The Only Bridal Lifestyle Magazine for the Black Bride and Black Groom
Power Couple Issue 2018
The Power of Love!
Why #BlackMarriagesMatter
Cedric & Shellye Lyons The Lyons Shop www.TheLyonsShop.com
“Why does my husband have Cancer?”
In a matter of months, Kathryn Watters’ world had been turned completely upside. Her once healthy and vibrant husband, Pastor Jeffrey Watters, had been diagnosed with cancer. She’d watched as other families had endured such tragedies, but never stopped to think that disease might one day knock on their door. Balancing her husband and children, an overbearing mother-in law, work and her position as First Lady begin to take their toll, and Kathryn turns to only help she knows. Timika S. Edwards 2017 Christian Literary Award Nominee
/TimikaSEdwards
healing
Watters Get Your Copy Today!
Our Staff Octavia Whitlowe
Shellye Lyons
Octavia Whitlowe is our inhouse beauty expert. She is a professional and celebrity makeup artist and she brings her wonderful talents to Our Weddings Magazine! She is coming onboard as our new creative director!
Shellye Lyons is the owner of Your Media Girl and she has been in business for more than 10 years revolutionizing the business industry with her innovative and one-of-a-kind ideas. Shellye can be reached at YourMediaGirl on Facebook.
Damian Johnson
Debbie Magee
Damian Johnson is the founder of Marriage is Real, an organization devoted to helping other couples build lasting, harmonious relationships! He embarked on his journey of providing marriage insight several years ago, when he created a blog entitled “Marriage is Real.” Since then, he and his wife Jamie, provide marriage coaching as well as daily inspiration utilizing social media platforms.
Debbie Magee is the owner of Fauxnomenal Flowers one of the premier vendor for Our Weddings Magazine and faux floral designers for weddings and events throughout the Dallas/Fort Worth areas. She has been gracing our pages with great advice. Check her out on Facebook as Fauxnomenal Flowers.
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Our Weddings Magazine would like to thank our contributing writers for this issue:
PUBLISHER: Ivy N. McQuain info@OurWeddingsMag.com
Debbie Latham Magee Fauxnomenal Flowers
GRAPHIC DESIGN: BLI Publishing info@BLIPublishing.com
Shellye Lyons Social Media Director Your Media Girl
CREATIVE DIRECTORS: Octavia Whitlowe info@OurWeddingsMagazine.com
Jade Ladson J. Ladson Weddings @jladsonweddings
COPY EDITING: BLI Publishing info@BLIPublishing.com
Octavia Whitlowe Creative Director For Beauty Sake
MAGAZINE LAYOUT: BLI Publishing
Damian Johnson Co-founder of Marriage Is Real RE/Max Real Estate Agent Nicole Smedley Johnson Nicole Smedley Designs
SOCIAL MEDIA DIRECTOR: Shellye Lyons SLyons@OurWeddingsMag.com ADVERTISING/SUBMISSIONS: ourweddingsmagazine@gmail.com
Special thanks to our photographers who made this issue possible: Rhedeont Photography rhedeontphoto@gmail.com Johnathan Lucas johnathan_lucas@yahoo.com If you would like to become a contributing writer for Our Weddings Magazine, then submit a sample (300 words or less) to ourweddingsmagazine@gmail. com. Call us for questions and inquiry at 469-557-1254.
