It was the first day on the job for Eric, and he had no idea that first day would lead to the first meeting with the woman who would eventually be his wife. It’s truly amazing how a normal day in life can turn out to hold one of the most important moments in one’s life. That’s what makes life so great!
This Berkeley, CA wedding was beautifully photographed by Robert Cristie Photography. It was perfectly put together by Coterie member, Chanda Eddens-Daniels of A Monique Affair. You can also find this lovely wedding over on our partner site, Ebony.com.
Bride: Layla Collins
Groom: Eric Turner
Occupations: Bride – CPA; Groom – Building Inspector
Wedding Date: 09.13.2012
Location: Brazilian Room at Tilden Regional Park, Berkeley, CA
How They Met ….. “Our story began in 2004 in San Francisco. Eric was beginning his career in car sales. His first day out on the sales floor, I walked in while getting my beloved Honda “Gertrude” serviced. Eric strolled over to me and gave me his sales pitch. Despite our subtle flirtation, he didn’t have any cars that I wanted, so I went on about my way and Eric never forgot about the cute girl that came into his dealership that day:) During the next year or two we ran into each other once or twice around town. Eric doubled as a party promoter at the time, and I was a party girl! One night at a club, I spotted Eric – and he saw me, too! Apparently, he wanted to make sure that this was the last time we just “ran into” each other. He approached me using his best lines, and we talked and danced together most of the night. At the end of the party, we exchanged numbers; the rest is history.”
Planning the Wedding ….. “The planning process for us started off with very many open houses, vendor meet-and-greets, and tastings at our venue. After a while, it became very overwhelming. I wanted a very classic and romantic wedding look and my theme would be “romantic garden”. I thought the beautiful redwood trees would be an amazing backdrop for our wedding. I chose very soft colors, blush and grey, and wanted a very pretty bouquet of white flowers. My bridesmaids would wear flowing blush-colored dresses with grey/silver accents and blush bouquets. We incorporated these colors through all of the wedding elements. During one of the open houses, I met Chanda Eddens of A Monique Affair, and she told me that she would be able to help me pull the event together and have a prompt and stress-free wedding day. That’s exactly what I had! It was a lot of work selecting all of the little important details, but I loved being a bride and it was an amazing day for us.”
Incorporating Culture ….. “We chose to include the African- American tradition of jumping broom, once we had been pronounced Mr & Mrs. Eric Turner. The broom was an important element to me because my mother created it and designed it for us with elements of our wedding colors and flowers. It was beautiful, and it meant a lot that she took the time to do that for us. For us, it represented our new beginning, and was our way of paying homage to our ancestors who made the same commitment that we just did.”
The Most Unforgettable Moment ….. “The most memorable part of our wedding was holding hands with Eric, while standing up in front of all of our family, friends and God, vowing to love and making a lifelong commitment to each other. It felt like a wonderful dream: the weather was wonderful, Eric was so handsome, I felt beautiful, and we just connected. It felt like a huge circle of love was surrounding us; it was an amazing feeling!”
{You Make Loving You So Easy}
He loves ….. “Eric tells me that he loves my smile. He says I smiled at him that night at the party, and he has been trying to keep me smiling ever since.”
She loves ….. “The thing I love most about him is his calming spirit and loving heart. I love the way he loves me: Eric makes me feel like I’m the only girl in the world.”
Vendors
- Wedding Dress: Watters from Bridal Galleria, San Francisco, CA
- Shoes: Giuseppe Zanotti
- Hair: Jessica Mayeux of Vanity Lounge, Berkeley, CA
- Make-Up: Sierra Hicks
- Photographer: Rob Robertson of Robert Cristie Photography
- Videographer: Graham King of Final Frame Studios
- Wedding Day Coordinator: Chanda Monique Eddens-Daniels of A Monique Affair
- Florist: Lisa Brown of Floralisa
- Caterer: Royal Raspberry
- Cake: Masses Pastries
I just love statement necklaces on bridesmaids!
Roni
Incredibly adorable – I loved seeing this!
So so pretty, love the details and the setting looks devine
l like the things l see, lovely. the setting n everything was perfect.