. Joseph E. Perkins

Fun facts: 

The couple met at the Clayton Branch of the National Association of University Women's (NAUW) Green and White Ball.

On December 18, 2011, the groom asked the bride to marry him while wearing a big red bow.  Surrounded by family, she said yes.

Both the bride and groom are educators with the Wake County Public School System and they love doing what they do to shape the lives of youth through music and mathematics.

Ryan and Tilola truly make a Perfect Pitch!

Celebrating Black Brides: Profile #36

Couple: Carolyn Watson and Andrew Young

Date of Wedding:  March 28, 1996

Place: Home of U.S. Ambassador to South Africa James Joseph (Cape Town, South Africa)

Officiant: Reverend McKinley Young (head of AME Church in South Africa)

Fun facts: 

Anglican Archbishop Desmond Tutu gave a blessing after the ceremony.

The couple honeymooned at the Sun City gambling resort, the Kruger National Park Game Reserve, and Victoria Falls.

The bride wore an off-shoulder eggshell-colored lace caftan designed by Dali Tambo, son of African National Congress leader Oliver Tambo.

The couple took their vows again in the United States two months after their South African wedding ceremony.

Celebrating Black Brides: Profile #35

Couple: Charlotte Tomlinson and Richmond Sanders

Date of Wedding:  1850

Place: Smithfield, NC

Officiant: Couple jumped the broom since enslaved people could not legally marry.

Fun facts: 

The groom was born around 1825 and the bride was born around 1831.  They lived on different slave plantations.

They began acting as husband and wife in 1850.

After Emancipation, the couple went to their local courthouse to make their marriage legal.  They appeared before the Clerk of Court in Johnston County, NC on March 10, 1866.

The couple had 5 children before Emancipation and 5 children after Emancipation.

By 1879, the couple had amassed over 100 acres of land on the very property where the groom had been enslaved.

Celebrating Black Brides: Profile #34

Couple: Isabel Washington and Adam Clayton Powell, Jr.

Date of Wedding:  March 8, 1933

Place: Abyssinian Baptist Church (New York City)

Officiant: Rev. William P. Hayes and Rev. George Simms

Fun facts: 

The bride was a dancer and actress who appeared on Broadway several times in the late 1920s and early 1930s.

Spectators began to congregate near the church 3 hours before the ceremony began.

3,000 guests packed into the church with hundreds more standing outside in the rain.

The church was decorated with potted palms, ferns, and four jardinieres of long-stemmed roses.

The bride wore a dawn blue crepe dressed trimmed with lace.

The marriage ended in divorce in 1945.

Celebrating Black Brides: Profile #33

Couple: Beyonce' Knowles and Shawn Carter (Jay-Z)

Date of Wedding:  April 4, 2008

Place: Groom's penthouse in New York City

Officiant: Pastor Rudy Rasmus

Fun facts: 

The couple invited only 40 guests to the private ceremony.

The couple chose not to have a wedding party.

The bride's mom designed her strapless ivory wedding gown.

70,000 white dendrobium orchids, the bride's favorite flower, were flown in from Thailand.

Celebrating Black Brides: Profile #32

Couple: Krystal Reddick and Jonathan Pollard

Date of Wedding:  May 25, 2018

Place: Park in New York City & New York City Clerk's Office

Officiant: Pastor Jeffrey Crenshaw

Fun facts: 

The bride is a former high school English teacher and she is currently pursuing a second career as a social worker.

The bride and groom both attended Duke University and graduated in the same class; however, they did not actually meet one another until 9 years after graduation.

They credit Facebook for (re)connecting them.

The bride is the one who proposed!

The couple had an intimate courthouse wedding.