On Sunday, August 27, 2023, Jaleesa Diaz and Eric Leite officially became Mr. and Mrs. Leite, declaring their commitment with an unplugged and intimate ceremony.
Born and raised in New York (Jaleesa is from the Bronx and Eric is from Queens), the couple brought black excellence to the top of Rockefeller Center with a beautiful wedding ceremony and reception held at 620 Loft & Garden Rooftop. The genuine love for this union was supported by all in attendance and celebrated with endless smiles!
With phones away, this intimate wedding took place with 75 guests and runway-style seating which made for a more intimate experience. All guests were able to sit close to the soon-to-be-spouses as they spoke from their hearts and kissed in the middle of the Big Apple. There was no formal bridal party; instead, friends of the bride and groom were invited to walk down the aisle as a group in whatever attire of their preference based on the dress code.
This NYC wedding was nothing ordinary, taking place in the heart of the city among the skyline. To continue with everything unique and nothing too traditional, there were no speeches; instead, they provided an audio guestbook where guests could record messages for them to have, which all attendees loved! There wasn’t a typical sit-down dinner either. On the contrary, Chef Coconut Cup created an elevated buffet-style set up in the garden, which he blew out of the park! See here.
See more sweet details below!
*This intimate and unplugged wedding was featured in MunaLuchi Bride Magazine, Issue No. 30! Check out the full print issue here.
- Couple: Jaleesa Leite (Maiden Name: Diaz) and Eric Leite
- Occupations: Jaleesa is a Multicultural Manager at Netflix and Eric is the Boys Varsity Basketball Assistant Coach, at Beverly Hills Highschool
- Wedding date: Sunday, August 27th
Quick Facts:
- What gifts did you give to your bridesmaids and groomsmen: We didn’t have a formal bridal party. Didn’t want that pressure on our friends. They showed up, they walked down the aisle, and during the reception, we had a blast. Eric did, however, do a special dinner with his friends where he gifted them a groomsman box, custom made by his mother-in-law.
- Gifts for one another: My husband wasn’t aware of this part lol and that’s fine. I did; however, surprise him with a special pin for his tuxedo that included a photo of him and his grandmother. They were very close and I wanted him to feel her presence during the day. He definitely cried.
- Ceremony entrance song: Eric walked out to “Int’l Players Anthem” by Outkast and I walked down the aisle to “You Are My Joy (Interlude)” by Faith Evans. It is a very beautiful song and he definitely cried when I walked out.
- First dance song: “I Want You Around” by Snoh Aalegra. It’s the first song we ever danced to in our relationship.
How did you lovebirds meet?
We knew from that weekend our connection was something special
– Jaleesa (the bride)
The saying goes “Mothers know best” and Jaleesa and Eric’s mothers are no exception.
Through our mothers. They share a mutual friend but are in separate friend groups. In March 2021, both friend groups gathered for the first time to support their friend during a difficult time in her life following her son’s passing (Dijon Brooks).
I met Eric’s mom that night and she connected me with Eric. We were both reluctant at first but knew there was an attraction. Flirty exchanges via text developed into a deep connection. We “talked” for about a month while I was in Los Angeles and he was in NY. Eric came to Los Angeles and planned a weekend of dates. We knew from that weekend our connection was something special. A year later he proposed.
We had an altar at our wedding in memory of our loved ones and chose to honor Dijon with a photo and a special acknowledgment during our toast. His spirit brought us together.
How did Eric pop the question?
On our anniversary on April 15, 2022, Eric had planned a special evening. We went to dinner at Sei Less in NY and then headed over to the Brooklyn Bride for a fun photoshoot. It’s funny because I (Jaleesa) had recommended we have a photographer take photos of us because I’m extra like that.
Eric took this opportunity and chose to propose during our photoshoot under the Brooklyn Bridge. Following the proposal which was a nice intimate moment with us, he surprised me with a rooftop celebration with my close family and friends. It was such a memorable evening. I’ll never forget the look on his face when he was on bended knee. Truly surreal.
