NBA fans may know retired point guard Rajon Rondo for being a cerebral player, serious on the court, and, one might assume, off the court, too. His style of play is what led him to a championship with the Boston Celtics in 2008. But fashion designer LaToia Fitzgerald sees a completely different side of him, and it’s what made her fall in love with him.
“The first time we spoke on the phone, we talked for about four hours, and I just kept saying to myself, ‘This man is so funny!'” she tells ESSENCE, recalling a witty, charming Rajon. “He had me laughing the entire time.”
The two met in Atlanta while hanging out at the Lennox Mall. As she recalls, he asked to put his number in her phone, but her battery was dead. So the baller decided to get creative, or better yet, go old school.
“He had to write it on a piece of paper,” she says. “He told me to make sure that I didn’t lose it, and I listened.”
After sharing enough laughs and an undeniable chemistry over the phone and in person, she realized she’d found the man she couldn’t do without.
“I have never ever felt so much love for a person in my life. The way I feel about him is the same way I feel about my kids. I cannot imagine my life without him. The love is so deep that it’s scary,” she says emphatically. “The universe has always kept us connected. Through all of the trials and tribulations that life threw at us, our love for each other has never wavered.”
The feeling of adoration is mutual, hence the reason Rajon chose to put on a very public display to ask for her hand in marriage. He proposed to her in 2022 during New York Fashion Week, taking a knee as she walked out to take a bow during her Lionne fashion show in front of a packed room. In the video of the moment, LaToia appears stunned, but in retrospect, “It made sense for us,” she says. “He said he went back and forth on if he would propose at the runway show because he did not want to take away from the moment, but he is so heavily involved with that process, like he is taking meetings with our producers, fashion teams, that everyone who knows us was like, this was an incredible proposal.”
Since that moment, LaToia prepped and planned the wedding of her dreams. From the very beginning, it was always Italy for her, as she’d “longed” for the chance to tie the knot in the place known as “The beautiful country.”
“I started coming to Italy a lot, and I fell in love with its historic beauty,” she says. “This place is so rich in beauty and culture, and we wanted our loved ones to experience that.”
And so they made it happen, inviting a who’s who of family and famous friends to Lake Como, where they said “I do” on June 8 at the Villa Balbiano. And for an Italian ceremony, it only made sense for the bride to walk down the aisle in custom Dolce & Gabanna. The entire fashion house’s team was on hand to dress her for the special occasion. She wore a stunning lace gown with matching gloves and a cascading train.
“They flawlessly captured my vision of a vintage yet modern look,” she says. The venue’s exterior, including a massive glass marquee, was covered in stunning florals and crystals, courtesy of the genius of celebrated wedding designer, author, and love expert Diann Valentine. The TV personality knows plenty about Italy, as she was the host of Bravo’s dating series To Rome For Love. “Diann has impeccable taste, so we were just aligned when it came to a lot of our design ideas,” LaToia says.
The end result was an absolutely gorgeous celebration, from the couple’s daughter, Leo, being brought down the aisle in a carriage by big sister Ryelle, pink roses of different shades leading to the altar, and crystals dripping from the ceiling for the reception. When it was time to party, there was an outfit change into a glittering mini-dress (Dolce, of course!), with performances from Miguel, Jeezy, and fireworks to cap off an unforgettable day.
LaToia, who stayed in Europe after the ceremony with Rajon and loved ones to enjoy the beauty of an Italian summer, says the day was filled with joy and excitement, but that was just the beginning. There’s nothing more thrilling than what’s to come for her and the love of her life.
“I think for me I’m just excited about the endless possibilities for the both of us,” she says. “Both of us are each other’s biggest cheerleaders and always show up for each other in so many ways that I’m just excited to see us grow as individuals, but also as a couple.”
See images from their gorgeous celebration, and learn more about their love story and how they pulled off Lake Como’s wedding of the year in this week’s exclusive Bridal Bliss.
The stunning bride with Stefano Galli, the creative director of Dolce & Gabbana’s Alta Moda haute couture division. “The journey to finding the perfect dress began with the atelier showcasing an array of silhouettes, leading us to unanimously agree that the mermaid silhouette was the best choice for my body type. Although I initially considered an A-line dress, its silhouette made me appear shorter,” she says. “Once we decided on the mermaid shape, I chose a romantic center lace, something I had always dreamed of. This inspired the unique addition of a sneaker element. The appliqué was strategically placed for coverage, further enhancing the vintage feel.”