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OUR WEDDINGS MAGAZINE
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Our Content Welcome to our Power Couple Issue
GROWING IN LOVE
Ask Our Experts 26
Cedric and Shellye Lyons
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WHY #BLACKMARRIAGESMATTER
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IT’S HIS DAY TOO
By Jade Ladson
By Shellye Lyons
OURWEDDINGSMAGAZINE@GMAIL.COM 469-557-1254
Our Couples FROM THE FIRST TIME WE MET Damian and Jamie Johnson
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THE STRENGTH OF LOVE Lyman and Crystal King
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CAN’T MAKE IT WITHOUT YOU Elbert and Toni Madkins
Our Content A DEEPER CONNECTION
THE BEST PERSONA OF MY LIFE
Brent and Charity Reaves
Will and Kristie Moreland
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UNBREAKABLE LOVE Shawn and Catrina Pullum
THROUGH THE FIRE, THROUGH IT ALL
A DIAGNOSE FOR LOVE Gary and Tiana
Nate and Monica Ware
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50 THE BEAUTY OF LOVE Jewell and Octavia Whitlowe
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Publisher’s Letter Powerful Black Couples, What More Can I Say? “There is nothing better than love. What in the world could you have been thinking of?” There’s Nothing Better Than Love by Luther Vandross and Gregory Hines Welcome to the Power Couple Issue! We are so excited to highlight couples from across the United States who are making things happen in their marriages! These individuals work, play, and pray together and it’s an amazing thing to witness. We did a call to action, not really I just know a couple of really cool people who I know and admire personally, and they answered the call to be featured in this issue of Our Weddings Magazine. As you will see in this powerful issue, we talked to couples who are making waves in their respective industries. From entertainment to public speaking to restaurants, these power couples are a force to be reckoned with. And we are here for all of it! But the funny thing that we were faced with is people asking us why we did not feature celebrity couples. Well our answer was simple. Why would I feature yet another celebrity when I know some really cool people? The every day man and wife who are making things happen every day! Simple right?! So let me give you a quick introduction of my couples and why I selected them. Brent and Charity Reaves are the co-owners of Smokey John’s LLC, a BBQ restaurant and catering business in Dallas, TX. They are the sweetest couple around. Cedric and Shellye Lyons are the owners of the 411 Sports News, which is a media business. Shellye, as you
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may know, is our Social Media Director and her work is above rubies and Cedric is a media genius. Shawn and Catrina Pullum are a couple who works together in the media business and also engineer. They have excellent work ethic and beautiful chemistry. Elbert and Toni Madkins are phenomenal. They are the owners of Small Miracles Academy, the only Black franchisors of a daycare in Dallas, TX and maybe Texas. Great people and wonderful friends! Damian and Jamie Johnson are the owners of Marriage is Real and Damian Johnson Realty. This duo is amazing and Damian is one of our key staffers! Such a loving couple! Jewell and Octavia Whitlowe are the owners of For Beauty Sake. Octavia is our beauty editor but she is amazing woman and so is her husband. It was great seeing them together. Lyman and Crystal King are the creators of the Love Kings and when I met them I immediately knew they would be together forever. A powerful love. Nate and Monica Ware. Talk about a couple who has weathered the storm and has made it for 30 years!!! I look up to Monica, CEO and Publisher of Be You! Girl Magazine. She is the best! Will and Kristie Moreland are the motivational team of Will Moreland International. Will is a man who can motivate ice not to melt. He is amazing and his wife is the definition of helpmeet is inspiring. Well, that’s it for now. I hope you enjoy this issue.
Ivy N. McQuain Publisher
Ask Our Expert: Relationship
Why #BlackMarriageMatters We polled social media to find out what people think about Why Black Marriages Matter. The answers were: Byron Stanley Well here’s my two cents. They matter because when you look at the history of black marriages in slavery, the master tried to destroy a man by sleeping with the wife but they survived. Then, after slavery, the system tried but they survived. With that being said, so many throughout the years have pushed to make it because we have learned to stand by each other and by putting God First. Staci Bowie Well my future husband said the slave master always wanted us to have a broken home and its still going on til this day. Difference is its still working. The system is designed for most to fail and some fall into the cracks. Black is strong and when two come together its like Marshawn Lynch baby - It’s “Beast Mode”! Real talk though... The government has created a system designed to take the black man out of the homes where the home is broken. So the mother hates the father and depends on the system. Adrian Dominique Because one can not survive without the other. Black men and black women cannot live, love, grow create without one another. I believe in black girl magic and black boy joy, but as much as we train each other to work apart, we need to teach ourselves to work together. Tanisha Matthews Awesome! With all the negative stereotypes that black people face (especially our
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men), it’s important that black marriages are celebrated. There are numerous articles about broken black families, deadbeat dads, misogynoir on the part of black men and struggling single mothers. We are at a point now where so many people think of black marriage as if it’s some strange unlikely thing and it is not. We see the proof of that in the membership of this group alone. Let me get off my soapbox. I didn’t mean to write a dissertation in your comments. Lauren Franklin because television and movies continue to put black love and relationships in a negative light. We need to know that’s not our reality. We don’t have a black version of the beavers to look up to! Debra Mitchell Smith To teach our youth that if we make a commitment we need to stick with that commitment so we need to take it slow before judging and jumping into relationships and especially marriage. Ronnie Thomas Sr. Black marriages matter because they are so important to the survival of the black family. The black family will always exist as long as there is an American. But will she survive, there’s a difference. Pam Kimble Wilson To preserve our heritage! Ham and Tammy Johnson All “Black Marriages” doesn’t fail and does have a high success rate...doesn’t always end in divorce or doesn’t suffer from domestic violence.
