BRIDE
BLACK
VOL. 8
The Ultimate Resource for Before and After “I Do”
MAGAZINE
WEDDING INSPIRATION GALORE + Planning Advice
Plus
LOVE & LIFE with Power Couple
THE MANNS DAVID & TAMELA
Featuring
Malinda Williams ACTRESS + PRODUCER SHARES
Soul Food for
Love on a Higher, Deeper Level
T H E D AY Y O U ’ V E A LW AY S D R E A M E D O F Take the first steps of your new life together at the magnificent Atlanta Marriott Marquis. Whether you’re celebrating with grandeur for hundreds or planning a small gathering for those closest to you, our team has options for all types. Choose from several large ballrooms or select a more intimate space like our
Pulse Loft or Skyline Level, all with customized menus to reflect your distinct tastes. Relax with a pre-wedding massage and beauty treatment at The Spa while our professional teams of planners, caterers and events specialists create a day you’ll never forget.
©2019 Marriott International, Inc. All Rights Reserved. All names, marks and logos are the trademarks of Marriott International, Inc., or its affiliates.
AT L A N TA M A R R I OT T M A RQ U I S 265 Peachtree Center Avenue, Atlanta, GA 30303 404.521.0000 | AtlantaMarquis.com @ATLMarriottMarq
Table of Contents/ Volume 8
Cover Story
74
MALINDA WILLIAMS A Soulful Kind of Love First Comes Love:
108
A Real Proposal 18
Gabriel & Iyobosa
New York, New York
Real Engagements 22
Arianna & Eron
26
Yemisi & Akin
30
Symone & Shareef
34
Courtney & KeJuan
38
Tariyana & Treston
120
Memphis, Tennessee Atlanta, Georgia
Harlem, New York
Ellenwood, Georgia
Monroeville, Alabama
Then Comes Marriage: Real Weddings
26
90
Lauren & Terrell
96
Delores & Leamon
Dallas, Texas
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
102 Lo'ren & Solomon
Los Angeles, California
108 Jasmin & Jordan
Houston, Texas
114 Sasha & David
34
Waldorf, Maryland
120 Quantavia & La'Darious
Miami, Florida
BLACKBRIDE.COM | 1
126
46 14
70
42
In Every Issue
Planning
After the Aisle
5
Editor's Letter Our Favorite Things
8
Social Scene
Destination Wedding Planning Dos and Don'ts
126 Couple's Spotlight
6
42
17
A Real Proposal
44
Wedding Financial Planning
21
Real Engagements
89
Real Weddings
46
Next-Level Wedding Decor
137 Our Events
Beauty & Health 9
14
Head-to-Toe Beauty
Wedding day must-haves for the ultimate glow-up
Wedding Day Stress
Avoid it with essential nutrition, yoga and more
49
Five tips to get you started planning your destination wedding How to Budget for Your Wedding The Ultimate Wedding Decor Guide for 2020 Brides
Styled Shoots
Get inspired by superbly styled bridal photo shoots: Intimate Tropical Romance, Enchanted Garden and Island Flair
Love and life with power couple David and Tamela Mann
130 How to Plan for Your Marriage While Planning Your Wedding
Four reasons why it's healthy
132 Intimacy 101
Tools for connecting sexually with your partner
134 10 Years on the Road to Forever
Wedding Anniversary + Vow Renewal
Fashion
Bridal Suite
62
New York Bridal Fashion Week
137 Collection of Fine Vendors
Inspiration Color Boards
Events
67
2020 Trend Report
Colors: A White Winter, Blue Moon and Ruby Red
70
Glam Curvy Bride Fashion Shoot
Lavish, beautiful and bold style inspiration 2 | BLACKBRIDE.COM
Resource Guide
139 Black Bride Bridal Show
Memories from last year
on the cover MARY CHATMAN Editor-in-Chief/Publisher SCOTT CHATMAN Chief Financial Officer CANDICE DAVIE Editor CANDICE L. DAVIS Copy Editor
BRIDE The Ultimate Resource for Before and After “I Do”
VOL. 8
BLACK
Volume 8
MAGAZINE
WEDDING INSPIRATION GALORE + Planning Advice
Plus
CHECK OUT THE FULL FEATURE ON MALINDA WILLIAMS, SOUL FOOD FOR LOVE! GO TO PAGE 74
LOVE & LIFE with Power Couple
THE MANNS DAVID & TAMELA
AMBER SPENCE Sales Manager
Featuring
Malinda Williams
Contributors JOMUELLE ANICET
ACTRESS + PRODUCER SHARES
Soul Food for
AUSET PARRIS
Love on a Higher, Deeper Level
TONEKA ROYAL CHRIS HOLDER CHEYLAINA FULTZ HALIMA ADETONA THEREZ FLEETWOOD MARQUITA C. RICHARDSON Bridal Suite Expert Contributors EVENT LOFT PA (Cover Feature) JAYNE HEIR WEDDINGS & EVENTS SCHATZI BORGELLA LILY V EVENTS YNOT IMAGES MBM EVENTS & DESIGN VALIA ROSE EVENTS Retoucher NATALI GUREEVA ARTFULLY MADE DESIGNS, LLC Design, Art Direction & Production artfullymadedesigns.com
Published by BLACK BRIDETM 320 Town Center Avenue Suite C-11 Suwanee, GA 30024 Copyright © 2020 Black Bride. All rights reserved.
