REAL WEDDING WEDNESDAY: Chris Paul & Jada Crawley

 The details have finally arrived! Courtesy of Essence.com

Today’s Real Wedding Wednesday features NBA Player, Chris Paul and his college sweetheart Jada Crawley.  Their lavish dream wedding took place in their home state of North Carolina (my home state too!) at the Ballantyne Hotel & Lodge in Charlotte, on September 10, 2011. That’s right, 9-10-11. Can’t forget that anniversary. The couple tied the knot before God and 300 of their closest family and friends. It was a star-studded night to remember. Singer Robin Thicke serenaded the bride on her way down the aisle, and fellow NBA player LeBron James was a groomsman. Check out their exclusive wedding album & be sure to watch their wedding video below as well.

Enjoy the view!

The lovely couple strike a pose with their 2-year old son Chris II

aka Lil' Chris. The couple’s wedding program included this sweet message to their baby boy. “We never knew it was possible to love someone as much as we love each other until you came into our lives.”



Bride's bridal gown gifted to her by famed wedding dress designer, Vera Wang



Both Big Chris and Lil’ Chris strutted their stuff in custom made Ralph Lauren Black Label tuxedos.



Jada looks simply gorgeous!



Father & Son looking rather dapper



The venue is also home to a world-famous golf course





The bridal party  wore strapless dresses by Watters.



Jada’s bridal party consisted of cherished childhood pals and more recent friends like Savannah Brinson, (far left) longtime girlfriend of LeBron James.



The fellas in the bridal party show a blushing Jada some love




Chris posing with older brother and best man, CJ




Jada with her lovely parents, Mr. and Mrs. Crawley, who've been married for 27 years



The bride and groom pose with Chris’ proud parents and brother.



Love this pic: Chris sneaks in a pic with the precious flower girls of the day, Dasia and Khloe who are daughters of Jada’s bridesmaids




The entire bridal party poses for a playful shot.

  



Hearthrob Robin Thicke performed “Angel” live for the couple’s processional. Gospel great BeBe Winans was also on hand to deliver “For the Rest of My Life” later in the ceremony.





A lot of Chris's friends were on attendance to support him on his big day.





Jada entering the breathtaking ceremony space with her father. The tent where her nuptials took place were filled with over 10,000 carefully selected white buds including roses, orchids and hydrangea.





An anxious Chris holds back the tears as he waits for his future wife to join him at the altar.





The couple with their officiant Pastor Samuel Blakes of New Orleans says, “The wedding is pretty but marriage isn’t always pretty. My hope for Jada and Chris is a wealthy life. By wealth I mean peace, joy and the intangible things money can’t buy.”





Jada and Chris carefully light their unity candle




Introducing Mr. & Mrs. Chris Paul! The excited newlyweds, who wed on 9.10.11, exited their ceremony to the sounds of “September” by Earth, Wind & Fire.




For their first official dance as husband and wife, the couple chose, “The Sweetest Love” by Robin Thicke.



Hip-Hop pioneer, MC Lyte and DJ Dano provided soul ful tunes for the night.

This six-tier wedding cake contains the couple’s custom crest which appeared throughout their invitation suite. Guests were also treated to adorable individual mini cakes. All pastry was created by Charm City Cakes of Baltimore and the hit show Ace of Cakes

A candid shot of Gabrielle and her beau Dwayne surrounded by gorgeous purple and orange buds. Wedding planner David Tutera used 50,000 flowers and 600 candles to transform the space!

LaLa Vasquez Anthony & Gabrielle Union

NBA Player, Carmelo Anthony showing off his dancing skills

Chris with good pal, Rapper Ludacris

The Anthony's (Carmelo  & LaLa)

NBA player, Dwayne Wade & Gabrielle getting in on the fun.



Now I love a good line dance. Mama Paul (Chris’s mother, far right) gets a crash course on The Wobble during the reception.




The happy couple made a grand exit from their reception in this classy Excalibur.



 Image Credit: Essence

Happy Planning

DeVonda

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Download the Ultimate Wedding Planner App!

The Knot Inc., a global media and technology leader, today announced the launch of its first all-inclusive wedding planning application for the iPhone and iPad, The Knot Ultimate Wedding Planner, now available in the Apple App Store. Couples can now create and update their wedding to-do list, track wedding budget expenses, browse thousands of wedding dresses and bookmark inspirational photos of cakes, wedding décor and more – all while on the go. This first-of-its-kind wedding app is complimentary through February 29, 2012, due to a launch partnership with The Registry at Bloomingdale’s.

“Today’s engaged couple is busier than ever,” said Carley Roney, editor in chief of The Knot and cofounder of XO Group Inc. “We’re thrilled to offer couples the flexibility and ease of wedding planning tools that are available, and fully synched, on the web or on mobile devices.”

