When Evan came into Candice’s life in 2014, it was at a time when those around her were telling her she needed to prioritize looking for love in the same way she prioritized her work. Her colleagues and employees were so serious about it they threatened to make a Tinder profile for her, pushing her into action.
“Clearly they thought I needed a boyfriend,” she jokes, thinking back to her single days. At their behest, she set up an account, worked on her profile and was surprised to find that she immediately matched with Evan. Her first impression from their conversation was that he was nice. She also gleaned that he was “serious” about getting to know her, because he asked her to meet up with him for dinner. From there, sparks flew.
“When Evan walked into the restaurant, I immediately thought he was extremely handsome in person,” she says. “He had a classic grown man swag about him. From the minute we started talking at that restaurant I knew that we would be together and we have been together ever since.”
Evan also walked away from their first meeting knowing she was something special. As they went from dating to a serious relationship over the years, that feeling was affirmed.
“When I first met Candice, I was blown away by her positivity and encouraging ways,” he says. “I’ve never been so encouraged by someone to really show what I could do and [who] also enjoyed doing so many things with me. We laughed, traveled, dined, and enjoyed each other’s company. She encouraged and supported me in [ways] I never knew and I started to feel like we could do anything together. I loved our time together and time apart became harder and harder. That’s when I knew I found the one.”
After a proposal on a day that Candice now credits as the “best worst day of my life” (more on that later), the couple looked ahead to their future. Despite having to postpone their nuptials for an entire year due to COVID, they made their love official on July 5, 2021 in front of the family and friends they couldn’t imagine celebrating without the year prior. They said “I do” near the ocean in Atlantic City, New Jersey.
“Our wedding day was a dream,” she says in retrospect. “Every detail was perfect. It was more than I could ever ask for.”
Learn more about their love story and see the photos from their big day. The gallery includes dreamy shots next to the ocean, the bride’s epic outfit change, and the good time had by all as these two became one.
Want your wedding to be considered for feature in Bridal Bliss? Email us a few wedding photos and the story of your big day, with a few quotes, at bridalbliss@essence.com.
01
Before the Vows
A candid shot of Candice getting glammed up for her big day.
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02
The Groom and His Groomsman
Evan is pictured getting help putting on his very fancy paisley jacket as he prepares for the ceremony.
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03
The Bride’s Tribe
We just love this shot of Candice’s bridesmaids seeing her all just dressed up for the ceremony for the first time. We’re pretty sure a “Yaaaaas” was uttered by a few ladies.
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04
A Toast
The groom and his groomsmen toasted to Evan entering the next major chapter of his life and love story with Candice.
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05
When the Bride Knew She Found the One
“I knew Evan was going to be my husband after he nursed me back to health after tearing my ACL,” she says. “People know marriage vows to include ‘for better or worse, through sickness & health.’ Evan truly displayed that. He at the time was traveling up and down the east coast for a very demanding job. He stopped everything he was doing to ensure that I was taken care of. I knew then that we would get married.”
06
How the Groom Knew He’d Found the One
After feeling loved, supported and encouraged by Candice over the course of their relationship, Evan realized he couldn’t do without her.
“I loved our time together and each time apart became harder and harder and that’s when I knew I had found the one,” he says.
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07
The Proposal
Evan popped the question to Candice after an event she threw that just so happened to be chaotic. A concert she put on wasn’t going as planned and she was dealing with angry customers. Things went better with the after-party though, especially when Evan took the stage.
“All of a sudden I hear ‘Candice Davis please report to the stage!’ I thought to myself, ‘awwwww man what now?’ Little did I know my life would change. Evan began by holding my hand and telling the crowd, ‘I want to let you all know how special this lady is.’ I thought he was saying that because he knew everyone had been upset with me, but he went on to get on one knee and said, “and I would like to ask her to be my wife.” He pulled out a Tiffany box and handed me the microphone. I said ‘YES!’ Talk about turning lemons into lemonade. It was the best worst day of my life.”
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08
The Venue
The Jersey natives checked out multiple venues when searching for where they would tie the knot, but before they even started, Candice knew she wanted them to wed at One Atlantic Events in Atlantic City.
“It was exactly our style. Modern, chic, 360 views of the ocean, gourmet chef on staff…it was amazing,” she says. “Once we left seeing the space, Evan agreed that it was where we needed to get married. The next day we put down a deposit.”
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09
Winning Wardrobe
“After we locked in the venue we started talking wardrobe,” Candice says. “We weren’t going to have a theme but we knew everyone in the wedding had to have a ‘look.’ That is Evan’s department. He immediately started putting together mood boards of outfits for the groomsmen and bridesmaids. Then we landed on the blush pink and navy colors. We used those colors throughout all the décor. We coordinated those colors throughout the entire wedding.”
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10
In Memoriam
A sweet and sentimental idea, a few chairs during the ceremony were left open. On top of them were framed photos of loved ones who passed away, like Candice’s father.
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11
The Most Memorable Moment for the Groom
“I had been trying to distract myself all day, laughing and joking with my groomsmen, from the thought of seeing Candice walk down the aisle. I had seen so many videos of men breaking down at the sight of their bride. I didn’t know if that would happen to me. We didn’t do a first look so when she came down the aisle, it was the first time I saw her in her gown looking like the Queen that she is. The doors opened up and it seemed like time stopped for a minute. All I could see was my beautiful wife. I didn’t cry as she walked down the aisle but once I began to say my vows the tears just started to stream down my face. The joy that came over me in that moment was overwhelming.”
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12
The Bride’s Most Memorable Moment
It was writing her vows. Right before the wedding, she walked down the beach and reflected over the fact that the same place she was going to say “I do” was around the same place she got one of her first jobs.
“I looked over to the wedding venue and I just started to cry. It was such a full circle moment,” she says. “The girl who worked so hard making it to the top of her career that her employees forced her to slow down to find love, was marrying that man. I had thrown an event in my wedding venue early in my career fresh out of college. I thought to myself back then I would never be able to have a wedding in this place and that was the exact place I was getting married.
I sat down on the sand with the sun on my face, the sound of the ocean in the background and I wrote my vows to the love of my life. It was a moment that I wish I could live in forever.”
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13
Greeting Guests
The guests were very important to the couple, including Dr. Reverend James Lewis III, who married the couple. He was a best friend of Candice’s late father and she refers to him as her uncle.
“We were supposed to get married 7.5.20 but we postponed one full year to 7.5.21. We did that because I knew I needed the presence of my uncle and love of our family and friends to anoint our marriage. We could have easily gone to the courthouse but it would have not been as special.”
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14
This Takes the Cake
This cake was so fancy it got to show itself off on a swing stand.
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15
Ready for Forever
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16
The Second Look
Candice changed into this embellished ensemble for the reception.
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17
It’s a Party
Electric slide anyone?
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18
Life as Mr. and Mrs.
“As Evan would say, we were already married before the big fancy party,” Candice says. “I love married life. I enjoy coming home every day to someone I know has my back no matter what. Evan is my biggest blessing. I don’t what my life would look like without him in it. We continue to work on our businesses that we run and manage our Airbnb properties. We released our first book together, ‘It Starts With I Do: Our Wedding Journey’ on September 15. We will continue our podcast The Little Miss Entertainment Show and The Awesome Nobody Podcast. We look forward to traveling the world and starting a family some day soon!”
