See photos from Brandi and Jason’s wedding »
Bride: Brandi Williams, 26
Groom: Jason Harris, 30
Occupation: Williams, member of R&B female trio BLAQUE; Harris, private club owner
Homebase: Atlanta
Wedding Date: May 23, 2009
Wedding Location: Lithonia, Georgia
Love at First Sight: Brandi Williams was too busy rushing to the restroom inside her stepfather’s house to notice his good friend Jay Harris on the couch. “I really had to go,” Williams says with a laugh. “I gave him a quick hello and kept it moving!” When Brandi finally slowed down to speak to Harris she was drawn to him, but ignored it because she was in a relationship. Mr. Harris, on the other hand, felt an instant connection. “I never believed that love at first sight existed until that moment,” he says. “But I knew right away she was The One.” Brandi quips: “Even though I was involved and would never cheat, I couldn’t get him off my mind.”
Take-Charge Proposal: Although Brandi and Jay have been together for nearly two-and-a-half years, the happy couple got engaged on Valentine’s Day in February 2007, only two months after dating. Jay flew to the ATL to pay Brandi a visit a day before Cupid was to strike and after spending V-Day being served breakfast in bed by his future wife-to-be he popped the question. Well, sort of: “I asked her, ‘Do you love me?’ she said, ‘Yes, of course.’ I asked, ‘Do you see us spending the rest of our lives together?’ She said, ‘Yes, of course.’ And then I showed her the ring and asked for her hand in marriage.” Brandi became one big ball of emotions, crying very hard before she could even respond. She somehow mustered a yes through the tears. “I knew I could love Jay forever and you only hope that the feeling is mutual,” says Brandi. “We committed to one another and also made a commitment to get to know each other better personally, but more importantly, in God.
The Ceremony: Brandi and Jay tied the knot before a host of family members and friends at the home of her uncle Bruce Williams in Lithonia, Georgia. As Brandi walked down a red carpet strewn with pink rose petals in a Nadine by Nadine Designs strapless off-white dress and veil, her dear friend Michael Keith of 112 serenaded her with the “Dreamgirls” smash “When I First Saw You,” while fellow Blaque group member Shamari DeVoe (wife of New Edition’s Ronnie DeVoe) served as her matron of honor. “Everything was beautiful,” Brandi says. “I have always wanted to be married and to be a mom, so I couldn’t be happier. Now, I just want to focus on being the perfect wife for him every day for the rest of our lives.”
Bridal Budget Bite: Fortunately, Brandi wasn’t above shopping at a chain retailer for her wedding shoes. “I got my shoes at the last minute at Bakers! They were so comfortable. I wore them all night,” admits Brandi with a laugh about her metallic strappy numbers. Bakers currently offers special occasion footwear for as low as $39.99.