Features of The Knot Ultimate Wedding Planner App for the iPhone and iPad include:

• Ultimate Wedding Checklist. Not sure when to book the photographer or order the cake? Keep organized with a checklist that tells you exactly when to complete each wedding task.
• Wedding Budgeting Tool. Get an estimated budget and keep track of payments for everything from the reception hall to the band.
• Photo “Scrapbooks” Out with your girlfriends? Quickly reference photos of your dress, hairstyle and accessories, or get their opinions on several bridesmaid dress choices. Meeting with your florist? Show them your “inspiration board” of the bouquet and centerpiece images you’ve saved.
• Top Registry Picks. Browse the registry gallery for the top featured picks at Bloomingdale’s and all your registry must-haves.
• Thousands of Wedding Dresses. Shop on the go. Looking for an A-line dress under $2,000? Search, select and save your favorite wedding and bridesmaid dresses from thousands of images that can be filtered based on designer, price and style.
• 5,000+ Inspiring Wedding Ideas. Browse ideas for cakes, décor, hairstyles, bouquets and more from our comprehensive slideshows of wedding inspiration. When you see something you love, share it with your friends and save it to your scrapbook, where you can organize all your favorite wedding details for easy access.

Features that are coming soon include a Guest List Manager, Vendor Manager and Mobile Wedding Message Boards, all popular features on TheKnot.com.

The app is available on a complimentary basis until February 29, 2012, when it will then be available for purchase for $4.99. Buy Now!

“Bloomingdale’s is thrilled to be partnering with The Knot for such an innovative and exciting launch," said Joanna Kartalis, director of The Registry at Bloomingdale’s. “This app offers couples yet another convenient way to access our first-in-class registry while on the go, so it is a perfect fit.”

Image & Article Credit:  Business Wire

Happy Planning

DeVonda

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We are WINNERS!! ~Facebook Giveaway

We are proud to announce they we are recent winners of a facebook giveway by Triad/Triangle Perfect Wedding. We've won a free Bridal Show Booth at an upcoming show of our choice!

Happy Planning

DeVonda

If you enjoyed this post, we’d love to read your comment! Also, please consider subscribing to the feed or receiving our articles in your email!

12 Sexiest Wedding Destinations

I came across an article on Destination Weddings & Honeymoons listing the 12 Sexiest Wedding Destinations.
Some spots are so magical the word romance doesn’t do them justice. So forget that boring ballroom — instead, turn up the heat and wow your guests with an unforgettable ceremony in one of these heart-racing locales.

1. Bora Bora

Nothing says sexy like Tahiti’s overwater bungalows, built on stilts over neon-blue waters and featuring glass-paneled walls and floors — all the better for drinking in the views from all sides. A-list pairs including Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban and Carrie Underwood and Mike Fisher have crossed the Pacific to honeymoon here. Thanks to recently relaxed legal requirements, visiting couples can now make it official right on the sand or in one of these sumptuous digs. Or head to Le Meridien Bora Bora, where you can say I do in an overwater chapel in front of an altar made of shells.








2. Santorini

Say I do on a rocky clifftop overlooking a whitewashed village: Imerovigli sits above the volcanic shores of Red Beach; Oia, on the island’s north side, offers prime views of blazing sunsets. Take in the backdrop with a tour through the vine-tangled grounds of the Volcan Wines Museum or the hillside ruins of Ancient Thera, which date to the fourth century B.C. For your reception, celebrate like the Greeks do with a leisurely meal that lasts till the wee hours and features fresh seafood, crisp Assyrtiko white wine (the island has six wineries) and, of course, some lively ouzo toasts. Opa!








3. Venice

Is any place more beautiful than this historic Italian city built on waterways? Arrive by gondola to your ceremony at a private palace on the Grand Canal, where interiors come bedecked with ornate furnishings, marble staircases and grand arched windows overlooking the Rialto Bridge. Your party can then be ferried to one of the city’s villa hotels for a rooftop reception dinner. Or better yet, choose another island, like Giudecca, and hold your fete with views of illuminated Piazza San Marco. Celebrate with a feast of antipasti, just-caught seafood, artisanal cheeses and castraure, the island’s rare purple artichokes, before losing yourselves among the city’s winding alleyways.

4.  Anguilla
On this quiet Caribbean isle, chic resorts with stark white exteriors seem to merge into the surrounding sand. Super-luxe hideaways like Cap Juluca and CuisinArt Resort & Spa specialize in privacy, which is why celebrities flock here. The beaches — claimed by locals to have sand so powder-fine it won’t stick to your feet — are the most coveted spots for intimate ceremonies. Parties can then go grand in an award-winning restaurant or low-key at sites like Scilly Cay — a private island just a two-minute boat ride from the mainland, where your clan can play in the surf before indulging in just-grilled crayfish and jugs of potent rum punch.