Gown & Suit: Renaissance of style?
(Jaleesa): OMG. I hated wedding dress shopping. I went to all the notable shops in NYC and I felt none of them really captured my essence. They were all the same. Overly priced. I had a vision in my head that I decided to just bring it to life.
Uncle Johnny made my dress…
= Bride (& Beyonce)
I worked with a tailor in Washington Heights and we built the dress from scratch. We co-designed it and I’m so happy with how it turned out. I opted for a 2-in-1 because I knew I didn’t want to change. My dress was a very elegant, classic look that transformed into a beautiful, sexy dress with a thigh-high split for the reception.
For the reception, I also draped a piece of fabric across my shoulders, which was inspired by a video I saw of Marilyn Monroe on TikTok. Special thank you to my tailor Esteban Ramirez for bringing my vision to life. Uncle Johnny made my dress!
So fresh so clean, clean
(Eric): Suit shopping wasn’t hard. I found my suit by just browsing. I got me a HUGO Boss Tuxedo from Bloomingdales. Clean jet black with silk. I worked with a tailor to add a strap so I could stand out from the guests. It was clean!
An unplugged ceremony with an Empire State of Mind…
Our ceremony was very special as we opened up with a special prayer that acknowledged our ancestors. In terms of the overall wedding, it was the most NY wedding. I was born and raised in the Bronx. Eric from Hollis Queens. Our specialty cocktails were named after our neighborhoods. We kicked off our reception with “Do It Again” by Jay Z. Rapping HOV at the top of Rockefeller Center is about as NY as you can get. We didn’t really incorporate any culture besides really repping for NY.
The Unplugged Ceremony… (No phones, applause only).
Happy tears…
Any special intimate or lit moments?
(Jaleesa): My dance with my father was pretty special. My parents and I are extremely close. I come from a blended family and honoring my father with a special dance, but also taking an opportunity to thank him for all the love he’s given me in life…that was special and brought everyone to tears. It was also special for me when Eric and I signed the marriage license. That’s when it hit me. I really get to spend my life with this man. What a privilege. The way he loves me and shows up for me and all the emotions hit.
(Eric): Turning up with my wife the whole night. That’s my favorite memory. We were lit!
Check out these timeless moments snapped by The DV Image!
DJ Omen made it erupt…
Any advice for other brides and grooms?
(Eric): Listen to each other.
(Jaleesa): Be humble. Quiet all the outside noise. Don’t lose sight of what’s important. Focus on the love and support in your life. The day will not be perfect. It doesn’t have to be for it to be beautiful. Oh and don’t be afraid to pull your spouse to the side and just enjoy the moment. Be present.
Take a look at how it all went down below!
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Vendors:
- Location: 620 Loft & Garden Penthouse at Rockefeller Center
- Wedding Planner: Waverly Coleman Events
- Wedding Stylist: Cherish Tha Moment (Mother of the bride)
- Photographer: The DV Image
- Videographer: Donjai Gilmore
- Social Media Assistants (Social Recap Videographers): Skylar Marshai and Temitope Ibisanmi
- Florist: Em’s Bouchic
- Catering: The Coconut Cup
- Bar Services: Habanero Papi
- Rentals: NY Lounge Decor and Dash 2K Events
- Photo Booth: Remember The Time Foto
- Guest AudioBook: AftertheTone
- Sounds by: DJ Omen
- Event Ambassadors provided by: Priceless One Management
- Bride’s Makeup: Lexus Vance
- Bride’s Hair: Akelia Davis
- Wedding Dress Designer / Tailor: Esteban Ramirez
- Bride’s Shoes: Stuart Weitzman
- Groom’s Tuxedo and Shoes: Hugo Boss
Every detail, from the gorgeous venue to the heartfelt moments, was beautifully captured. You can truly feel the emotion and connection between them in these photos. Congratulations to the lovely couple!
Thank you for reading, Amy! :)