Gritty Vibes is Married! Here's 5 Black Wedding Vendors to Check Out
An Inside look at The Editor's Wedding
It's official, ya boy is married. On October 9th, my Queen and I became one and the wedding/reception was everything we could've imagined. While I try to stray away from sharing personal stuff on here (Because people are weirdos), it's only right that I share some of the wedding vendors who helped us pull this thing off. My wife Amanda and I were really adamant on finding black wedding vendors specifically, so we ended up working with some really great talent, and circulating our dollars within the culture.
My very first time having a conversation with Amanda was through an interview on Gritty Vibes. The platform was just getting started then, and by the time we were done with the content, I was convinced that she was the most passionate and beautiful person I'd ever come across. In the four years that have followed, she's proven my instincts correct. So along with sharing our vendors, this article also serves as a full circle moment for us, too
In addition to the wedding vendors mentioned below, I also want to thank both of our amazing families who came together to help make this day a reality. Our goal was to have an intimate wedding on a budget and everyone's help really made that happen.
Wedding Planner - Savvy Bash
Shortly after the proposal, Amanda and I promised each other that we wouldn't let the pressure of a wedding stress us out. To help ease the burden of it all, we knew we needed a wedding planner. Savvy Bash, the Black Woman Owned Event Design & Production company was an absolute Godsend. Led by the founder and CEO Christine Fortune, Savvy Bash assisted on everything from the ideation of the wedding aesthetic in the very early stages, to the execution of things at the end. They coordinated every vendor and really had us at ease on the day of (We didn't get any panicked texts or last minute calls etc before the wedding, they knew what we wanted and took care of everything.) The best part is, they went above and beyond with things, adding personalized touches to the decor that went with our theme, printing out seating charts and so much more. Savvy Bash did more than just help plan the wedding, they were integral to that entire process.
Wedding Hairstyle - Amanda
Manda did her own hair. Long story short, about a month before the wedding, Amanda had her hair trial with a hairstylist who we were really excited to work with. The day turned into a complete and utter nightmare and while we won't air out the place that she went to, let's just say it was a bad experience. So my bride did what she does best and made it happen. With her sister's help, Manda gave herself a nice updo and kept it 100% natural. The natural thing was the plan all along, but the last minute switch up just shows that sometimes you gotta wing it. Judging from all the folks who commented regarding her hair, it worked out.
Wedding photographer - Natiah Jones
Getting a photographer that specializes in generic wedding photos wasn't as important to us as finding a dope artist who knows how to capture black skin. Thankfully, we didn't have to look far for that great artist. Natiah Jones was leading a photowalk in Coney Island back in 2019 when she asked Amanda and I if she could take our photo. We said yes, and from there the relationship was formed. On the day of, to put it quite simply, she did what needed to be done. Natiah captured the exact vibe we were going for and then some. Because of how comfortable we were with her -- and her incredible skill with the cam --everything came out really natural looking and organic. As you can see from the photos in this article, she took some bangers!
Wedding Videographer - Derrick Saint Pierre
At this point Derrick Saint Pierre is family, nuff said. Derrick has been a friend since childhood and he's progressed into one of the most accomplished videographers in NYC (Nah fr, check his rezzy). It was Derrick who captured Amanda and I's proposal, and since she's so used to him being around with a camera, Amanda didn't even realize what was happening until she saw the ring. That's what it feels like to work with Derrick Saint Pierre. It's all laughter and jokes, and then in like a week's time, you get a file emailed with the illest video you ever seen. If you want someone easy to work with who delivers top notch results, rock with him.
Wedding Makeup Artist
99.9% of the time, Amanda doesn't wear makeup at all, and for our wedding, she was big on having a natural look. Makeupyourlifeny took those notes and delivered some show stopping results. With just a photo to work with, Lorrie and Jade created a nice golden bronze look that worked perfectly with Manda's skin tone. They also did a few family members makeup on the day of, and not only did they have all of their faces beat (To the Godsss!) but they also made everyone feel comfortable.
Wedding Cake
Maya Hammond is another friend who I've known since we were kids and from a distance, I've watched her grow an amazing bakery business in M. Divine Delights. Years ago, she catered an event for my older brother and his wife, and her cake jars were an absolute hit. Naturally, when it was my time to tie the knot, she was at the tippy top of my list for the Wedding cake. We had the honor of being her first official wedding, and the red velvet cake she whipped up was a smash. But it wasn't just the day of that was dope. The cake tasting event she prepared for us, the story about how she got into baking in the first place (Shout out Grandma's recipe), it all added to the experience of working with her.
For the sake of this article's length, we won't be sharing all of our wedding vendors, but keep an eye on my wife's blog for a more in depth overview of the wedding. And now, back to honeymooning.....