Miami Engagement Session: Jade + Shawn

Jade +

Shawn

MIAMI

WEDDING DATE: December 7, 2019WEDDING LOCATION: New Orleans, LA

HOW THEY MET: In 2010, we attended the annual week-long National Association of Student Affairs Professionals (NASAP) conference to represent our respective universities. There is a superstition at the conference that every year a campus queen meets her future husband. Although we had never met, we shared a mutual friend who texted me to express Shawn’s interest. After three days of persistent trying, we began to talk and realized how much we had in common. We remained inseparable the remainder of the conference and dated long distance for years while we both completed our graduate studies.

We would take numerous cross country trips and became a large friend group for which we became known as the “turn up” couple. After years of long-distance dating, we finally settled in Miami.

THE PROPOSAL: We attended my best friend’s wedding in December 2017 in the Dominican Republic and I knew at that moment that I was next. I wanted a date that was significant to the women in my life. Our mothers’ birthdays are a week apart and my maternal grandfather also passed away on my mom’s birthday so I chose the midpoint between their birthdays, October 12, 2018. Our friends were also a huge part in keeping our relationship afloat so I wanted them to share in the moment. I booked a private club in the Betsy Hotel on South Beach Miami and invited 80 of our closest friends and family. Jade is nosy and ruins all her surprises. She claimed she had an idea for months and when she walked in the room she said “hey y’all” but she was greeted with a line of people holding candles and then I gave a speech and asked her to marry me. She still cried. Mission accomplished.

DESCRIBE YOUR ENGAGEMENT SESSION We googled the name motley one night because outside of a rock and roll Motley Crue and an HBCU love photo, we had no idea what to do. We discovered the Motley Jester which was perfect for my

New Orleans background and our theatre wedding. We also decided to play upon the essence of our new home, Miami, by showing both the glamorous lifestyle and life on the water.

WHAT DID YOU DO ON YOUR FIRST DATE? I flew to Nashville to visit Shawn and some friends. He took me to get food, a stroll through Centennial Park and then to a car show. Afterward, his friends tried to welcome me by taking shots and because I refused, Shawn took mine for me. I knew he was it.

FAVORITE THING TO DO AS A COUPLE? Eat and travel! We love to try new restaurants and explore new cities/countries. We set a goal to bring in the New Year in a different place every year.

HOW HAS WEDDING PLANNING BEEN SO FAR? Stressful but fun! We originally planned to have the wedding on Jade’s 30th birthday but had to change the dates for unforeseen circumstances. We both come from huge families so trying to maintain a guest list has been a daily struggle; however, we are enjoying this time and growing together.

WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FORWARD TO MOST ON THEWEDDING DAY? Finally making it official and saying I do! We are both also extremely excited for the reception - to dance the night away with good people, food and music.