Bride: Dominique Isis Sharpton Bright
Groom: Dr. Marcus Alan Bright
The Big Day: October 15, 2017
Location: Queens, New York
Photographer: Kesha Lambert
Dominique was very emotional during her big day, especially when she saw her father, Reverend Al Sharpton, for the first time after getting all dressed up as a bride.
“My favorite memory was seeing my dad for the first time as a bride before walking down the aisle,” she said. “We both broke out into an almost uncontrollable cry and I didn’t want to let him go. We quickly got ourselves together and he placed my arm in his and proceeded to walk me towards the big double doors which led to the aisle down to the alter to meet my husband to be married. I realized then that I was actually stepping into a new responsibility and purpose and I was excited and frightened all at the same time but knew deep down that my dad and my family would always be there for me. I was thankful for that. For them. For life. For his blessing of marrying the man of my dreams. I knew I was meant to be where I was at that moment in that specific place and time and I was beautiful!”
“There was a jittery feeling that went through my body upon the announcement but then I was overexcited with joy! I still can’t believe I’m someone’s wife! I was thankful that our team was solidified in that moment of officially announcing us as Dr. & Mrs.”
“I realized my husband was “the one” very early on when he flew in to Niagara Falls for my now late grandmother’s 90th birthday,” recalled the bride. “He couldn’t make the entire weekend for work, but he flew in on Sunday morning to make it for church service and Sunday dinner just to meet my nana and show his love and support to be there for me with her. Of course my nana loved him instantly when she got to know him a little better, and I realized this man must be the one for me. He wanted to show me in such a special way how much he cared to be there with and for me, and how important family was to him. I was completely hooked from then. He returned to Niagara Falls a couple times after that and got to know my nana pretty well before she passed 2 years ago but I am glad to have known that she “approved” of Marcus and this union and wish her and my late paternal grandmother, who were both very influential women in my life, could have been there on Sunday to witness our union!”
As the oldest daughter of Al Sharpton and his estranged wife, Kathy Jordan Sharpton, the beaming bride and his firstborn shared a special moment on her wedding day as she and her groom became one.
Marcus was visiting New York City for a conference when he went to meet a friend for dinner at Sylvia’s Restaurant in Harlem. He ran late for the dinner but arrived just in time to catch Dominique before she got in a cab to head home. Dominique let Marcus know that she would be at a rally the next morning and he missed his flight back to Miami to attend the rally. Dominique gave Marcus her phone number and he called her from the airport. The rest is history.
“The best marriage advice I’ve received was to know that our relationship and marriage has to be controlled by us and communication is love and love sustains marriage,” said Dominique.
