May 23, 2015, the stars were aligned.
Lisa and Johnny both attend an NYC Day Party. As Lisa settled into the party, she made her way to the bar. She asked the bartender, “I’d like to view the cocktail list, please.” The bartender shouted over the music, “I’m sorry, there is only one menu.” Lisa responded, “There’s only ONE menu for this entire bar? Where is it?” The bartender signaled to the right of the bar. There was Johnny, standing at the far right. He approached Lisa with the menu in his hand and said, “There’s really only ONE menu.” The menu was the first thing they shared, but certainly not the last as their story unfolded into a beautiful journey of love and life.
Johnny proposed to Lisa during his 40th birthday trip to Barbados, and they soon began planning thier gorgeous nuptials.
“The Smith’s wedding captures the romantic love these two share every day,” their planner Linda Frederique, LFred Events shares. “Their outdoor wedding with blue skies and a dreamy candlelight dinner was simply captivating! Every detail of their wedding was designed with their elegance and beautiful love in mind. The entire wedding day was whimsical- vows of love spoken, stunning florals, and decor to match! Simply said… ‘Je T’aime The Smiths!”
See all of the details from their luxurious ivory and blush wedding, and read more about their charming love story below.
- Couple: Lisa Marie Smith + Johnny Smith
- Location of Wedding: Glen Island Harbour Club, New Rochelle, NY
- Wedding Date: July 3, 2019
Quick Facts
- Favorite item on menu: Mirin Glazed, Sesame Crusted Filet of Salmon
- First dance song: A mix track of 3 different songs (2 of 3 were Haitian songs)
- Bridesmaids/Groomsmen gifts:
- Bridesmaids: Monogram Floral Robes w/ Initials, Signature Rose Gold Pen, $100 gift card to their favorite spa or where you normally go for self-care, $50 gift card to their favorite restaurant, pair of rose gold earrings.
- Groomsmen: Engraved shot glasses, Engraved Wine/Bottle opener, a bottle of their favorite drink.
- Advice for brides: Take in every single moment. Whenever you remember to throughout your special day, stop and take it all in. All of the hard work, planning and decisions made behind the scenes led up to your magnificent day. Embrace all of it.
Tell us all about the proposal.
I was planning a group trip to celebrate Johnny’s 40th birthday in Barbados. I wanted to plan something BIG and memorable to show my love and appreciation for him. So, I found a remarkable 5 bedroom villa in Barbados and invited 8 others family members to join us! Growing closer to the trip, Unbeknownst to me, Johnny had other plans in mind!
The night of the proposal, I planned a Caribbean themed yellow and white dinner at the villa. I hired a personal chef, arranged table décor, hired a photographer, and requested everyone to come dressed in yellow and white. I couldn’t have asked for a more picture-perfect evening!
As we were getting ready to be seated after cocktail hour, Marjorie (my Maid of Honor) passed around little gift bags to the group. While she distributes them, I started to grow curious because this was not on my evening agenda. Immediately after, Johnny gets up to speak, thanking everyone for celebrating with us. As I looked to my right, the villa staff attendants came rushing into the dining area with white balloons and yellow roses in hand. As I looked to my right, I was shocked to see Johnny there, on one knee!! The dinner table got up and started screaming for joy while our song “Aprouve’m” by Djakout #1 was playing in the background. It was simply Magical. At the end of the evening celebration, Johnny whispers to me, “My birthday gift was you.”
How did you know they were “the one”?
I knew early on while dating that something about Johnny’s approach was different. It’s one thing to have a partner who’s attentive, patient, listens, and pays attention to verbal and non-verbal cues, but how he gradually inserted himself into my world and his level of interest and involvement made it clear to me that he wanted to explore building a foundation and future with me. We took our time, became friends first, and in time we realized we brought out the best in one another. Our goals and vision for our lives ran parallel to one another. Everything else fell into place.
Did you incorporate any culture into your wedding?
Yes! Johnny and I are from Haiti. He and I are heavily connected to our culture. We wanted to make sure our love for our heritage was integrated into our special day. We purchased Haitian flags for all of our guests to dance with throughout our reception, and hired a DJ (also Haitian) who understood the importance of playing signature tracks to express how connected we are to our roots.
Describe your wedding style.
I wanted to create a romantic, enchanting, dream-like atmosphere. Therefore, selecting the perfect venue was extremely important to us. I wanted a sunset wedding with a venue on the water. LFredEvents understood the essence of that and hired a team of vendors to successfully execute my vision.
Describe your wedding dress and your favorite wedding accessory.
When I thought about the perfect dress to walk down the aisle in, I wanted to wear a dress that I’d look back at years from now and still fall in love all over again with my dress. Timeless, Classy, and Unforgettable. I loved all of my accessories, but one of my favorite was my shoes.
What is your best memory from your wedding?
Our ceremony. Our officiants were phenomenal and understood our love, connection, and how important it is to keep God center in our marriage. Our guests still rave about how inspiring and heartfelt our ceremony was.
What is the best wedding advice you can give to engaged couples?
Make your day all about your union. Your wedding day is just that. A day. Your marriage is a lifelong commitment. Stay focused on what’s best and makes the most sense for you and your partner.
Vendors
- Wedding Planner & Creative: Linda Frederique, LFred Events @lfred_events
- Photographer: Amy Anaiz Photography @amyanaizphoto
- Cinematographer: Luxor Wedding Films @luxorweddingfilms
- DJ: DJ Jakido, White Entertainment @white_ent_
- MC: Freddy Boom-Boom, Boom-Boom Entertainment @freddyboom2
- Wedding Dress: Galia Lahav @galialahav
- Shoes: Christian Louboutin @louboutinworld
- Hair: Monique Mitchell Hair @simply_me415
- Make-Up: Nicky Posley Beauty @nickyposley
- Floor Wrap: Go to Shout @gotoshout
- Floral: NYC Flower Project @nycflowerproject
- Venue: Glen Island Harbour Club
- Our Wedding Hashtag: #JeTaimeTheSmiths
- Wedding Website: https://www.jetaimethesmiths.com/
- Officiants: Pastor Greg Lucus and Minister Lydia Lucas from New Light Baptist Church, Harlem, NY
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