Louis A Medford Black marriages matter, because: 1) 69% of black children live in single parent homes, which is the most out of ANY race. 2) Black couples are the least likeliest, to see Godly counsel, when the marriage is in trouble. 3) 72% of “highly educated” black women (ones with high school diplomas, master degree, & a 6-figured job) either have never married, or divorced within a 3-year span. Bounce Jump Lenzy As with anything considered “normal,” I believe it’s important to proclaim “normal” in the Black culture in the area of marriage. We know the history of violence and the attack on the Black Family from slavery to the system of public welfare. We need to see how strong we stand, in spite of that history. We need to get excited about the strength of the Black Family!!! Do what you do daughter... write what your heart directs you to write. It’s all good!!! Nanette Thomas Farmer Black marriage matters because we as a people have to lead by example. If we can show future generations that we can stand united in family and in support of one another it will break the cycle of our young people believing it is ok to flit from relationship to relationship and teach them to stand united even at the most difficult of times. This will start a new dialogue and in turn start a new Experience for future
generations! C.w. Whitaker Our youth needs family love and guidance. A woman can not show a boy how to be a man. A man with respect for his wife shows boys and girls how a great relationship should be. Some Singlefamily homes are doing great, but we need the whole package to change the mindset of our kids. This could help prepare them for school and how to respect our Teachers, Preachers, and Police...Just saying.... Phylamena Dunbar Good foundation for children to see. Working together as one to reach a common goal on raising children or being children free. Others watch and learn from your behavior. Heath Johnson I think it’s a very interesting topic. The power of a black marriage, let alone black love, is beautiful and needs to be more abundant especially in this day and age where the divorce rate is steadily getting higher and the population is getting lower. Debs Silks Black marriage matters to me because as an African American woman I believe that two adults in marriage is a very important part of our life. As a believer Proverbs 18:22 has given me favor. Marriage to a black man is a completion of being a family, starting
and finishing of old and new traditions. Being in a black marriage is a job I want my daughter to see because I want to lead by example. And a black marriage has a joint strength, power and struggles that no other relationship can endure. By Shellye Lyons
Ask Our Expert: Relationship
It’s His Day Too
Your wedding day is shaping up to be all that you dreamed of since you were a little girl. You know exactly what the colors will be, what flowers will be used, and which song selections will be played. You’re more beautiful than you’ve ever been. Your makeup is flawless, skin glowing, and hair flowing. As you make your entrance, the guests stand, and all eyes are on you. Slowly, you make your way down the aisle. You nod and flash a beautiful smile at each guest as you pass keep beat to the processional music. Yes, you are basking in the moment now that your “Happy Ever After” is beginning. {Insert Kanye Voice} I’ll
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let you finish, but first. Who’s down at the end of this aisle waiting for you? Who put this whole thing in motion with his one of a kind, romantic proposal? Forgot about him didn’t ya? Ladies, let’s be honest. As independent as we want to be, we just can’t have a wedding day by ourselves. I know that there’s at least one of you out there thinking, “Oh yeah… just watch me!” However, for most of us the groom plays a pretty big role in our dream wedding. After all, #ItsHisDayToo. He should be a part of the planning process leading up to the big day.
