Former best friends Genesis Draper and Brandon Leonard fell in love at the University of Texas in Austin. The Lone Star State residents headed back to their meeting grounds to tie the knot on March 28, 2010. Share their love.
Francis Joseph
02
It’s Got To Be M.A.C.
M.A.C. makeup artist Vannessa Rosales created the wedding day beauty looks for Genesis, her bridesmaids and the bride and groom’s mothers.
Francis Joseph
03
Hold Tight
Genesis’ dreadlocks were pulled into an up-do at Zayd’s Naturally Natural salon in Houston a few days before the wedding. “She gave me an updo that would hold up through the 5k I ran with wedding guests the day before the wedding,” Genesis says.
Francis Joseph
04
Anticipation
“Leading up to the wedding I really wasn’t nervous,” Brandon says. “That day as we got closer and closer to the realization of everything, I got nervous. But it was a good kind of nervous. I was really excited.”
Francis Joseph
05
Get Yourself Together
Brandon buttons up and adds the finishing touches to his wedding ensemble.
Francis Joseph
06
You’re The One
Genesis’ wedding gown was the first dress that she tried on at Ann Barge in Atlanta. “I tried on some other gowns but I didn’t like them as much as I liked this dress.”
Francis Joseph
07
Fun Flats
“I wanted shoes that were comfortable and chic,” Genesis of choosing these satin and studded flats to walk down the aisle in.
Francis Joseph
08
Everything I Could Ever Want
“He’s very family-oriented, very ambitious and very nice,” Genesis says of her new husband.
Francis Joseph
09
Real Texas Wedding
“Texans really do wear cowboy hats,” Genesis explains.
Francis Joseph
10
Just The Guys
“Brandon is everybody’s friend,” Genesis stresses. “He gets along with everybody.”
Brandon and his groomsmen have been friends since high school. “Going off is what they do best,” Genesis says.
Francis Joseph
11
Sister Time
Genesis took some time out to share a smile with her two sisters, who were her bridesmaids.
Francis Joseph
12
Going To The Chapel
Genesis was ecstatic when she found the Chapel Dulcinea in the hills of Austin. The Chapel was built to host weddings and is free to couples. The bride and groom donated their deposit to help with the upkeep of the grounds.
Francis Joseph
13
Sleepy-Head
Here Genesis and Brandon’s nephew is wide-eyed, but during the ceremony, he caught some major shut-eye.
Francis Joseph
14
Shady Ladies
“We opted for a small wedding party,” Genesis explains. " My sister and his sister were my bridesmaids. I allowed them to pick any dress they wanted and just asked that they pick different shades of purple."
Francis Joseph
15
Pray For Me
“As we were walking towards the aisle my dad said a prayer,” Genesis remembers. “He’s a very spiritual person and I just knew he wouldn’t forget to do that.”
Francis Joseph
16
Eyes Shut and Heads Bowed
The wedding ceremony began with a prayer.
Francis Joseph
17
Remembering Everyone
A libation ceremony — performed by Genesis’ mother — honored close friends and family who had passed away.
Francis Joseph
18
Write It Down
“We wrote our own vows, but we said the same thing,” Genesis explained. “Weeks before the wedding we separately wrote down things that we felt we couldn’t live without. Then we sat down and wrote our vows together incorporating those things.”
Francis Joseph
19
Smooches
Genesis and Brandon share their first kiss as husband and wife.
Francis Joseph
20
You Can Ring My Bell
The newlyweds ring the chapel bell to commemorate their new union.
Francis Joseph
21
The Good Girl
“She’s a beautiful girl and she’s just a great person,” Brandon says of his new wife, Genesis. “She’s always fun to be around and she has a great smile.”
Francis Joseph
22
Pretty Woman
“She was more gorgeous than I expected,” Brandon says of seeing his bride on their wedding day.
Francis Joseph
23
My Guy
“All the things that I thought that I wanted in a guy, he has,” Genesis muses about Brandon.
Francis Joseph
24
The Little People
“Our wedding was relatively small and intimate, attended by those who mean the most to us, all the way down to the little ones,” the bride says.
Francis Joseph
25
Family Style Gathering
Guests headed to the Trattoria Lisina at the Mandola Estate Winery in Driftwood, Texas for an intimate wedding reception.
Francis Joseph
26
Cheers To You
Brandon’s mother toasted to the newlyweds for a life filled with major milestones and happiness.
Francis Joseph
27
Our Contribution
“We’re looking forward to creating our own legacy,” Genesis says. “My parents have been very impactful on their community. We have some huge shoes to fill, but it’s exciting.”
Francis Joseph
28
Sweet As A Rose
Genesis and Brandon ordered their wedding kale from 1886 Bakery in Austin’s Driskill Hotel. The light purple roses add a naturally beautiful touch.
Francis Joseph
29
Got the Giggles
When it was time for Genesis and Brandon to feed each other, the couldn’t stop laughing. “Our younger cousins were standing right behind us giggling in anticipation that we were going to kiss,” Genesis explains.
Francis Joseph
30
Circle of Love
Genesis’ girls from Spelman University, where she earned her undergraduate degree, serenaded the new wife with the Spelman Hymn.
Francis Joseph
31
Heads Up
Genesis and Brandon did not have all the traditional activities at their wedding, but they made sure they included the bouquet and garter belt tosses.
Francis Joseph
32
Barack and Michelle Moment
“This picture is our ode to the Obamas,” Genesis explains. “I asked the photographer to try and recreate the shot from the famous Obama wedding photo.”
Francis Joseph
33
The Winners
“It just felt so right,” Brandon reflects. “I knew I had something really special. It felt like I won the lottery.”