• Celebrity
    • Of The Essence
    • Celebrity News
    • If Not For My Girls
    • The State Of R&B
    • Time Of Essence
  • Fashion
    • 2023 Best In Black Fashion Awards
    • 2023 Fashion House
    • Red Carpet
    • Fashion News
    • Accessories
  • Beauty
    • Girls United: Beautiful Possibilities
    • 2023 Best In Black Beauty
    • Skin
    • Makeup
    • Nails
    • Hair
  • Lifestyle
    • Love
    • Parenting
    • Relationships
    • Bridal Bliss
    • Lifestyle News
    • Health & Wellness
    • ESSENCE Eats
    • Travel
    • Food & Drink
  • Entrepreneurship
    • Money & Career
  • News
    • Latest News
    • Paint The Polls Black
    • Culture
    • Politics
  • Shopping
  • Video
  • Events
    • 2023 Fashion House
    • 2023 ESSENCE Festival Of Culture
    • 2023 Wellness House
    • 2023 Black Women In Hollywood
    • 2023 ESSENCE Film Festival
    • 2023 HOLLYWOOD HOUSE
  • Studios
  • Girls United

WHERE BLACK CULTURE, COMMUNITY AND CONSCIOUSNESS MEET

Sign up for ESSENCE Newsletters the keep the Black women at the forefront of conversation.

Your email is required.
Your email is in invalid format.
Confirm email is required.
Email did not match.
Select the newsletters you'd like to receive:
Please select at least one option.
By clicking Subscribe Now, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Skip to content
SUBSCRIBE
  • MAGAZINE
  • NEWSLETTER
  • Celebrity
    • Of The Essence
    • Celebrity News
    • If Not For My Girls
    • The State Of R&B
    • Time Of Essence
  • Fashion
    • 2023 Best In Black Fashion Awards
    • 2023 Fashion House
    • Red Carpet
    • Fashion News
    • Accessories
  • Beauty
    • Girls United: Beautiful Possibilities
    • 2023 Best In Black Beauty
    • Skin
    • Makeup
    • Nails
    • Hair
      • Hair News
      • Natural
      • Relaxed
      • Transitioning
      • Weave
      • 4C
  • Lifestyle
    • Love
    • Parenting
    • Relationships
    • Bridal Bliss
    • Lifestyle News
    • Health & Wellness
    • ESSENCE Eats
    • Travel
    • Food & Drink
  • Entrepreneurship
    • Money & Career
  • News
    • Latest News
    • Paint The Polls Black
    • Culture
    • Politics
  • Shopping
  • Video
  • Events
    • 2023 Fashion House
    • 2023 ESSENCE Festival Of Culture
    • 2023 Wellness House
    • 2023 Black Women In Hollywood
    • 2023 ESSENCE Film Festival
    • 2023 HOLLYWOOD HOUSE
  • Studios
  • Girls United
Home · Weddings

Bridal Bliss: My One True Love

On her first day of high school, a mutual pal introduced Kristen to Jermaine. He’s kept her smiling and happy ever since. Now, the man she called “boyfriend” for nearly 10 years is officially her “husband.” Share their love!
Bridal Bliss: My One True Love
Project Duo Photography
By Charli Penn · Updated October 28, 2020

Bride: Kristen White, 25, Corporate Meeting Planner

Groom: Jermaine Gardner, 28, CEO of JG Painting

Married On: September 1, 2012

Wedding Location: Che’ne Rouge, Hiram, GA

Wedding Style: Traditional Elegance

Love Of My Life
“A mutual friend introduced Jermaine and I on the first day of my freshman year of high school,” beaming bride Kristen recalls. “And, he has kept me laughing ever since.” Although their relationship began on a more friendly note, things quickly escalated from cute, crush-mode to a full-blown courtship. Jermaine was a high school senior when they met, so it took her parents a little while to get used to the idea. But, eventually, even they could see that what Kristen and Jermaine shared was real. Once they made it official, they never looked back. Even though Jermaine graduated three years before Kristen did, and they both attended different colleges, the one thing that never changed was just how deeply committed they were to one another. “It seems as if each year only brought us closer,” says Kristen.

A Change of Plans
Kristen would be lying if she said she didn’t know Jermaine planned to make her his wife one day—they’d gone ring shopping together and discussed marriage quite often—but she had no clue when he planned to pop the question, so he was still able to catch her by surprise. One evening, after a romantic dinner for two, they went back to her place to change for a fun night out on the town. When she opened her bedroom door, the entire room was filled with roses and candles. (He had slipped his sister his spare key in advance so she could sneak in and set up for him!) “As soon as I saw everything, I knew what was about to happen, and I just couldn’t stop smiling,” Kristen recalls. “It was a long time coming—we’d been together nine years! I was so happy that I just wrapped my arms around him, started crying and kept saying, ‘Of course I will!’” Fourteen months later, the day they’d boh anxiously awaited for so long finally arrived, and it was absolutely perfect. Share their love!

Photos: Project Duo Photography

COMPANY INFORMATION
  • Our Company
  • Customer Service
  • Essence Ventures
  • Change Your Address
  • Contact Us
  • Job Opportunities
  • Internships
  • Media Kit
  • tag
SUBSCRIBE
  • Newsletters
  • Give a Gift of ESSENCE
  • Magazine Tablet Edition
FOLLOW US
MORE ON ESSENCE
  • Home
  • Love
  • Celebrity
  • Beauty
  • Hair
  • Fashion
  • ESSENCE festival

ESSENCE.com is part of ESSENCE Communications, Inc.

Essence may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.

©2023 ESSENCE Communications Inc. All Rights Reserved. | Privacy Policy | Terms of Use | Essence.com Advertising Terms

Get The ESSENCE Newsletter and
Special Offers delivered to your inbox

By clicking Sign Up, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.

Get The ESSENCE Magazine
by subscribing below
subscribe now