Newlyweds Rhona and Justin Taylor met in Washington D.C. during an internship with the Congressional Black Caucus. Six years later, they tied the knot in Downtown Detroit in a family affair that paid homage to Motor City.
The couple gave guests handkerchiefs with their wedding date on it and the quote “Love never fails,” from “1 Corinthians 13:8” printed on them by Sharee Taylor of TaylorMade Printing.
Rhona’s friend Carmen Harris and cousin Nicole Barrett handled the makeup for the event.
Rhona kept her wedding dress hanging on a custom made hanger that read her new last name.
Rhona stayed cool and calm on her wedding day, joking around with her bridesmaids.
The bride chose an up do with side swept bangs by hairstylist Sherry Strayhorn, based in Southfield, Michigan.
Justin’s bow tie, suspenders and patent leather shoes give his outfit a classic, old school twist.
Justin’s buddy tucks in his handkerchief and makes sure he looks sharp.
“He’s so humble and nice,” Rhona says of her husband, Justin. “He doesn’t say anything negative about anybody and he always sees the good in people.”
Rhona found the perfect black cocktail dresses for her bridesmaids at J. Crew. All the ladies wore black peep-toe pumps from Steve Madden.
The guys place their right hands in the center of a circle in preparation for a mighty cheer for Justin on his big day.
Rhona tucked a pair of fuchsia peep-toe pumps from Steve Madden underneath her wedding gown.
Rhona got her Demetrios strapless mermaid cut wedding gown with a sweetheart bodice at Formal Elegance in Columbus, Georgia.
Justin’s Uncle Doug was the pastor at the couple’s wedding. He asked everyone at the ceremony to offer one word about marriage and love to the husband and wife to be.
“‘Wow, this is it,’ I thought. ‘This is what we’ve been working for,’” Justin told us of watching his bride walk down the aisle. “It was a surreal moment. I was in a state of euphoria.”
During the ceremony, Rhona’s friend performed an interpretive dance to “Praise is What I Do” by Shekinah Glory Ministry.
Rhona slips the ring on her lover’s finger.
Rhona’s engagement ring is a micro pave Heirloom diamond band with a milgrain design and a one karat round brilliant cut diamond in the center.
Her wedding band also features a micro pave diamond band and Justin’s wedding ring is an 18-karat white gold milgrain design band.
Before sealing their love with a kiss, Rhona and Justin lit a unity candle.
“The Kiss was the culmination of everything,” Rhona said. “I held on to Justin so tight I. I didn’t want to let go.”
“After the wedding I was excited. I almost felt like I’d had enough,” Rhona admits. “I just wanted time to digest the ceremony.”
After the wedding everyone cheered in celebration of Rhona and Justin’s declaration of love.
Rhona and Justin’s parents come together to celebrate the union of their children.
“We’re both the first in our families to do a lot,” Rhona says. “I’m the first lawyer and he’s the first doctor.”
After the ceremony, the wedding party engaged in an impromptu photo shoot in Downtown Detroit.
“We wanted to do a nod to Detroit because Detroit gets such a bad rap.” Rhona explains. “There’s so much beauty and history there.”
“Detroit was happening that day,” Rhona laughs. “All the people who had something bad to say about Detroit didn’t have anything to say that day!”
Central United Methodist Church, where Justin and Rhona got married, was close to the Detroit Tigers stadium. Justin and his boys lined up under a giant Tiger statue for a photo op.
“This is nothing I could have imagined,” Rhona says of marital bliss.
“I’m a completely different woman,” Rhona says of how love changed her.
“Being around Rhona in D.C., I knew that she was likely going to be the person for me,” Justin admits of knowing Rhona was ‘the one’ from the beginning.
The gorgeous ceiling drapery design was created by Todd Hardiek of Colonial Events. He threw in the chandelier for a penny.
A candy station with yogurt covered pretzels and other treats allowed guests to satisfy their sweetest desires during the cocktail reception.
“We dreamt of this day for so long and it’s finally come intro fruition,” Justin says.
On the way to the reception the wedding party pops some bubbly to celebrate the newlyweds.
Justin and Rhona are so excited to finally be wed they can’t keep their hands off each other.
Rhona and Justin entered the reception hall in black and white screen sunglasses a la Kanye West.
Rhona and Justin’s reception featured a photo area where guests could don different props and say “Cheese!”
Rhona will forever be Justin’s “Senora.”
Justin and Rhona held each other close and danced to “The Point Of It All” by Anthony Hamilton for their first dance as husband and wife.
“The point of it all is just love,” Rhona sighs.
Rhona and her Delta Sigma Theta sorority sisters throw their diamonds in the sky.
Rhona and Justin took a hint from the new trend of alternative treats for weddings and went with cupcakes from Just Baked.
Justin’s looking forward to “Just being able to come home and know that she’ll be there and we can just relax in each other’s company.”
“We got each other’s back and that’s all we need,” Rhona rests assured.
Read more about Rhona and Justin’s love story on The Bride’s Cafe.
View more pics from Rhona and Justin’s wedding, at The Bride’s Cafe.
All photos by Melissa Squires of A Girl in Love Photography.
