Maria and Andregus became friends their freshman year at Fayetteville State University, but lost touch shortly after graduation. Thankfully, Love gave them another chance. When they reunited at homecoming, sparks began to fly. Now they’re happily wed and lovin’ it. See their romantic “I dos!”
“Like most brides, I watched Say Yes to the Dress religiously,” says Maria. “When I first laid eyes on the Maggie Sottero Jalissa gown, I fell in love with it and knew it was going to be my wedding gown.”
“It’s true when they say you will know when you find your perfect gown,” says the beaming bride.
“I wore Badgley Mischka satin pumps with a glamorous rhinestone decoration at the toe,” Maria tells us.
“When I tried on my gown, I knew that this was the one,” says Maria. “No other gown made me feel as beautiful as this gown. I got a custom made belt to make it all come together.”
“It felt amazing to be a bride,” Maria shares. “I kept thinking that in a few hours I was going to be Mrs. Holmes. My bridesmaids kept telling me that I was a little too calm for their liking. I just couldn’t wait to see my handsome husband standing and waiting for me at the altar.”
“She is my biggest supporter and motivates me daily,” Andregus tells us of his lovely bride Maria.
“The bridesmaid’s dresses were Jasmine Bridal Belsoie gowns,: says Maria. “I wanted a style that was similar to my wedding gown, which had an asymmetrical neckline.”
“My father and I did a father/daughter first look,” Maria shares. We love this modern spin on a tradition ususally reserved for the bride and groom.
“The idea of having the way my father looked at me the first time he saw me in my gown, as a picture, is priceless. That moment in time is something I will always cherish. After all, he is the first man I ever loved.”
“Everyone is still raving about my bridal portraits,” says Maria. She tapped Joy Randall of Flawless Makeup Art to create her stunning bridal beauty look for the day.
“It was a wonderful feeling being a groom,” says Andregus. “It was almost surreal. I couldn’t believe that the special day was here. The year of planning was stressful at times but it went by so fast.”
Andregus and his loyal groomsman wore gray Stephen Geoffrey tuxedos.
“I felt very blessed to marry my best friend,” says Andregus. “I only wish our mothers could have physically been there to witness it but I know they were both there with us in spirit.”
The flower girls were the bride’s goddaughter, Jayda, and the groom’s goddaughter, Kaiya.
We can never get enough of these adorable wedding signs. They keep getting cuter and cuter!
“My father walked me down the aisle,” says Maria. “We have always been close and I couldn’t imagine not having him to walk me down the aisle. Yes, I’m a daddy’s girl!”
“It felt great looking into her eyes,” says the groom. “It took a lot to hold it together. Looking into her eyes was the point in which I almost got emotional. I felt a great amount of joy and jubilation; I could also see the happiness in her face.”
“One of our favorite wedding pictures is the picture of us at the altar praying with Rev Coe,” shares the bride. “It is a powerful picture and signifies that God, prayer and faith must be present in our marriage for it to succeed.”
“We did not write our own vows,” says the bride. “We followed a traditional ceremony that our officiate performed and incorporated key scriptures that we felt spoke to us as a couple.”
The couple lit a unity candle to signify the joining of their families.
They sealed the deal with a romantic kiss at the altar.
Meet Mr. and Mrs. Holmes!
“I said yes because he is the total package,” says Maria.
“I realized he was the one when all I could think about throughout my day was him,” Maria shares with us. “The thought of him would bring a smile to my face. I loved being in his presence and he made me feel secure and content. We truly became great friends and that set the foundation to our relationship.”
“I knew she was the one when not a day went by that I didn’t think of her and couldn’t wait to talk to her,” says the groom. “Since we reconnected on Myspace in 2008, not a single day has gone by that we haven’t either talked or texted with one another.”
“He’s a protector, provider and God-fearing man,” says Maria. “I knew he was made just for me.”
What a gorgeous group. We love to see a bridal party portrait just radiating with joy and style.
“Our reception site, CenterStage @ NoDa, housed a barrel roof and elegant open space that allowed us to decorate however we wanted,” Maria explains. “It was basically an open canvas, which I loved.”
“Andregus and I came out to Pharrel’s ‘Happy’ song,” says the bride of their big entrance. “It was very appropriate at the time because that was one of the happiest days of our lives.”
“We danced our first dance to Dave Hollister ‘Forever,’” says Maria. “I have to credit my husband for selecting our first dance song. He’s an all-around music lover, especially R&B, so he selected this song because it spoke volumes of our love for one another.”
The couple’s decadent wedding cake was fit for a king and queen.
The couple’s breathtaking wedding cake left us longing for a bite.
“Andregus and I reside in Knoxville, Tennesse and were planning a wedding in Charlotte,” Maria explains. “I immediately knew that we would need help with planning and coordinating our wedding. We gave the job to Kelly Martin of Head Over Heels. At our first consultation we hit it off right away. She was everything we needed in a wedding planner.”
“Andregus is a member of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. and I am a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.,” says Maria. “When members of our organizations sung our hymns we felt a sense of unity and pride.”
The crowd was entertained and enjoyed the “show” Andregus and his Omega brothers put on when their song “Atomic Dog” played.
The happy couple and their guests partied all night long with a little help from DJ Pyro of queen city weddings.
Join us as we wish Maria and Andregus nothing but the best. Want to see your wedding featured? Email us now.
