Wednesday

Gabrielle & Jonothan!


I'm not a fan of long engagements. I basically have your wedding planned in my head in like, the first few months, if that. So when Gabrielle told me that her engagement would be almost 2 1/2 years long, I already liked her so I was in. The only way to get through it was to make timeline jokes and keep it moving. The hidden gift in their long engagement was my relationship with Gabrielle. She's like the little sister that I never had and I'm so grateful.

In 2 1/2 years, I was able to see how Johnathan and Gabrielle worked as a couple, which was beautiful. Gabrielle would have an idea, or I'd have one, and she'd present it to Johnathan and the answer would always be yes. Well, there would be questions first but in the end, the answer would be yes. The ONLY time he said no was when it came to doing a first look. He was so opposed to it that even I was worried that I wouldn't be able to convince him, which I can ALWAYS convince a couple to do a first look. Thank goodness they listened to me...you'll see from their photos how magical it really was. Get comfortable because as usual, Elle Danielle shot her life away!


Tuesday

Ikeda & Shaun!


When I tell you guys that Ikeda and Shaun are magical, I mean it in every sense of the word. I worked with them for about a year and in that time I witnessed their little honey pie, Kingsley, go from a baby in a stroller to a walking little girl. I promise, my main goal in our meetings was for me to get Kingsley in my arms and then get down to business. The love and tenderness that they have for each other is inspiring, and when it comes to their little honey pie, it's palpable. Some couples reinforce my idea of love...Ikeda and Shaun are definitely one of those couples for me.

As you remember from their engagement shoot, they come to SLAY! Ikeda's gown...her GOWN, you guys!!! Her shoes, her headpiece, her everything! Shaun's tux...their flowers...their smiles... basically, get comfy because I love all 10,000,000 of their photos. Mecca, you KILLED this!!!


Wednesday

Courtni & Mike!


Let me tell you a little about Courtni and Mike...The first time we met, we talked for at least two hours. I wsay "at least" because it very well could have been longer. Mike had just as many ideas as Courtni and they were both in-sync when it came to the details of the day. We worked together for two years so I was able to observe how they communicated and how they were both wonderful parents to their little honey baby Jaxon. Their wedding day was the most perfect day and I'm beyond excited to share it with you guys!


Friday

The Will & Jada Smith Family Foundation - Careers In Entertainment


I had the pleasure of participating in the Will and Jada Family Foundation Careers In Entertainment event at Morehouse. The Careers in Entertainment Tour gives young people from undeserved backgrounds an interactive, fun and useful guide to working in the entertainment industry. 

My Simply Perfect Events was asked to provide insight into the life of an event planner. I decided to have a party within the event. Robot Booth provided the photo booth, Stylish Stems brought my photo booth dreams to life with this enchanted jungle backdrop. In a nutshell...it was EVERYTHING! 

You can find the full set of photos here.


Sunday

Zhaleh & Mike!


To say that Zhaleh and Mike's wedding was epic would be an understatement. I remember when they first told me how many people they were inviting: "It'll be probably around 800 on the guest list so we're anticipating about 500..." And that's what they got! They chose a venue that was probably the most perfectly fit venue for a couple that I've ever seen. If you've ever been to AfroPunk you're aware of 787 Windsor. Yes, the huge warehouse with beautifully covered walls that lend to endless to photo ops. Basically, a dream.

Zhaleh and Mike walked down the aisle together to Bootsy Collins' "I'd Rather Be With You" surrounded by 500 of their friends and family members. I've never heard guests cheer so loudly for a couple and it set the tone for the whole day...a beautiful celebration. Get comfy because I have PLENTY of photos to share with you all.



Wednesday

Sonya & E!


To say that Sonya and E's wedding day was full of love would be an understatement. The day started with a photo shoot which included a rad pink mansion, a national park, a rug and lots of water. Tons of it...it was BLAZING! The day continued with a ceremony and reception at Sonya's mother's house in Pasadena, CA with a backyard filled with close family, friends, love, support and pure joy.

Fun fact: Sonya's older sister, Nadia, was my very first bride 11 years ago! It's an honor to assist in another beautiful for Sonya, and now E's family. I love everything.



Tuesday

Ashley & Ryan!


The first time I met up with Ashley, she had a binder full of ideas that she quickly threw out the window a few minutes into our meeting. She trusted me which is HUGE when it comes to wedding planning. I'd give her an idea and she'd say, "I'll talk to Ryan about it." I always pay attention to the way that my couples communicate and there wasn't one decision made without Ashley consulting Ryan. Communication is key and they have it down!