“The dress effortlessly blended vintage charm with the classic sweetheart neckline and contemporary style,” LaToia says. She’s pictured getting her beautiful veil placed as she prepared for the ceremony.
“We are each other’s person,” LaToia says of her husband, pictured with his groomsmen and loved ones. “I can wholeheartedly say that Rajon is my soulmate and I feel so secure with him. He is my safe space, I can talk and go to him about everything. He motivates and challenges me! We truly bring out the best in each other.”
The ceremony was a lakeside one, with the couple heading to an altar flanked by custom pink florals and their beloved guests at each side.
The couple’s daughters, Ryelle and Leo (their first child together), made an extra special entrance for the ceremony. Ryelle pulled her baby sister, who was sitting in a crystal adorned carriage. Crystals were a significant part of the day’s decor (which you can see on the umbrellas held by guests).
LaToia was escorted down the aisle by a very special young man in her life, her son Dillon, whom her children’s brand, Dillonger, is named after.
The couple’s wedding party stretched their hands over the couple as the ceremony began, helping to usher them into this next chapter by putting God first.
The lovebirds lock lips after exchanging vows and saying “I do”!
The NBA champion and his bride are presented officially as husband and wife, to the joy of their guests.
Diann’s doing, inside Villa Balbiano’s glass marquee, the room was filled with custom florals, a massive sparkling chandelier, and thousands of individual strands of Swarovski crystals hanging over the couple as they celebrated with guests at dinner.
Italy was always a must for LaToia as a wedding destination. Their chosen venue, Villa Balbiano, and its surrounding beauty certainly didn’t disappoint. “The architecture here is so romantic and timeless yet chic. We made the right decision,” she says.
The happy couple stood for portraits with their lovely wedding party. The florals and the mountains surrounding Lake Como were the perfect backdrop for their photo shoot.
As you can see, while the bride, groom and the flower girls wore white, the rest of the guests for their big day looked elegant in black.
After plenty of painstaking planning and preparation, LaToia and Rajon were ready to have a time and dance the night away.
While every guest there was a VIP, some public figures present included superstars like LA Clippers baller James Harden and rapper Travis Scott.
The flowers weren’t the only way that the delightful hue showed up during the couple’s celebration. The chandelier and strings of crystals above LaToia and Rajon’s sweetheart table, with the help of lighting, also turned pink, making the space feel even more romantic.
To really enjoy the night, the couple changed out of their ceremony fits into more comfortable, but still chic, looks in time to cut their cake.
In addition to a closer look at the details of LaToia’s dress (and super fun shoes), you can see some more of the decor in the glass marquee, as well as the absolute jubilation the pair felt as their love was celebrated.
LaToia and Rajon did their best two-step as Grammy-winning crooner Miguel serenaded them.
ATL made it to Italy as Jeezy took the stage to take the party up a notch.
“I’m so happy that we chose Diann as our wedding producer. Initially I had another wedding planner in mind, but Rajon was super adamant about working with someone who was African American and I’m so thankful that we did. Diann became a mother figure to us both,” LaToia says. “She was so patient with us throughout this entire process, being a soundboard for us both, especially during frustrating times when meeting with all types of vendors. Also Diann has impeccable taste, so we were just aligned when it came to a lot of our design ideas.”
What’s a celebration without fireworks? The newlyweds wouldn’t know, because they, along with guests, basked in the beauty of a fireworks show late in the evening.
Guests, including Aisha Hinds and Karrueche Tran, were in awe of the colorful display in the sky.
What’s next for the beautiful couple? “Having more children is definitely a priority,” LaToia says. “Seeing our blended family come together and love each other is one of the most precious things for me to witness. I would love to grow that.” She adds, “We have always been big travelers since the beginning so I want to continue traveling as a family and showing our children all that life has to offer. We’ve even discussed buying property in another country to have as a second home. But at the end of the day, I’m just so excited about the idea of us growing old together.”
