• Celebrity
    • Of The Essence
    • Celebrity News
    • If Not For My Girls
    • The State Of R&B
    • Time Of Essence
  • Fashion
    • 2023 Best In Black Fashion Awards
    • 2023 Fashion House
    • Red Carpet
    • Fashion News
    • Accessories
  • Beauty
    • Girls United: Beautiful Possibilities
    • 2023 Best In Black Beauty
    • Skin
    • Makeup
    • Nails
    • Hair
  • Lifestyle
    • Love
    • Parenting
    • Relationships
    • Bridal Bliss
    • Lifestyle News
    • Health & Wellness
    • ESSENCE Eats
    • Travel
    • Food & Drink
  • Entrepreneurship
    • Money & Career
  • News
    • Latest News
    • Paint The Polls Black
    • Culture
    • Politics
  • Shopping
  • Video
  • Events
    • 2023 Fashion House
    • 2023 ESSENCE Festival Of Culture
    • 2023 Wellness House
    • 2023 Black Women In Hollywood
    • 2023 ESSENCE Film Festival
    • 2023 HOLLYWOOD HOUSE
  • Studios
  • Girls United

WHERE BLACK CULTURE, COMMUNITY AND CONSCIOUSNESS MEET

Sign up for ESSENCE Newsletters the keep the Black women at the forefront of conversation.

Your email is required.
Your email is in invalid format.
Confirm email is required.
Email did not match.
Select the newsletters you'd like to receive:
Please select at least one option.
By clicking Subscribe Now, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Skip to content
SUBSCRIBE
  • MAGAZINE
  • NEWSLETTER
  • Celebrity
    • Of The Essence
    • Celebrity News
    • If Not For My Girls
    • The State Of R&B
    • Time Of Essence
  • Fashion
    • 2023 Best In Black Fashion Awards
    • 2023 Fashion House
    • Red Carpet
    • Fashion News
    • Accessories
  • Beauty
    • Girls United: Beautiful Possibilities
    • 2023 Best In Black Beauty
    • Skin
    • Makeup
    • Nails
    • Hair
      • Hair News
      • Natural
      • Relaxed
      • Transitioning
      • Weave
      • 4C
  • Lifestyle
    • Love
    • Parenting
    • Relationships
    • Bridal Bliss
    • Lifestyle News
    • Health & Wellness
    • ESSENCE Eats
    • Travel
    • Food & Drink
  • Entrepreneurship
    • Money & Career
  • News
    • Latest News
    • Paint The Polls Black
    • Culture
    • Politics
  • Shopping
  • Video
  • Events
    • 2023 Fashion House
    • 2023 ESSENCE Festival Of Culture
    • 2023 Wellness House
    • 2023 Black Women In Hollywood
    • 2023 ESSENCE Film Festival
    • 2023 HOLLYWOOD HOUSE
  • Studios
  • Girls United
Home · Love & Sex

Just Engaged: Have Faith In Love

"I can’t wait to wake up to his sweet face every morning," says beaming bride-to-be Jennifer, who met her fiance Shawn through a Christian organization. "I can’t wait to grow old with him!" We celebrate their love!
Just Engaged: Have Faith In Love
Asa Pressley Photography
By Charli Penn · Updated October 27, 2020

The Lucky Lady: Jennifer Richardson, 32, Owner of RecessionistasCloset.com

Her Leading Man: Shawn Spears, 42, Entrepreneur

The Big Day: July 20, 2014

Wedding Location: Atlanta, GA


Where and how did you meet your man?
We initially met through a Christian organization. We started out emailing and having extensive phone conversations to get to know each other before having our first date. 

Were you looking for love at the time?
At the beginning of 2013 the Lord told me that I would meet my husband that year. He told me to write a list of the qualities that I wanted in a husband and to just trust Him. So I wasn’t looking, but I was waiting on love to find me.

What was your first impression of him?
I was very impressed with his passion for Christ and his transparency. By the end of the first week of knowing each other, I felt as if I knew his whole life story. I admired his courage to tell me the truth about his past.

What do you do for fun together?
We are both foodies, so we are definitely at someone’s restaurant on any given Saturday. We go to the movies and concerts and we love Sweet Georgia Juke Joint – the best combination of good food and live music. 

Best vacation yet?
Our first vacation will be our honeymoon. Since we are in an abstinent relationship, we believe in setting boundaries and one of those boundaries are no romantic getaways until we are married.

Sweetest thing he has ever done for you?
I was in a car accident last September and I totaled my car. He canceled all of his meetings and was with me the entire day. He insisted on taking me to the hospital to get checked out even though I told him nothing was broken. He also made sure that I had a rental car and everything that I needed. I knew from that day that he would take good care of me for the rest of my life. I have so much security in Shawn.

How long did you date before you got engaged?
We courted for a little over six months before he proposed. What I’ve learned is that a man of vision does not have to take several years to propose.

How did he pop the question?
He told me that he was taking me to an event that one of his clients was having. We arrive at Aria restaurant and Shawn starts talking to the hostess. Meanwhile I was looking around the restaurant trying to figure out where the event was because all I saw were people at tables having dinner. The hostess escorted us down a dark stairwell. I still had no clue what was about to happen. We entered into a wine cellar. There were candles lit everywhere. I walked in and saw my best friend of 20 years and her husband sitting at the table and another friend holding a camera. That is when I knew it was about to go down! Jamie Foxx’s song “The Day I Married My Angel” was playing in the background. Shawn got down on one knee and uttered the words that I’ve been dreaming about my entire life: “Will you marry me.”

Photos: Asa Pressley Photography

COMPANY INFORMATION
  • Our Company
  • Customer Service
  • Essence Ventures
  • Change Your Address
  • Contact Us
  • Job Opportunities
  • Internships
  • Media Kit
  • tag
SUBSCRIBE
  • Newsletters
  • Give a Gift of ESSENCE
  • Magazine Tablet Edition
FOLLOW US
MORE ON ESSENCE
  • Home
  • Love
  • Celebrity
  • Beauty
  • Hair
  • Fashion
  • ESSENCE festival

ESSENCE.com is part of ESSENCE Communications, Inc.

Essence may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.

©2023 ESSENCE Communications Inc. All Rights Reserved. | Privacy Policy | Terms of Use | Essence.com Advertising Terms

Get The ESSENCE Newsletter and
Special Offers delivered to your inbox

By clicking Sign Up, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.

Get The ESSENCE Magazine
by subscribing below
subscribe now