If you’re already giving me the side eye, I’m not saying that you have to completely turn over the reigns and let the groom take control. In fact, I believe that some things should still be a surprise for him, but just loosen your grip and compromise a little. Hopefully, you’ve decided to enlist the services of a professional wedding planner and not try to go this thing alone. Even if you’ve hired the world’s best wedding planner it will take a lot of time and effort to coordinate all of the details. Allowing your partner to help will only alleviate added pressure. Think of your wedding as your first
collaboration as a team. You’ll grow closer. Including your groom in wedding day decisions can set the stage for your life together. Sit down with your fiancé. Be honest and up front about your expectations and needs. Listen to his thoughts about the role he wants to play in the planning process, as well as details that are important to him. Let your fiancé work on projects that speak to his personal interests. Just because your fiancé hasn’t been planning this day since he was five years old like you have, doesn’t mean he can’t be a valuable asset in the planning process. Ask yourself, “What is he really good at?” and remember when planning a special day for “BOTH” of you - there is no unimportant task.
him do the initial screening for the DJ or band. Schedule the face-to -ace meeting, which you two should attend together. Then let him create a list of songs you both love as well as ones that you don’t like. Plan a date night so you two can narrow down your choices and produce a winning playlist. 2. Are the folders on his phone color coordinated to match the apps?
1. Would the groom win big bucks on the game shows, “Let’s Make a Deal” or “Shazaam”?
a. This is a clear sign of meticulous organization skills. Let’s face it - aside from having the patience of Job, being organized is a key trait for creating a seating chart. There are a lot of cool online tools that can help him create this chart with ease. One of my favorites is All Seated. It even let’s you color coordinate different categories of guests.
a.
3.
If music is his passion let
excitement about food? a. This one is a double hitter, wedding planning + date night. It just doesn’t get any better than this. Let him arrange a few dates at some of his favorite dining establishments and use this as an opportunity to try out different cuisines. This gives you a chance to narrow down your food options and a pretty good starting point for meeting with your caterer. Keep in mind that even if your fiancé isn’t swooning over Pantone’s color of the year or which flowers are in season, doesn’t mean that he isn’t excited about marrying you. It just means you’ve got to work a little harder to find his sweet spot and find something that he enjoys. By Jade Ladson
Does he have passion and
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The Power of Love
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To date this is one of our most significant issues because we are highlighting what the world believes doesn’t exist... Black Marriages! Each of these couples were hand selected because we saw them, we admired them, and we wanted to recognize every day love, not what you see on screen. We thank everyone who participated in this issue of Our Weddings Magazine: Johnathan Lucas Photography, Rhedeont Photography, For Beauty Sake, Pretty Hair Boutique, Danyel Giovandi Artistry, and the African American Museum located at 3536 Grand Ave, Dallas, TX 75210.
Ask Our Expert: Exclusive Interview
Damian and Jamie Johnson October 1998 Dallas, TX
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From The First Time We Met Owners of Damian Johnson Realty and Marriage Is Real
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Our Couples: The Johnsons Damian and Jamie met as teenagers on September 13, 1996 at a teenage club the night of Tupac’s death. When they first met Damian knew that he was going to marry her. But for Jamie she hoped that he wouldn’t ask her for her number. But after chatting, she thought that he was cool and was making plans to fix him up with a friend. Damian states that he knew immediately that Jamie was the one. “My best friend was with me and I told him I was going to marry that girl! He thought I was crazy!” Damian laughs. “It happened over time but I realized that he always made me feel special and no one had ever treated me in such a manner,” shares Jamie. Damian proposed on Valentine’s Day 1998. It took place in a small Chinese restaurant in Las Colinas, TX. It worked out that the two were the two last patrons there. He’d previously spoken with the waiter and asked him to bring a “special” fortune cookie to their table at the end of their meal that had the fortune, ‘Will you marry me?’ Jamie was surprised and accepted. The two were married on October 16, 1998. They had a very quaint ceremony, in a chapel setting at the Justice of the Peace in Irving, TX. It was just the two of them. One of the challenges that the couple faced in their marriage over they years is the differences in their individual upbringing. Fortunately, they have been committed to creating and cultivating their own life experiences together. “The three things I love about Jamie are her smile because no matter how I feel one smile from her makes me feel better. Her mind because she helps balance me and always sees
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things that I don’t see. She brings structure to my chaos and that walk! ‘nuff said!” he shares proudly.
believe that we can combine forces and will emerge as one powerful entity,” the two agree.
