In November 2017, Mia decided to give BlackPeopleMeet.com a try. A few days later, William discovered Mia’s profile and messaged her. “I appreciated the time and care that William put into his meaningful messages,” Mia says. “One night, I randomly picked up the phone to call William him our conversation lasted well over three hours. We instantly clicked and arranged a formal date the following week.”
Within their 18 months of dating, William was smitten by Mia and knew she had the potential to be his forever. True to their habit of surprising one another with random trips and experiences, William planned a seemingly sporadic but romantic sunrise proposal on a hot air balloon that blew Mia away.
Their upscale wedding was originally supposed to be filmed for a reality show. However, just a few days before the big day, their venue decided not to allow filming on their property. Mia and William had two choices: scramble to find a new wedding venue in 72 hours or lose out on the opportunity. They chose to follow their heart and pass up the show’s offer. “William and I [realized] circumstances are either God’s direction or protection,” says Mia.
Looking back, the couple is not only happy to have kept their original wedding plans but also that they successfully secured diverse vendors for their wedding. “We wanted our money to flow through the hands of those that understood us the most,” the couple told ESSENCE. “We’re proud that 99% of our vendors were of color.”
Scroll through the gallery for Mia and William’s gorgeous upscale North Carolina wedding.
Want to see your wedding featured in Bridal Bliss? Send your story and a link to your wedding photos to bridalbliss@essence.com for consideration.
02
Their Sunrise Proposal
A few months prior to the proposal, William nonchalantly asked Mia about her engagement ring preferences. "I mentioned that there was a designer in L.A. name Heidi Gibson who designed the most incredible engagement rings," she told ESSENCE. "William woke me up around 3am on June 30, 2019 with a request to watch the sunset. After driving an hour away, we arrived in an open field where a few men were inflating a hot air balloon. We then glided across the sky to greet the sunrise as close as humanly possible. Midway into the flight William shared our love story with the pilot then grabbed my hand while speaking from the heart about our time together before kneeling on one knee."
03
Bridal Style
Mia's sexy custom bridal robe was designed by Veronica Tabi.
04
New Year, New Us
William says he discovered Mia was the one on New Year's Eve 2017. "We went on a fireworks dinner cruise," he remembers. "After dating for only a month, I knew that I wanted to not only spend the New Year with her but every year after that."
05
Smile From The Heart
Mia's wedding day glam was only outdone by her smile!
06
Memories To Last A Lifetime
"Being a bride was a feeling that I’ll never forget," said Mia. "The love and support that surrounded us through our initial moments of husband and wife still makes me emotional."
Stanlo Photography
07
Ready For Forever
"As a traditional man with high standards, I believe I was destined to meet someone who wanted to experience the journey of life with me," says William. "I think one is always hopeful to find love when using dating apps, however I honestly did not expect to find a needle in an online haystack."
08
Look Up, Say Cheese
William caught a selfie with the bridesmaids before the start of the ceremony.
09
The Music Of Love
The first surprise of the night happened as Mia headed down the aisle. A 14-member flash mob choir wore all black and sat in the last two rows. The entire wedding party walked down the aisle to selections from a string quartet. When it was Mia's turn to walk down the aisle, the secret choir members began to sing Beyoncé’s “Dangerously in Love.
10
When I See You Smile
"Hearing our guests cheer in excitement as the doors opened for my descent down the aisle is a sound I’ll never forget," says Mia. "Also, seeing each other for the first time when we met in the middle of the aisle made us both cry."
Stanlo Photography
11
A Feeling Like None Other
Williams says, "being a groom was exciting because not only was I marrying the love of my life, but also because of the love, happiness and energy felt in the room as the closest people in our lives joined together to celebrate our union. It was a feeling that I’ll never forget."
12
Everlasting Love
Two pastors from Mia and William's family conducted readings during the ceremony. They also lit a unity candle during our ceremony to symbolize their eternal commitment.
Stanlo Photography
13
My One And Only
"William is my best friend and the epitome of love," says Mia. "He’s the most patient person that I know, and my soul is the calmest when we’re together."
14
Timeless Style
To match with the elegant theme of the night, Mia and William chose long black gown in varying styles for her bridesmaids and classic black tuxes for the groomsmen.
15
Clean And Fresh
"Not a big fan of color, I automatically knew that I wanted a monochromatic color scheme of ivory, champagne and gold for our big day," says Mia. "We also centered our theme around a custom gold monogram which added another classic and luxurious layer to our event."
16
Forever My Queen
"My screen name on the dating site was PrincessMia. William whispered in my ear during our first dance to Kem’s 'Heaven' that 'Princess Mia was finally a Queen.' I could do nothing but cry harder for my King was finally beside me." Awww!!
17
Let Us Eat Cake
The couple's spectacular all-white wedding cake was designed by Cake Couture Boutique, who appeared on season 2 of Netflix’s Sugar Rush. The multiple tiers were made of various flavors including red velvet, carrot cake, lemon chiffon and triple chocolate.
Stanlo Photography
18
The Switch Up
Mia slipped into an elegant sequined gown with a high slit for her reception look. William went for a classic all black suit.
Stanlo Photography
19
Mia's Advice To Brides
"Don’t be afraid to ask questions! We received astronomical quotes from some vendors before finalizing our team and had no problem pushing back or questioning what we were being charged for. Being honest with your event planner and having them advocate on your behalf is another bonus to having a skilled person heading your event."
20
Going Out With A Bang
"We knew we needed a spectacular way to end the night," the couple told ESSENCE. "Although the venue supplied sparklers as part of our package for guests to stand outside as we walked through the crowd, we knew that we could turn it up a notch. So we booked a helicopter as our getaway surprise."
Stanlo Photography
TOPICS: Weddings behind bridal bliss black weddings bridal Bridal Bliss love
