CRYSTAL + JOSHUA

Power couple Crystal Williams-Foster and Joshua Foster said I-do in a glamorous royalinspired wedding week at the historic wedding venue, The Breakers, in Palm Beach Island, Florida.

While the pair originally had their sights set on a week-long destination wedding in Jamaica, they decided they wanted a venue with more character. Crystal shares, “I wanted that old, somewhat from the past look, but still modern, textured character feel.” With this in mind, their wedding planner, Oniki Occasions, helped them pivot to a new iconic venue: The Breakers.

The unique venue not only upheld Crystal’s royal aesthetics but also captured Joshua’s love of history and the couple’s shared desire to represent and showcase Black vendors. Joshua reflects, “One of the biggest things that I was excited about [was] to be able to be at a venue and have as many Black vendors as possible to be able to experience this place where not too many Black weddings happen.”

For the ceremony itself, Crystal envisioned her nuptials as a journey to becoming a queen. And her vendor team delivered! Wearing a completely custom gown designed by Esè Azenabor with floating pearl detailing, a corset waist, and a detachable skirt to show off her figure, Crystal effortlessly embodied the essence of royalty. Joshua looked equally dashing in a custom suit by Miguel Wilson.

Bearing witness to the couple’s entire wedding day, Oniki says, “[Their] wedding [was] totally befitting of the love [they] have for one another, and [Crystal] certainly [is] a queen.”

wedding style...

Crystal : I knew that I wanted a style of royalty. I knew that the venue could not look like a hotel. So if it couldn't look like a hotel, it had to be something of a building that looked as if it came from maybe old Europe, maybe a castle. So I knew I wanted that because again, sticking with that royalty theme, something that had character. So something that wasn't too modern, but still up to date.

So it still felt as if I was immersed in luxury, but it wasn't the common glass everywhere, which is what we live in. But I wanted something that had core bells and sconces and just character at every turn and arches and just old hardware that maybe is covered in brass now that looks new. And that's what I wanted. And I believe that The Breakers went above and beyond with that. The hotel is just gorgeous.

the dress...

From there I wanted a gown that matched that royalness and so I found the designer, Esè Azenabor, and even that again, I thought to myself: how do I get what's in my brain to her? When I went in, I told her what I thought I wanted. She told me, okay, you definitely need custom. Don't even look at what I have on the racks 'cause what you are trying to describe to me, you're not going to find over there.

And she took out a pencil and paper and she let me just try to brain dump everything that was inside of my head using words that I'm sure she probably was like, that is not what it's called. And she still was just drawing as I was describing. And then when she finished drawing, she turned it around and I was like, that's it. That is the dress. So I wanted something that was going to give me the royalness that I was looking for. So something big and puffy, but it can come off because I wanted to be able to still show my figure, I was working hard. So I'm like, I got to be able to show this figure off, so whatever big and puffy you give me for the princess and queen look, I need that to be able to come off.

And then from there, I wanted pearls. I knew that I wanted pearls. I see a lot of crystals and all this other stuff. And I said, "No. To me, if we're sticking with the royalty, kind of old royalty at that, pearls are a statement of that. And so I wanted them everywhere and I wanted them to look like they were floating on my body." When I said that to her, she said, "Oh, okay." Like, don't just put pearls on a dress for me. No, no, no. I need them to look like it's an illusion that they're just on my skin. And enough cleavage where it's still a little sexy, but it's not too risque. I said, 'cause my husband's mom will look at me like I'm crazy. She said, "Okay, I can do that."

And for it to be, I knew I wanted the dress to be corset because I'm going to need a little extra pull-in, which she did. And I mean, the dress just was perfect.

favorite accessory...

I would say my overall favorite piece, believe it or not, would have to be my veil. I wasn't even going to get a veil, I thought that they were overpriced for this thing that was going on my head. When I put the dress on and I tried it on with her, I said, "No, it needs a veil." And the veil was custom-made as well with the same pearls throughout and the same shine. And it was perfect to the point when it arrived, I was literally just walking around the house with the veil on. I think we know for sure if we don't wear the dress again in 10 years, we're definitely wearing the veil. The veil will be here!

"To find a man that was marrying me and marrying my child and publicly declaring that in front of everyone, you can't put a price on that. It's a moment that I will never forget." - CRYSTAL

best memories...

Crystal : When Joshua surprised us with vows for Jeremiah. When I watch it today, I still cry. When we watched the tape, everyone still cries. Jeremiah still cries. It's just one of those moments that I didn't expect. And so it just solidified again 'cause I had so many moms ask me, as a single mom, like, "How did you know he was the one? How could you trust him with your kid?" There's so much that goes into marrying someone when you already have a child that you have to deal with at home and with the child.

