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Home · Parenting

Baby Bliss: Inside Tanika Ray's Baby Brunch

TV host Tanika Ray celebrated the impending arrival of her baby girl with an intimate brunch in New York City. "I'm not a typical baby shower girl," she said. "I just wanted to have a room full of people that I adore and love." Take a look at her special day.
By Yolanda Sangweni · Updated October 27, 2020
01
Tanika Ray’s Baby Brunch

Proud parents-to-be, Tanika Ray and fiance, TV producer P. Frank Williams, have kept their relationships under the radar. “I’ve always been just private about all my stuff,” she says. “Funny, considering I get exposed to everybody else’s stuff and my stuff’s quiet.”

Baby Bliss: Inside Tanika Ray’s Baby Brunch
Michael Rowe
02
Tanika Ray’s Baby Brunch

Tanika’s friends Nikki Martin (left) and Melissa Dishell (far right) co-hosted the brunch. Amna Plummer Mays is a friend from Spelman.

Baby Bliss: Inside Tanika Ray’s Baby Brunch
Michael Rowe
03
Tanika Ray’s Baby Brunch

VH1’s Janell Snowden was there to celebrate Tanika’s baby bunch.

Baby Bliss: Inside Tanika Ray’s Baby Brunch
Michael Rowe
04
Tanika Ray’s Baby Brunch

Tanika says she has about 40 names mulling about in her head. “It’s a big thing to name a child.” she says. “[My baby’s] probably going to be nameless for the first day until I look at her in the eyes and I’m like, ‘okay, this is the name that fits.'”

Baby Bliss: Inside Tanika Ray’s Baby Brunch
Michael Rowe
05
Tanika Ray’s Baby Brunch

Guests were asked to write messages for “little nugget.”

Baby Bliss: Inside Tanika Ray’s Baby Brunch
Michael Rowe
06
Tanika Ray’s Baby Brunch

HGTV’s Danielle Colding and former ESSENCE fashion director Agnes Cammock celebrate Tanika’s baby brunch.

Baby Bliss: Inside Tanika Ray’s Baby Brunch
Michael Rowe
07
Tanika Ray’s Baby Brunch

Tanika’s girlfriends from Spelman College—Nicole Lee, Amna Plummer Mays, Nikki Martin, and Nia Phillips—flew in for the special day.

Baby Bliss: Inside Tanika Ray’s Baby Brunch
Michael Rowe
08
Tanika Ray’s Baby Brunch

“I’m not a typical baby shower girl,” says Tanika. “[My friends] knew I didn’t want any baby shower games. I just wanted to have a room full of people that I adore and love from the different walks of my life. It was like, ‘Tanika Ray, this is your life.'”

Baby Bliss: Inside Tanika Ray’s Baby Brunch
Michael Rowe
09
Tanika Ray’s Baby Brunch

Tanika and her friend, Bridget Lindsey.

Baby Bliss: Inside Tanika Ray’s Baby Brunch
10
Tanika Ray’s Baby Brunch

Guests enjoyed cocktails, and some mocktails for the mom-to-be.

Baby Bliss: Inside Tanika Ray’s Baby Brunch
Michael Rowe
11
Tanika Ray’s Baby Brunch

The glowing mom-to-be expects to meet her bundle of joy in June. Before then, she’s planning two more events for the baby, including a celebration with her godmothers.

Baby Bliss: Inside Tanika Ray’s Baby Brunch
Michael Rowe
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