COVER PHOTOGRAPHY: Antonio “Tony” Minifield ynotimages.com CREATIVE DIRECTOR: Mary Chatman blackbride.com LOCATION: Waldorf Astoria Atlanta Buckhead waldorfastoriaatlanta.com Park Studios parkstudios.co STYLING TEAM: Tiffany Ricks Tiffany Lewars vowsofstyle.com
MAKEUP ARTIST: Alexandra Butler themuaalex.com
BTS FOOTAGE: Sade Kay Creates sadekay.com
HAIR STYLIST: Fairren Thompson instagram.com/ flawless_hairbyfairren
Love in Motion Wedding Films loveinmotion.us SET ASSISTANCE: Candice Davie
FLORAL DESIGN: Eilena Mericer-Ehmann eventloftpa.com
STYLING ASSISTANCE: Amber Spence
LIGHTING: Rando Lawrence
For More, Subscribe Online Today Everything you need to plan your dream wedding: Inspiration • Real Weddings • Fine Vendors SOCIALIZE WITH US! /blackbride1998
/blackbride1998
/blackbride
/blackbride
BLACKBRIDE.COM | 3
editor's letter
Happy New Year! Welcome to the winter issue of Black Bride Magazine: The Love Edition! Congratulations on finding love and your upcoming nuptials. If there is one thing that inspires me, it's love. Whether curating our content to inspire you about love and self-care, connecting you with amazing wedding professionals to help you plan your dream wedding or providing tips on making your marriage last (advice in the After the Aisle section), we do it passionately and it's all rooted in love! This issue delivers on love, inspiration and collaboration. Be inspired by the love stories we share in Real Engagements and Real Weddings. Yes, we are better together, truly together, embracing and respecting each other's talents on all levels. Check out the collaborative work of amazing wedding vendors on the pages of our styled shoots and the planning advice from wedding pros. We've also got you covered as you journey into marriage; in the After the Aisle section, you'll find tips and advice from real-life couples. I sat down with gospel powerhouse Tamela Mann and her ingenious comedian husband, David Mann, to talk about love and life together. The interview was filled with laughter, which is clearly one of the keys to the longevity of the Manns' 30-year marriage! Beautiful and talented actress Malinda Williams, who we all know and love for her roles in Soul Food, Daddy’s Little Girls, Idlewild, The Wood and more, graces this issue's cover. She and her husband, Tariq Walker, went against the grain of convention and decided to create their own traditions with an extremely private celebration of their love. Malinda was adamant about the way she wanted to shoot with us and tell her and Tariq's story, which is engulfed in love, truth and authenticity. We had so much fun shooting with the love birds! As you flip through the pages of this issue, on behalf of the team here at Black Bride, we hope you are inspired by what we've curated. I hope your life is filled with love, dreams come true, excellent health and abundance in the new year and beyond. For more inspiration and wedding vendor information, visit our website at www.BlackBride.com, follow us on Instagram @BlackBrride1998. Email us at hello@blackbride.com and let us know what you think of the winter issue.
Cheers!
Mary
Mary Chatman Editor-in-Chief
CHECK OUT OUR EDITOR'S TOP PICKS FOR THE SEASON
BLACKBRIDE.COM | 5
connect
THE SOCIAL SCENE A Year In Review
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beauty+health
MUST-READ ON THE LATEST TRENDS AND EXPERT ADVICE FOR THE WEDDING SEASON
2020 Bride HEAD-TO-TOE GO-TO BEAUTY FINDS BY AUSET PARRIS Even in a new decade, some things still haven't changed. Being a bride doesn't start on your wedding day. From the moment you say yes, the preparation for that big day begins. And if you choose to partake in an engagement party, bridal brunch and/or bachelorette party, amongst many other events prior to the wedding, attaining and maintaining your bridal glow is a priority. But fear not. We've got some affordable, tried-and-true products to get you glowing within weeks if not days! SEE THESE AMAZING PRODUCTS ALREADY APPROVED PHOTOGRAPHY courtesy of Unsplash
BLACKBRIDE.COM | 9