Real {New York} Wedding: Aretha + James

Three days ago, we introduced you to Aretha Franklin and James Emanuel and shared their beautiful engagement story. These two beautiful people who have known each other for over a decade began their journey to finding and loving each other in Trigonometry class. Inseparable since their senior year of high school, these two lovebirds embarked on what would be the beginning of a journey of a lifetime – their wedding day! {See their full engagement session feature here.}

On May 30, 2011, on the splendid and expansive grounds of the incomparable Oheka Castle in Huntington, NY, Aretha Franklin would look into the eyes of James Emanuel as she would vow to be his forever and he would vow to be hers completely and absolutely :) Every special moment and stolen kiss would again be captured by Joshua Dwain, their amazing photographer. See more of his breathtaking work at his blog.

Planning a wedding is quite a process; so, it’s no surprise that Aretha and James disagreed on a few things along the way. They also had some trouble with keeping the budget down. Still, they managed to have a bit of fun with it…

“We disagreed most on the number of guests. While James wanted to keep the numbers as low as possible, I kept insisting how impossible it would be to minimize the number of guests given our large family and many friends.   That’s the only aspect on which we disagreed.  For the most part, it was a wonderful experience planning our big day together.  We’re actually a little bored now that we don’t have a wedding to plan anymore.  Maybe we’ll have another one!  ;-)”

What aspect of wedding planning mattered most to them….

“Hmmm.  Tough one.  I would have to say it was important to both me and James that all of our guests had the greatest, most unforgettable time of their lives.  I come from a family (specifically, my mother) whose very big on entertaining guests. (I always compare my parents’ house to Grand Central Station. Lol)  I guess I couldn’t help wanting to make sure we did everything we could to throw an awesome “party.”  As for James, he loves to dance and have fun, so it was important for him that the musical entertainment delivered.  And delivered they did!” 

It certainly looked like a great, fun time :) The Emanuels went for a quiet and traditional wedding mixed in with vintage mod elements. They made sure to make their day completely elegant by decorating with the bride’s favorite, pearls, with a hint of swag for the groom :) Denene of D3W Creative Concepts did such a fantastic job ….

“I  would describe our decor as modern vintage.  One aspect we focused on was pearls.  I absolutely ADORE pearls and knew from the very beginning that I wanted to incorporate them wherever I could.  There were pearls on the invitations, pearls draped from our centerpieces, pearls hanging from the canopy under which we wed, pearls in my bouquet….pearls, pearls, pearls!  :)  We also focused on the colors, which were black, ivory, blush pink and gold.  James and I love soft, neutral tones and adding the black gave the palette a nice, elegant pop.  We had gold beaded chargers, gold flatwear, black and ivory damask tablecloths and black chair sashes.  We also threw in some “bling” for James.  :)”

Wondering how Aretha and James found the vendors who helped to make their day gorgeous and as hitch-free as humanly possible? Aretha said….

“With the exception of our lighting designer (who we chose from the venue’s preferred vendor list), it was a trickle down effect, so to speak.  A high school friend recommended the photographer (after seeing photos from her cousin’s wedding).  The photographer then referred me to the event designer/coordinator who then referred us to our videographer.  As for the music, James called the entertainment group who he saw at his cousin’s wedding a few years ago.  We also hired a jazz musician and her team, who James heard performing at a restaurant he visited a couple of months before the wedding.  EVERYONE was truly outstanding!!  We have not one regret.”

Surprisingly, it seems more and more brides are finding the process of selecting that perfect dress a breeze. For Aretha, finding the dress wasn’t difficult at all, and James found the perfect tailor to make his tux. I hope other potential brides and grooms are as fortunate! To top it off, Aretha looked positively ravishing and James looked dapper :)

Aretha’s and James’ favorite part of the day? Getting married, of course….

“This is a bit cliche` but every single part of our wedding day was super exciting!  To finally marry the man of my dreams in front of so many of our loved ones was an experience we will never, ever forget.  We all had such a good time.  Heck, we already felt as though we were married; it was just a matter of throwing a big party in celebration of that.”  They loved their wedding so much that they wouldn’t change a thing.

Want advice from a bride who has been through the process of planning her wedding? Here’s Aretha’s….

“Your wedding is a once in a lifetime experience that should encompass all that is you and your soon-to-be husband.  Whether it is a simple wedding or an extravagant event, only one thing matters–That is the fact that you are marrying your King.  Bask in EVERY single moment of the day as it goes extremely fast.  You will see that no matter how many months it took to plan your big day, those few hours of fun, love and excitement will seem like a minute! But don’t fret, my dear, you have the rest of your lives together.  Make everyday a celebration of your love, affection and appreciation for each other.” 

A Toast to Aretha and James:  Like the expansive grounds of the Oheka, may your love for each other stretch out farther than the eyes can see. Let your hearts continuously pulsate with kindness. May you be each other’s companion and best friend for the rest of your life.

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