Bridal Bliss: NBC News NOW Anchor Morgan Radford Wed David Williams In A Stunning Celebration In Colombia

By Victoria Uwumarogie · Updated January 13, 2022

There are songs that describe the types of love that people would cross oceans and walk a thousand miles for, but rarely do you actually find people who will travel near and far to secure the kind that, cliché as it may sound, goes the distance. For David Williams, ever since he met NBC News NOW anchor Morgan Radford in a dining hall at Harvard in 2006, he knew she was special and pursued her with that in mind.

“We met in the Eliot House dining hall at Harvard University in 2006 when David was a senior and I was a sophomore. He asked to interview me for his senior college paper – a move, in retrospect, that was smoother than he gave himself credit for at the time,” she tells ESSENCE. That move would spark a significant friendship between the pair, but initially, nothing more because David had at one time dated one of her college friends. They stayed in touch after graduating and would connect far from their Cambridge, Massachusetts beginnings. David would meet up with her in locations, including South Africa, Detroit and New York City, when their work and travels would bring them to the same places. It wasn’t until 2017 though, in London, that Morgan stopped looking at him as a friend.

“In 2017, a mutual friend invited us both to attend a conference hosted by the Academy of Achievement at Claridge’s Hotel in London. David, then based in Detroit, realized this might be his last opportunity to elevate our friendship to something more,” Morgan recalls. “When I saw David at the conference, I called one of my closest friends back in the U.S. and told her that ‘David, my old friend from college,’ was all of a sudden looking like a ‘snack.'”

The two spent the week hanging out together in London, checking out lectures, and “sharing fish and chips.” It got real romantic.

“On the last day before the conference concluded, we shared our first kiss,” she adds. “When seeing me off to [my] cab to the airport, David asked me if I would be in New York in two weeks. Surprised, I asked if he had plans to be in the city at that time. He told me that if I said ‘yes,’ he would. He kept that promise – and every one he has ever made since.”

The friendship finally sprouted into love after that, and by 2019, David was ready to make things official. He asked for her hand in marriage in front of both of their families on Thanksgiving. And while the pair planned to wed in May of 2020, COVID rearranged their plans. Two years after he proposed, the couple made it down the aisle on January 8, 2022. And in true Morgan and David fashion, the Harlem residents were in a foreign place. They had vaccinated and tested guests meet them in Cartagena, Colombia where they said “I do,” safely, in the great outdoors. After the delays, cancellations and changed venues, they became husband and wife. “It was a long time coming,” Morgan says — and certainly worth the wait.

See a few photos from the couple’s big day, find out how they were able to honor their unique cultures and hear more of their love story — including what the future holds for them, in this week’s Bridal Bliss.

01

Wedding Planning

“We initially had our wedding planned for May 2020. We were so concerned with everything happening in the world – and making sure our families, colleagues, and friends were safe – that worrying about rescheduling a wedding then felt so insignificant. But we were certainly disappointed to have to postpone such a significant milestone in our lives – one that we were so excited to start after reconnecting 11 years after we initially met!” Morgan says. “That is partly what made this weekend extra special; the fact that it was such a long time coming. Through changed venues, wedding dates and several cancellations— we were finally able to celebrate thanks to vaccines, masks, boosters, on-site testing, complete venue privatization and open-air events in a country that has done a commendable job keeping COVID rates down and testing high. We owe our deepest gratitude to the scientists who made intimate gatherings like this worth the wait.”

02

Honoring Their Cultures

“My father’s family emigrated to the U.S. from Cuba and Jamaica – and David’s father is from Nigeria. We wanted to choose a location that celebrated the richness of the diaspora, and what better place than Cartagena de Las Indias, founded in 1533, a former Spanish colony that served as a key Caribbean port and became a major destination for enslaved Africans,” she says. “The region was a key site of African resistance to slavery and is defined by its rich, multiracial history.” She adds, “All of the wedding festivities took place inside Cartagena’s colonial walled city, which has been named a UNESCO World Heritage Site – including our host hotel, the Hotel Charleston Santa Teresa, a historic, beautiful 17th century building that formerly served as a convent.”

03

Their Favorite Moments

For David, it was the welcome event, or “pre-boda,” for guests the night before the wedding that incorporated elements of a traditional Nigerian (Yoruba) engagement ceremony. “It is very important in our culture that the groom formally and publicly shows respect to the bride’s family before marrying. These Yoruba events are always very colorful and are meant to entertain,” he says. “Some of my closest friends and I put together a dance routine to ‘prove our worthiness’ to Morgan’s family. To do so, we had hats and outfits specially made and delivered from Nigeria for the festivities. My closest friends helped me dance our way to Morgan’s family, lay at their feet, and ask for their daughter’s hand in marriage. It was a great way to kick off the weekend and our guests really enjoyed getting a glimpse into our culture.” For Morgan, there were a few things, but one of the most notable was that she walked down the aisle with her whole family. “Walking down the aisle with my entire family was easily one of the most memorable and meaningful moments of the entire weekend,” she says. “The Kelly-Radfords are as close as it comes, and I wanted a statement of our symbolic unity and our family mantra: we enter as one.”

04

Their Hopes for the Future

“The thing I look forward to most is continuing to have the consistency that David already provides me,” Morgan says. “My life is an exciting choreography of flights, breaking news, travel – and no matter where I am in the world, I always know my place within it with David.” “I am looking forward to using this next step of our relationship to continue to grow our village,” David says. “Seeing all of our family and friends come together and become friends themselves was extremely powerful. I hope that the love Morgan and I have — and express — for each other can continue to bring others together, whether it is holidays with family in Detroit and Atlanta, dinners in Harlem, or parties in beautiful countries like Colombia.”

05

Expanding Their Family

“In terms of expanding our families, we both look forward to having kids one day. We want to teach them the lessons of community and inclusion that our families taught us,” Morgan says. “To that end, I am so happy I decided to freeze my eggs (live on air on “Today Show”!). It was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. I can continue to live my life according to the rhythm of my own heart – without the pressure of time or constraints when it comes to that big life decision. Admittedly, I was very nervous to freeze my eggs – and to share that story so publicly – right when we first began dating. But David encouraged me then, as he continues to encourage me with all of my dreams now. As a result, I’ve gotten continued peace and freedom; my fertility and family decisions can come at a pace that is right for us.”