5.  Oahu
Iconic Waikiki Beach is the center of the action on this gorgeous isle. Marry in the one of the luxe resorts that stand sentry over the famous curve of sand, with easy access to Honolulu’s glitzy shopping, dining and nightlife scene. Or go quiet on the North Shore, where a laid-back surf culture holds sway. Add a native touch to your nuptials with a conch blower, a lei exchange and a ukulele player to strum you down the aisle. Your reception gets even more sensual when you include a performance by local hula dancers, who share the legends of Old Hawaii through the art of dance.

6. San Miguel de Allende
Culture lovers have long been drawn to this colonial city perched in the mountains of central Mexico. Plentiful attractions range from the artisan galleries filled with wares — glass, jewelry, pottery — to the charming central plaza El Jardin. Book a historic hacienda within walking distance of it all, and hold your ceremony in a landscaped courtyard studded with antiques. The city is also known for cuisine; Casa de Sierra Nevada (pictured) even has its own cooking school. Throw a food-centric fiesta featuring local dishes like shrimp chilaquiles, and amp up your after-party with mariachis and dancing mojigangas — life-size papier-mâché puppets.

7.  St. Lucia
Yes, the Caribbean is famed for its beaches, but St. Lucia has many more ways to go. Exchange vows in a jungle, by a waterfall or aboard a catamaran with views of the twin Piton peaks. Hotels here embrace the surroundings, and open-air rooms at resorts like Jade Mountain and Ladera are the essence of come-hither hideaways. If it’s nightlife you crave, check into a plush retreat on the island’s northern end, near the lively club scene of Rodney Bay; several great all-inclusives here include three Sandals resorts. Another highlight: the “drive-through” Soufriere volcano, which gives proof of the isle’s fiery past and feeds the mineral-rich natural spa pools of Diamond Falls.

8.  Paris 
For centuries lovers have flocked to the City of Light. Long residency requirements in France make this city better for symbolic ceremonies, but your venue options are endless, from chic restaurants to pristine gardens. Don’t miss the chance to indulge in Paris’ celebrated museums; only here can you admire voluptuous forms like Venus de Milo in the vast halls of the Louvre. Even dining here is a sensual affair, from sweet, buttery escargot at famed L’Escargot Montorgueil to effervescent Champagne made and bottled a mere 45-minute train ride away. The pièce de la résistance: a moonlight riverboat tour along the Seine.

9.  Turks and Caicos 
One glance at the sugar-white sand of Grace Bay Beach, and you’ll understand why Turks and Caicos has become one of the Caribbean’s hottest destinations. The resort vibe on the main island of Providenciales is decidedly elegant, and nonstop service from a trio of East Coast gateways (Atlanta, Miami and New York) makes it convenient as well. Exchange vows in the stark white sand, and hold a posh reception on a restaurant terrace turned outdoor lounge. For fun, take your group on a sunset pleasure cruise, hopping Turks and Caicos’ eight inhabited islands and countless uninhabited cays by sunset.

10.  Napa Valley 
How can you not love a locale that incorporates wine into everything? Take a bike tour through the vineyards, stopping for tastings along the way, or hop aboard a hot-air balloon for some sightseeing over the Golden State. Legalities make it tricky to have your event at an actual winery (the laws are looser in neighboring Sonoma County), but Napa Valley has plenty of enticing options for your big day: Say I do at a Spanish-style chapel like Mont la Salle, in the French-inspired gardens of a private estate or even in an underground wine cave, like this one at Calistoga Ranch.

11.  New Orleans 
No American city oozes ambience like the Big Easy, from the Victorian mansions of the Garden District to the cobblestone streets of the French Quarter. This Louisiana city loves parties, and event spaces come in every size and mood, from the contemporary loft-style space above hip restaurant Cochon to the velvet-draped Seance Lounge at Muriel’s. Exchange vows in a hidden walled courtyard, a century-old culinary institution like Arnaud’s or Galatoire’s — even aboard a steamboat chugging down the Mississippi. No event is complete without a second-line parade en route to the reception dinner, replete with baked oysters, shrimp étouffée and decadent bread pudding.

12.  Riviera Maya 

Down the coast from Cancun lies the Riviera Maya, a more serene Mexican Caribbean alternative. Great airlift from all across the United States makes it convenient and affordable for your loved ones. Resorts come in all shapes and styles, from the exclusive Mayakoba complex (home to Banyan Tree, Fairmont and Rosewood hotels) to chic all-inclusive brands, like Secrets, Dreams and Grand Velas. Weddings here come with artisanal tequila tastings; Euro-influenced Yucatan cuisine heavy on chilies, pork and seafood; and a shaman blessing to complement your vows. Include a visit to the 14th-century ruins of Tulum; perched on a cliff overlooking the Caribbean, the City of the Dawn is one of the most gorgeous examples of Maya architecture.






Image Credits:
Getty Images; Gene Higa & Ann Hamilton; Critsey Rowe; Courtesy Casa de Sierra Nevada;

Atlantide PhotoTravel/Corbis; Allegro Photography; Cunningham Photo Artists

Happy Planning

DeVonda