Cynthia and James warmed each other up during their November wedding in Richmond, Virginia. After a beautiful proposal at the Washington D.C. Christmas tree lightning, the gorgeous couple decided to continue the tradition of having their special days around the holidays. Embracing the bride’s Haitian culture, the ceremony and reception were both a beautiful sight to behold!
Wedding Date: November 23, 2013
Wedding Location: The Bolling Haxall House
First Dance Song: “So Beautiful” by Musiq Soulchild
Favorite Item on the Menu: Macaroni au gratin
Tell us about how you met and all about the proposal!
We met in college and after a few years of a long distance relationship, we were engaged just before Christmas! Munaluchi actually featured our engagement a few years ago! You can read the full story here.
Wedding Style
The best part of the wedding planning was my dress. I won the dress through a contest on The Knot. I remember a couple of nights before entering, my mom shared her dire financial situation and I explained to her that it was fine. I prayed that night and asked God to put my mom’s mind as ease. My mother always said she would buy the wedding dress but at the time could not afford a dress. I had always loved amsale + christos line but I was unaware of the cost. So one day, I entered the contest which never crossed my mind again until I got that special call.
I entered the flagship salon and showed the consultants the dresses I wanted to try on, only to find out that they did not carry those dresses anymore. So I tried on about four dresses and the last dress was it–Christos desiree. When I looked at myself in the mirror, I knew this dress was me. Playful and simple. The dress had swiss dots so to incorporate that into our reception, I added pearls to my candelabras.
Culture
I wanted to incorporate my Haitian heritage so our caterer served “Cremas” which is considered to be a celebration drink during cocktail hour. The language of Haiti is French + Creole so I also wanted to display that on our wedding signs.
Memories
When the church doors opened and I saw James, I wanted to cry but I did not want to ruin my makeup! When I was saying my vows, I kept thinking, “This is a lot to say,” so I paused for a second to gather my thoughts and James had to lightly squeeze my hands. Then, the words came flowing out .
Help a bride-to-be out!
Relax, and enjoy the whole process. Remember why you are doing this and try not to let friends and family members stress you out.
Vendors:
Photography: Mike Topham Photography
Wedding Planner: Colleen Cook, CCS Events
Catering: Catering By Jill
Signs: Our Hobby To Your Home
Jewelry: Rent the Runway
Bridesmaid Robes: Silk and More
Ring Dish: Say Your Piece
Bridal Hanger: Lila Frances
Shoes: See By Chloe, Jimmy Choo, Badgley Mischka
Floral Design: DIY by the bride and family
Groomsmen Attire: Vera Wang via Mens Warehouse
Groom’s Attire: Enzo Custom Clothing
Bride’s Dress: Christos Desiree
Bridesmaids Dresses: Amsale
Makeup: Charlene, Epiphany Beauty
Hair: Jade Salon
DJ: Xtreme DJ
Dessert: Cakes By Graham
Videography: Ginger Topham
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