Shereé Whitfield may need to receive an award for being the best glam-mom ever. Recently, the reality television star introduced friends and family to her granddaughter, Mecca Joie Whitfield, who was born last July to Whitfield’s son Kairo, 27, and his girlfriend, Alina Baber, via a glamorous Sip & See event at her Chateau Sheree mansion.
To execute the lavish event, Whitfield partnered with Lance Devereux, founder of Charlotte, North Carolina-based event studio Designs by Devereux, to bring forth her vision. He opened up about their collaboration and event process on Instagram, “When Glamma @shereewhitfield said she wanted a fabulous and over-the-top celebration to introduce the world to baby @meccawhitfield_ , we knew we had to deliver just that! With @lancelamardevereux as planner and lead designer, it would surely be a luxury experience. A special thank you to every vendor partner who helped pull off this perfect affair. Stay tuned as we share all the fabulous details,” he stated.
Whitfield’s foyer was filled with light pink, tan, and brown balloons, beautiful flowers, teddy bears, and images of her granddaughter. When it came to the event’s decor, she knew she had to go all out. “I was thinking teddy bears and flowers and this big display you typically don’t see. I wanted to go above and beyond,” she told PEOPLE.
The Whitfield’s favorite touch was the ornately decorated carriage Mecca was brought out in. “We got a carriage and hand-placed each flower on there so that it came out beautiful,” she said.
She went on to tell PEOPLE she wanted the day to be extremely special for her granddaughter. “Becoming a new grandma, I just wanted that day to be so special,” Shereé told the outlet.. “I wanted it to be special for Mecca because her mom had some complications and couldn’t have a baby shower. I wanted this to be special for the baby, but also for her because she missed that.”
The portraits of the baby were another favorite amongst attendees, as they were designed to reflect the shift her birth has meant to the family. “I wanted you to understand the magnitude of our love as soon as you got out of your car. It was a huge moment walking in and bringing Mecca out. “I love the girls meeting Mecca because we all love each other. We may fight, but in the end, we’re always super happy for each other and they all knew how excited and happy I was to become a grandma,” Whitfield said.
Mecca’s arrival has made the family closer, and it was only right to host an intimate gathering celebrating her first birthday.
“I’m enjoying every little thing. Every time I see her, she’s doing something new, trying to say something new. It’s crazy how fast she’s developing and growing. She’s so alert and aware, she’s simply incredible.”
She continued, “Having her grandfather here and all of us coming together as a unit, I loved that moment,” she says. “It was so memorable.”
Whitfield added, “And it’s so incredible seeing Kairo with Mecca. I get very emotional talking about Kairo as a dad because he has come such a long way. He has stepped up in ways I didn’t expect him to have to so fast, and I get emotional because seeing the way he looks at Mecca and cares for her, and how she looks at him … he just put in that extra effort. I didn’t have the best relationship with my dad growing up so watching what it is to see this little girl following her dad around and him caring for her, it’s so pure, and I’m so happy he’s doing it.”
The Real Housewives of Atlanta airs Sundays at 8 p.m. ET on Bravo. You can catch the episode the next day on Peacock.