And to find a man that was marrying me and marrying my child and publicly declaring that in front of everyone, you can't put a price on that. It's a moment that I will never forget. It's a moment that still makes me emotional. And it was so beautiful to see him profess pretty much his love for him as a father and all the things that he desired for him as a father. Especially knowing that even though he has a dad, he only sees him in summer. So this is a man that is coming in and truly stepping into that father role for him. It was amazing.

Joshua: I feel like the wedding day was such a blur. Not in a bad way, but like there wasn't a specific favorite memory until after I was able to really look back and watch the video, which Bridges Cinema did an amazing job with because I feel like I didn't miss any moment after seeing all of that.

So I think after going back and looking at the video, the one that Crystal shared was my favorite memory 'cause it was just great seeing everyone cry along with me. It made it not seem weird that it was just me all up there crying. But I think, I don't know, except for that moment, of course, being able to say I do, and it was the time that everyone was able to just witness and be there for us.

It's just kind of looking back and just seeing all of the joy that was going on that day for Crystal, for Jeremiah, and then just for everyone that was there as well. It made all the back and forth that Crystal had worth it. It made all of the money spent well worth it. And just seeing that it turned out in a way that even I'm sure Crystal didn't even imagine that it could turn out. So I think it was just overall being able to sit back and watch all of those moments together – that was really it for me.

wedding advice...

Joshua: I think, well, one, easy for the groom-to-be is just to be quiet and listen to what your bride-to-be says. But I think the biggest thing is to get yourself an Oniki. That helps out a whole lot.

I think the biggest thing for me, the reason why that's important is that I'm very organized, a process-driven person. And things would be absolutely crazy if it wasn't organized. And I was fully under the impression that I was totally capable of doing that myself to start with. I still believe that I would've been capable of staying organized, but it would've driven me absolutely crazy, and then the actual wedding itself, of course, I mean we were never naive enough to think that we could plan the wedding itself, but I think for me it was like, "Oh, we don't really need a wedding planner until we figure out exactly where we wanted to get married and who we want the vendors to be.

And then it could just be planned from there. So I think that the whole process beforehand, yes, could have been done, but it wouldn't have been done as well as it was and as smoothly. So it's definitely important to stay organized and if it is in your budget, which I think it should be, definitely hire a planner.

Crystal: For me, I would say, I wish going back when we ate dinner, we would've eaten it outside of the room. Just so we could have that one little moment secluded to ourselves. So that would be my advice. If you could find a moment throughout the timeline to say, "Okay, for 15 minutes we are going to be here. Just for us to say, “how's it going for you?” alone, I think I would recommend that.

Also, when you're picking your venue, try to pick a venue that possibly specializes in weddings. It was amazing to know that The Breakers had people to help us through the entire wedding routine and processes the day of.

Wedding Highlights

Favorite menu items: Crystal LOVED the Key lime pie & Joshua raved about their wedding cake.

Bridesmaid & Groomsmen gifts: The girls were gifted pajamas and jewelry and were proposed to with a glam box filled with Chanel perfume and other high-end items. Their hair and makeup were also paid for. The boys had their tuxes, shoes, and accessories paid for, in addition to a special meal the week before during their bachelor party.

First dance song: “U Move, I Move” by John Legend & Jhene Aiko

Extra details: Choreographed dance with Jeremiah (the bride’s son) by a TikTok dancer. Prudence & Chris (Bride & Groom attendant that helped throughout the day).

Advice from the bride: “If you’re going as grand as we did with a wedding week, try to give people enough time to plan, and then put money into your budget where you can to help your bridesmaids. So just be mindful that people are helping you and they want to be there for you, but try to cover as much as you can for them.” wedding vendors

BRIDE'S DRESS/BRIDAL SALON: Esè Azenabor BRIDE’S HEADPIECE AND/OR VEIL: Esè Azenabor BRIDE'S SHOES:

Manolo Blahnik BRIDESMAIDS DRESSES: White Runway GROOM'S ATTIRE: Miguel Wilson GROOMSMEN ATTIRE:

Miguel Wilson

CAKES/DESSERTS: The Breakers CATERING: The Breakers CEREMONY VENUE: The Breakers EVENT

DESIGN: Oh Niki Occasions

LIGHTING: The Breakers LINENS: BBJ

ENTERTAINMENT: Elan Artists EVENT PLANNER: Oh Niki Occasions FLORALS: Special Event Resource & Design Group BRIDE + BRIDESMAIDS HAIR: Hair Chemistry

Latavola MAKEUP: Chem x Beauty MALE GROOMING & HAIR: The Cultivation Lair PHOTOGRAPHY: Joshua Dwain

Photography RECEPTION VENUE: The Circle at The Breakers RENTAL FURNITURE & DECOR: Special Event Resource

& Design Group RENTALS - CEREMONY ARCH: LPR Design Group STATIONERY & GRAPHICS: by Dami Studios

VIDEOGRAPHY: Bridges Cinema