Ebony and Tony’s 2-day nuptials, including a white wedding and traditional Ghanaian wedding, came to life at the beautiful Château des 3 Fontaines in the South of France.
It is said that friendship is an ironclad foundation for a forever love. While chasing their dreams, these two soulmates were destined to cross paths.
Both soaring in their artistic career paths and networking among the same pool of professionals, Ebony and Tomy’s degree of separation minimized until they finally met. Over time, the foundation of friendship between them soared to new levels, and sparks flew as they fell in love with one another.
Working hard and playing hard, Tony had the perfect plan to pop the question for Ebony. Among the glowing shores of the Maldives, he set the scene with a romantic dinner. With their soundtrack accompanying their ride on the beach, Tony popped the question, and the rest is the present and future of their love.
Continue to read more below and learn how Ebony and Tony incorporated special elements of their Ghanian culture into not one but two unforgettable wedding styles straight out of a fairytale!
- Couple: Ebony Atakorah & Tony Tagoe
- Wedding date: August 9, 2024
- Wedding Location: Provence, South of France
Day 1: The White Wedding
Quick Facts:
- Ceremony entrance song: “Rain,” by Sunday Service with a gospel choir who came up from Paris.
- First dance song: We chose to skip the traditional first dance and made a grand entrance into our reception instead. With an outfit change, we entered to “Already” by Beyoncé from the Black is King album, and we absolutely loved it
How did you two meet?
We became friends through our joint passions for our careers. I run a thriving creative studio that produces projects in London, Accra, Paris, and New York. Tony is a notable film producer on the Continent, and therefore, our paths were bound to cross. We share many mutual familial and platonic relationships that led us to one another.
After a few months of speaking on a romantic level, we both felt the connection between us. This blooming friendship had flourished, and the requited love was growing with each time we spoke.
Tell us about your proposal.
The proposal was something out of a fairytale. After months of working hard and solidifying our London Office, we had planned to go to the Maldives to enjoy the New Year. I was elated to have time off to spend together in beautiful surroundings. To get to the Maldives, we had to take a seaplane to the island we were staying on, and just before we boarded, Tony rushed off as he ‘forgot’ something. Little did I know he had a surprise in store…
On our first night, we planned to have a candlelight dinner on the beach. It was romantic and I was looking forward to it. As the buggy started to drive towards our table, I could hear ‘our song’, and I thought this must be fate! When we got to the table, Tony got down and proposed. The song, the beach, the moment, it was all perfect.
The Ceremony…
Here comes the bride…
What was the wedding shopping experience like for you?
I approached the fashion for our wedding with a clear and methodical mindset. Armed with detailed mood boards and sketches, I worked closely with each designer to ensure everything aligned with my vision for each ‘scene’ of the day.
White wedding attire…
For the white wedding, I partnered with Pistis Nuptials, a leading Ghanaian bespoke bridal atelier, with the brief of ‘dreamy’ and ‘timeless.’ We chose a ballgown, and Sumaiya, the CEO, was incredibly patient as the dress evolved throughout the process.
Reception decor details…
Stationery…
Sweet details…
Day 2: Traditional Wedding
Traditional wedding attire…
For my traditional wedding, I collaborated with my dear friend and designer, Sadia Sanusi, on a custom beaded blue ombré kente gown. The process was so much fun, and Sadia appreciated how clear I was about what I wanted.
Finally, my showstopper was a fully hand-beaded gold crystal reception gown by the legendary Matopedia in Lagos. We only spoke once and handled the rest of our consultations through WhatsApp, exchanging sketches and voice notes over three months. The result was nothing short of breathtaking—one of the most incredible outfits I’ve ever worn.
My uncle, Ozwald Boateng, designed custom pieces for both Tony’s white wedding and reception looks. It was a wonderful experience as they spent months collaborating to bring the vision to life through consultations, fabric swatch discussions, and fittings. For the white wedding, he wore a bespoke white peak lapel tux, while for the reception, they chose a chocolate brown suit paired with a burnt orange shirt that perfectly complemented my gold gown.
We were kindly gifted the shoes for all our looks by the Louboutin team.
Culture:
Incorporating our Ghanaian culture and heritage was the cornerstone of our wedding festivities. Even though we chose to get married in the South of France, it was important to us not to miss out on any elements of a traditional Ghanaian wedding.
We brought in traditional Ghanaian Adowa dancers and drummers, which added a vibrant and authentic feel to the celebration. We also designed bespoke set pieces for our ceremony, all of which were sourced, handmade in Ghana, and flown over. This involved collaborating with local artisans on the ground to bring our vision to life.
For my husband’s traditional kente cloth, we worked with my brother-in-law, who is an Art Director, to create a custom textile piece that integrated symbols from both of our tribes. This special piece was then handwoven in Ghana using traditional methods, adding a deeply personal and cultural touch to our ceremony
What is the best memory of your wedding?
There were too many meaningful moments to count. For our traditional Ghanaian wedding, one standout was our entrances, where we performed historic dances from each of our tribes, accompanied by traditional Ghanaian talking drums. It was a beautiful way to honor our heritage and celebrate our union.
For the white wedding, the ceremony felt like a dream. The choir filled the air with our favorite gospel songs, and our pastor, who flew all the way from London, blessed us and our guests with powerful words and scriptures.
What is the best wedding advice you can give to engaged couples?
Remember to savor both the planning process and your special day! With my background in events, I took a detailed approach to organizing our wedding, focusing heavily on creating an amazing experience for our guests—which was truly rewarding. However, it’s equally important to carve out moments for yourselves as a couple to fully enjoy the day, as it goes by in a flash. While your guests, friends, and family are essential, the day is ultimately about celebrating your love, too.
Looking for more Ghanaian wedding inspiration?
Click here.
Vendors:
- Dresses: (Traditional Wedding:) Sadia Sanusi (White Wedding:) PISTIS Ghana
- Reception Dress: Matopeda Atelier
- Bridesmaids: (Traditional Dresses:) Shapes by Nelson | Snip House (White Wedding Bridesmaid Dresses:) Shapes by Nelson | Gele
- Bridesmaid Fans: Blessed Bridals
- Lead MUA: Asare Prince
- MUA: Morada Touch
- Groom outfit: (Traditional / Kente Design:) Abuakwa Siaw-Misa | Ebony Atakorah (White Wedding Suit:) Ozwald Boateng
- Florist: Flavia Studio
- Photographers: Marion Cougoureux | Bedge Pictures
- Videographer & BTS Content: Faith Adu Afriyie
- Makeup: Asare Prince
- Food: Faith & Fruitful | Taalib Adanse
- Drinks: Porte Noire | Premium Palm Spirits | Coastline Spirit
- Bar: Private Mixologist | Tawa Tanye
- Venue: Château des 3 Fontaines
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