Jade and Shawn first crossed paths while attending a student affairs professionals conference on behalf of their respective universities.
Through a mutual friend, Shawn was able to express his interests in Jade. After discovering how much they had in common, Jade and Shawn became inseparable during the remainder of the conference, continuing to date long-distance afterward. Regardless of the many miles between them, their hearts remained as one – later settling together in Miami. Jade and Shawn look forward to “finally making it official and saying I do,” this December during their New Orleans wedding.
Captured by MunaLuchi Coterie member Mosaic by MG, and featured in the Summer 2019 issue of MunaLuchi Bride Magazine. Order your copy here while available!
Bride & Groom-to-be: Jade & Shawn
Occupations: Clinical Pharmacist & Retail General Manager
Location of Engagement Shoot: street art- Wynwood, Miami, FL; rooftop – X Miami – downtown Miami, FL; boat – Vizcaya Museum and Gardens – Key Biscayne, FL; boat- Brickell skyline – Miami, FL
Wedding Date: 12/7/2019
Wedding Location: Ceremony – St. Leo the Great Church – New Orleans, LA; Reception – Orpheum Theatre – New Orleans, Louisiana
Tell us how you met. In 2010, we attended the annual week-long National Association of Student Affairs Professionals (NASAP) conference to represent our respective universities. There is a superstition at the conference that every year a campus queen meets her future husband. Although we had never met, we shared a mutual friend who texted me to express Shawn’s interest. After three days of persistent trying, we began to talk and realized how much we had in common. We remained inseparable the remainder of the conference and dated long-distance for years while we both completed our graduate studies. We would take numerous cross country trips and became a large friend group for which we became known as the “turn up” couple. After years of long-distance dating, we finally settled in Miami.
Tell us all about the proposal. We attended my best friend’s wedding in December 2017 in the Dominican Republic and I knew at that moment that I was next. I wanted a date that was significant to the women in my life. Our mothers’ birthdays are a week apart and my maternal grandfather also passed away on my mom’s birthday so I chose the midpoint between their birthdays, October 12, 2018. Our friends were also a huge part in keeping our relationship afloat so I wanted them to share in the moment. I booked a private club in the Betsy Hotel on South Beach Miami and invited 80 of our closest friends and family. Jade is nosy and ruins all her surprises. She claimed she had an idea for months and when she walked in the room she said “hey y’all” but she was greeted with a line of people holding candles and then I gave a speech and asked her to marry me. She still cried. Mission accomplished.
Describe your engagement session. We googled the name motley one night because outside of a rock and roll Motley Crue and an HBCU love photo, we had no idea what to do. We discovered the Motley Jester which was perfect for my New Orleans background and our theatre wedding. We also decided to play upon the essence of our new home, Miami, by showing both the glamorous lifestyle and life on the water.
What did you do on your first date? I flew to Nashville to visit Shawn and some friends. He took me to get food, a stroll through Centennial Park and then to a car show. Afterward, his friends tried to welcome me by taking shots and because I refused, Shawn took mine for me. I knew he was it.
What’s your favorite thing to do as a couple? Eat and travel! We love to try new restaurants and explore new cities/countries. We set a goal to bring in the New Year in a different place every year.
How has wedding planning been so far? Stressful but fun! We originally planned to have the wedding on Jade’s 30th birthday but had to change the dates for unforeseen circumstances. We both come from huge families so trying to maintain a guest list has been a daily struggle; however, we are enjoying this time and growing together.
Tell us what you’re looking forward to most on the wedding day. Finally making it official and saying I do! We are both also extremely excited for the reception – to dance the night away with good people, food and music.
Vendors:
Photographer: Mosaic by MG
Makeup: MUA Tia
Hair: G Protected Styles
Jester costumes: Road Kill New Orleans
Motley Crue shirts: Doug Starka – A Plus Images
Tuxedo: Emma Couture and Alterations
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