Their gorgeous, Memorial Day weekend wedding was held at The Chimneys at Big Canoe and the scenery was breathtaking. We were spoiled with the stunning views but even more spoiled by having a sneak peek into Ashley and Ryan's love. 



Wednesday

Azlynne & Nikko!



I'm so excited to share Azlynne & Nikko's romantic Biltmore wedding with you! When I met them, Azlynne stressed how much of a fairytale ending her relationship with Nikko was. They met in high school, dated for a while and were now about to walk down the aisle together.

Nikko was working overseas for months during the planning so Azlynne and I would plan during the day and get texts and emails from Nikko late at night. It wasn't conventional planning but when is it ever? Their fairytale wedding was topped off when they did a surprise gender reveal at the wedding. You guys, I love this couple so much!



Zehra & Prince!


I received a call from Zehra toward the end of December asking about wedding planning services. She told me that her wedding date was fast-approaching and needed help. During our initial conversation she mentioned, "My Prince" a few times. I thought it was sweet that she was referring to her fiance with such an endearing name UNTIL I realized that his name was actually Prince! In four short months, I had just a sneak peek into the love that they share and to say that it was and still is an honor would be an understatement. I love Zehra and Prince immensely and I'm beyond excited for the magic that their union will bring.

Zehra's stunning henna, her insane bouquet, the jaw-dropping reception decor, every single shot of the two of them, their sweet first look all the way to their epic dance party, I'm so obsessed with every aspect of this wedding. OBVIOUSLY this blog post is going to be long. Like, insanely long. So, get comfy and just TRY to prepare yourselves for the beauty that is Zehra and Prince.



Friday

Engagement Love - Azlynne & Nikko!


I can't handle how excited I am for Azlynne & Nikko's wedding tomorrow! We've been planning together for over a year and so much has happened. They hired me with a fairytale storyboard asking me to be their fairy god-planner and I was IN! With Nikko spending a large portion of the planning out of the country for work, Azlynne and I tackled most of the logistics with late night 3-way calls and texts with Nikko to make final decisions. I love the way they love each other and I am honored to watch them make it official tomorrow!


Tuesday

Engagement Love - Ikeda & Shaun!


There is so much I want to tell you guys about Ikeda and Shaun. I want to tell you about how excited Shaun gets when he tells the story about the way he and Ikeda met and how she pretends to focus on the baby but she's really LIVING for his recollection. How he repeatedly says, "She's just so gorgeous. I couldn't help myself." And how sweet their little honey pie baby face daughter is...BUT I'll wait until after their September wedding. For now, you guys can just live and die over their STUNNING engagement shoot by Mecca Gamble Photography .


 

Friday

Niles & Cottrell


When I first met, I mean, spoke with Niles, I knew that planning would be a breeze. She explained that she worked non-stop and needed someone to handle the stress and pressure of planning a wedding. No problem, right? Well, what originally started out as a 2017 wedding in Atlanta quickly turned into a 2016 wedding in Indianapolis, Indiana. I always say that I can plan a wedding in a week if I have to...Niles and Cottrell took me to task when they decided to move their wedding date up and gave me 2 1/2 months to plan everything. Needless to say, there were plenty of late-night calls, Facetime meetings and fires to be extinguished. 

The other challenge was finding local vendors to make their wedding simply perfect. Being that photography and videography are extremely important, we brought in Elle Danielle from TN and T. Miller Films from DC. I didn't meet Niles, Cottrell OR Trivell Miller until the day before the wedding but it felt as if I'd known them for years. Honestly, you guys, I can't handle how much I love everything about this wedding. From the mad-dash planning sessions to the new friendships with both client and vendors, I love everything. 

{You guys already know that I can't edit myself when it comes to how many photos I post so, get comfy!}


Monday

Shauna & Jonathan!


Planning Shauna and Jonathan's wedding was basically a piece of cake. The dinner tasting was simple: "This food is great...we just want to be married." The floral meetings, "This is so pretty! We just want to be married." Basically, they were just ready to be married. Now, that isn't to say that they didn't care about the details. They totally cared but they focused more on their relationship and supporting each other than the small things. Photos tell so much of their story but there is something about seeing the way that Jonathan cares for Shauna that melts hearts of everyone around. It was an honor to spend this time with your families.