Rachel and Kornelius Bascombe’s love story began at their college pep rally. Since then, a hallmark of their relationship has been the tendency to show each other love in a big way. It is one of the reasons their proposal went viral back in 2016.
Kornelius surprised Rachel under the pretense that they had been booked for a romantic couple’s photoshoot. The genius plan unfolded on a Los Angeles rooftop with a helicopter in the foreground. After taking a few flicks, Rachel got the surprise of her life in the form of Kornelius asking for her hand in marriage. It was romantic, thoughful and brought tears to their eyes as a mesmerized Rachel said, “yes!”
Fast forward to March 2019, the couple said “I Do” in a wedding ceremony that had just as much pizzaz and character as their proposal. The wedding took place at the Historic Mankin Mansion in Richmond Virginia, and was peppered with plenty of red carpet glam. The black and white color scheme was accented with hints of glamorous golds and romantic reds. Wedding planner Waverly Coleman helped the Bascombes achieve their desired aesthetic while keeping them on budget. Mission accomplished!
Scroll through the gallery for Kornelius and Rachel’s red carpet-themed wedding day.
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01
Meet The Bascombes
Bride: Rachel Jordan, Architect, 27
Groom: Kornelius Bascombe, Actor/Filmmaker, 30
Theme: Vanity Fair/Red Carpet
Venue: Historic Mankin Mansion, Richmond, VA
Photography: Suzanne Delawar Studios
Invitation Photography: Lois Narae Lee
Videography: PT (pt.mp4) for Chefski Films
Wedding Planner: Waverly Coleman (United We Function)
Wedding Dress: Lace and Liberty
Grooms Tux: Distinguished Gentlemen
Groom Bowtie: Well Groomed Man
Event Decor & Florals: Creative Touch Events
Neon signage: Sketch & Etch
Cake: Morsels
Catering: Champagne Taste Catering
Makeup: Victoria Dixon (@MakeupbyVictoria)
Hair: Dene’t (@hairbydenet)
Paperie: Digibuddah
Favors: Rescue Flats
Rentals: Party Perfect 804
Headpiece: USA Bride
Rings: Jewelry Concept
Photobooth: Endless Expressions Photobooth
DJ: DJ MDollaz
02
Fun, Relaxed and Ready To Get Hitched
"Based on all the wedding advice I received, I tried to enjoy every second of the day," Rachel said. "If I felt myself getting uneasy, I tried to remember to stay in the moment and not take any troubles too seriously."
03
From College Sweethearts To Life Partners
Kornelius remembers the defining moment he knew Rachel was the one. "We had been dating for 2 years. and long-distance at that! She passed up on a study abroad trip to Prague for one semester and came out to L.A. to study at USC so that she could be closer to me. It meant a lot to me for someone to redirect their life to build a stronger foundation with me."
04
A Crown Fit For A Queen
Rachel's diamond tiara is a show stopper.
05
On Top Of The World
"Being a groom was everything that I thought it would be," Kornelius tells ESSENCE. "It was so cool to have my best friends alongside me during the process. I’ve always wanted to get married and have my own family, so it felt so surreal to be experiencing our wedding. I was on top of the world."
06
Dressed To Impress
The stylish groom went for a fitted and exquisitely tailored tux. Well done!
07
The Love Is Real
The viral proposal garnered a lot of attention for the couple. Rachel says Kornelius's grand gesture is a representation of his "live out loud" character and unwavering love. "Kornelius is the type of person that goes above and beyond for someone," she tells ESSENCE. "His energy just lights up the room. It is the characteristic I admire about him. He shows me that level of love similar to the proposal every day. I am a very lucky woman."
08
When Two Become One
"We included a sand ceremony because we wanted to have something we could take home with us and remember the moment we symbolically joined together as one."
09
So Much Love
Kornelius became overwhelmed with emotion as he exchanged vows with the love of his life.
10
Full Circle Moment
At the end of the wedding ceremony, guests let off rose cannons as a nod to their viral proposal. Epic!
11
I Now Pronounce You...
Every moment of their wedding day was picture perfect.
12
Red Carpet Ready
"I wanted the bridesmaids to look like they just stepped off a red carpet at an awards show," Rachel says. "I referred to them as was trophies because I was so blessed to be surrounded by women who made me feel like a winner each and every day."
13
Made For Me
Instead of searching through bridal shops. Rachel chose to design her wedding dress from scratch. "It was probably the most enjoyable part of wedding planning for me. I started with choosing the silhouette, then the lace/materials, and finally custom details. Lace and Liberty did an amazing job executing my design."
14
In This Together
Kornelius told ESSENCE that he enjoyed the wedding planning process just as much as Rachel. "I think one of the misconceptions regarding weddings is that the groom is not as involved in the process or doesn’t care as much. I truly enjoyed planning our wedding, and doing it with my soon-to-be wife. We found so much joy in figuring out ways to make our wedding different and stand out, but on a budget!"
15
An Unforgettable Arrival
The highlight of the Bascombe's wedding reception was their big entrance accompanied by the Virginia State Union band. "All of the guests were surprised and went wild," the couple said.
16
All Of The Lights
One of the couple's favorite elements of the reception was the #BecomingBacombe neon sign etched into the flower wall. What a beautiful touch!
17
All That Glitters
The couple incorporated tons of gold elements into their wedding, from the invitations all the way to their wedding cake. Shine on, y'all!
18
A Night To Remember
Not even the fireworks could steal the shine from this beautiful couple.
19
Rachel's Advice To Brides
"Do things that will make you as a couple happy," Rachel says. "So many outsiders will provide input as to what you should add, or how much you should spend on something. As long as the couple who is getting married is happy, that’s what matters."
20
Good People, Good Vibes
"Our wedding was a ton of fun! We invited all the right people to our wedding. The energy that we captured on our wedding day, made it the best day of our lives."
