Ashley & J.R's Celeb-Filled Black Tie Wedding Featured Live Performances From Music Royalty

This gorgeous black tie wedding featured epic wedding day performances from music royalty and comedy legends.

“From day one, she was the girl of my dreams”
– J.R Pittman

Featured in Issue 30, with the help of event designer SixteenFourteen Events, the daughter of music royalty, Ashley Lewis, and her husband J.R.’s wedding day was a dream come true!

The elegant star-studded black tie wedding in Long Beach California featured guests dressed in chic all-black formal attire and with the help of their florist, Exotic Blossoms by Val, who incorporated Ashley’s desire to bring the beauty of nature indoors with oh-so-pretty cherry blossom trees.

Before their romance started, Ashley and J.R. found themselves as friends on social media and continued to keep in touch with likes and comments on each other’s pages. Lo and behold, one day Ashley (who is the daughter of both Rock and Roll Hall of Fame member Terry Lewis and R&B legend Karyn White) messaged J.R. about a new show that he was casting for. And just like that, the two were meeting up and bonding over a fabulous meal that made us say food is definitely their love language.

After a proposal of a lifetime at the Riverfront Jazz Festival, on May 20th, 2023, they both said their forever vows in front of family and celebrity friends such as singer Cherelle, Morris Day, the Time’s very own Jerome Benton (who’s Ashley’s Uncle!), and comedian and actress Luenell.

LA-based photographer Wanderlust Creatives took us behind the scenes of their wedding and then their reception concert, where the musical celebration was the most magical moment of all.

See all the sweet details and music royalty performances below!

*This wedding was first featured in MunaLuchi Bride Magazine Issue No. 30! Check out the full magazine here.

Couple: Ashley + J.R
Wedding date: May 20, 2023
Wedding location: Long Beach, California
Photographer: Wanderlust Creatives

Quick Facts:

Wedding flowers: Roses
Favorite item on the menu: Chicken and mushrooms with mashed potatoes
and maple bourbon rainbow carrots
Dress code: guests wore all black and it was so elegant!
First dance song: “Sweet Love,” by Anita Baker
Father-daughter dance song: “Unforgettable” by Nat King Cole

Our first date…

Ashley: I remember this day just like it was yesterday. J.R. called me to say he’d be in Atlanta for a weekend and he said that he wanted to take me to the finest restaurant in the city. So, we met at Chops in Buckhead.

As soon as we met in person we immediately hit it off. We ordered steaks, lobsters, lobster mashed potatoes, spinach, basically everything on the menu. I ate my plate, his plate, and any thought of a leftover. You should’ve seen the look on his face, he said, “This is what love at first sight looks like.”

After dinner, he asked for my valet ticket, but I parked my car and ran inside because I was in a rush. He walked me to my car, and a boot was on my tire! He called, paid for the boot, and waited for his car service. I had him cancel his car and then took him on a tour of the city. The next day, we went to brunch with my friends. He briefly met my mom and my dog as I was taking him to catch his flight back to Los Angeles.

JR: Prior to the proposal, the very first thing I did was call Ashley’s father to ask for his daughter’s hand in marriage.

His response was, “Thank you for loving my daughter, and you have my blessing.” After that, I knew this was God’s plan for me because soon after, I received a call from my friend, Vanzil Burke, Owner of Burke Management, who had received a call from our friend, Curtis King, Owner of The Black Academy of Arts and Letters in Dallas, TX. Curtis wanted us to visit his annual event, The Riverfront Jazz Festival.

I told them that I couldn’t attend because that exact weekend, I was planning on popping the question. Curtis called and offered his stage during Erykah Badu’s performance. I then called Ashley’s mom and asked her to surprise the audience and her daughter that night by bringing her up on stage so I could propose. If it weren’t for Curtis, Vanzil, and my now mother-in-law being behind the scenes to pull the proposal off, I’d still be at the drawing board.

When we knew we found “the one”…

Ashley: I had never met someone with such a kind spirit, filled with so much joy, and
who exuberated positivity. He made me feel safe and cared for. He was everything I
always knew I needed in a mate.

J.R. From day one, she was the girl of my dreams.

During our first date, I felt I was having the best conversations with the most incredible woman I had ever met. We came from different backgrounds yet had many commonalities and wanted the same things for our futures.

I knew at that moment that she was the best person to start life’s journey with jointly. The next day, I called my mom and said, “I’m going to marry this girl.” Fast forward four years, and my dreams have finally come true.

What I wore…

I wore the stunning ivory “Karter” ball gown and matching veil with 3-D florals by Rita
Vinieris. Also, before the wedding, I kicked off my weight loss journey and before we
tied the knot I lost 40 pounds.

I didn’t know if I was going to do a second dress, but after reaching my weight loss goals I wanted to celebrate by wearing a mermaid-style dress that would really accentuate my curves. I wore a sparkly champagne-colored dress from Essense of Australia and it was so bomb on!

Our first look…

Our wedding style…

I wanted a garden-themed wedding filled with beautiful cherry blossom trees and J.R.
wanted to have a wedding concert. We combined both of our ideas and it turned out to
be absolutely gorgeous.

The ceremony…

Memorable moments…

Ashley: My favorite moment from the wedding was, of course, saying I do, but once I
completed saying my vows, he made a joke saying, “Wow, that was long. I didn’t write
that much!” Then he pulled out this 128 scroll and started reading his vows. I was
laughing, crying, and so happy to marry my life’s love.

My favorite moment from the reception was the concert when Cherelle performed her hit song, “Saturday Love!” My mom and I started dancing, and everyone jumped out of their seats to join us on the dance floor. It was amazing seeing everyone come together for the first time and celebrate the beginning of our next chapter!

J.R: My favorite moment from both the wedding and reception was feeling the love in the room throughout its entirety.

Everyone wore their hearts on their sleeves and embraced each other with it. This was the first time our two families met, and it was beautiful to see how we all became one big happy family. This was the best day of my life thus far.

Special performances…

Our best advice…

Do what you want and stay true to that. Everyone is going to voice their opinions even though they aren’t paying the bill lol. Not everyone is going to like what you like and you have to be ok with that.

Also, the budget you have in mind will definitely go up, so just understand how much money you’re spending on the wedding and decide as a couple if doing a big wedding is really worth it. Don’t become anxious and move too quickly.

Please properly vet your wedding planner before you hire them. It can honestly make or break the entire experience. Planning a wedding can be so stressful, so don’t let the stress of perfection ruin your wedding. Ask your fiancé what they envision for the wedding and make sure to incorporate both of your visions for the big day.