The three things I admire about Damian is that he is a giver. He has always puts our family’s needs above his own. He is extremely level headed and thoughtful, which brings harmonious balance to our relationship. Mostly, I love the way that he loves me! If he never uttered the words, “I love you” I would not doubt his love for me because of his demonstration of loving acts,” she says.
As a couple Damian and Jamie believe that keeping God as the center of their relationship and remaining grateful is vital to the success of their marriage. They also keep the lines of honest and open communication at the forefront of their relationship as a daily habit. Fortunately, they encourage one another faithfully. When challenges or difficulties arise for one, the other listens more than they talk and encourages, not only with words, but with assisting in any way possible.
Working with each other as a real estate professionals as well as co-host of Marriage is Real can be trying because the two get on one each other’s nerves at times, but overall they believe it’s great to work together because they draw energy from one another and have fun together. Not only do they work together but this power couple are parents to two amazing children, son Jordan is 17 years old and daughter Micah is 12 years old. Both agree that the birth of their children are their greatest memory. The two also enjoy the memory of celebrating their 10 year anniversary with a cruise to Mexico! “We are honored but mostly humbled to be considered a power couple as we simply strive to be a unified couple. We aspire to the best versions of ourselves individually and we always support the others’ endeavors. So we
Damian definitely holds the lead role in their business endeavors. Primarily because their current endeavors, Damian Johnson Realty & Marriage Is Real were born out of his passion for real estate and all things relationships. He is simply a visionary in every sense of the word and an internal optimist. He has a natural knack for cultivating and building rapport with others and enjoys being out front. Jamie, however, enjoys the behind the scenes logistics and making sure things flow effortlessly, and is the real brains behind the operations! Damian and Jamie follow the CCC Rule: Clear, concise, communication
is key! Be mindful of each others strengths and weaknesses, and more importantly be aware of their triggers. Separate business and personal matters. Learn to put personal issues aside quickly when business matters are paramount and vice versa. Always remember your why!
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Lyman and Crystal King August 7, 2004 Dallas, TX
The Strength of Love The Love Kings
Our Couples: The Lymans Lyman and Crystal met on the campus of Valdosta State University on February 6, 1997 when Crystal was just a freshman. When they initially met, she refused to respond and he actually thought she was deaf! Turns out, she was just terrified. According to Crystal, “As odd as it sounds, I knew after our first date when we sat in the car laughing and talking for hours like we’d known each other forever, that I wanted to spend forever with him. I knew then that there was something very special. In so many ways I felt like I was talking to myself when I was talking to him. I couldn’t stand to spend five minutes away from him.”
hard times Lyman and Crystal share many memories including the day that they gave birth to their son, Lyman. Since then they have added four-legged family member, Speedy. This fun loving couple had this to say about the three things they admire about each other: Crystal: I love his sense of humor; he makes me laugh on the darkest of days. His presence when he enters into any room and the fact that he’s always there when I need him. Finally, he has a smile that only God himself could’ve created.
But these two have had to endure over the years are nothing compared to Crystal’s battle with cancer. “It was by far the worst thing that we’ve had to overcome,” the two state. But with prayers to God, an amazing team of doctors, determination, family, and friends they endured and Crystal is here living as a survivor. Regardless of the
“We support each other by never saying, “NO”. If either of us ever needs anything, we see the other as our guaranteed “ace in the hole”. The one who will never fail you,” says the pair. In their business endeavor, Crystal takes the lead for The LoveKings. She knows this world and can run it. She’s the structure and Lyman is the comic relief! Their belief is that they never end a call, or walk away from each other without a simple, “I love you.”
“I proposed New Years Eve of 2003. She graduated that December and I flew she and my son to Texas. We had a small New Year’s party with close family and friends. I got on one knee at midnight and asked her to marry me. I think I cried more than she did,” Lyman recalls. The two got married on August 7, 2004 and 14 years later, our friends still say that we had one of the most entertaining wedding weekends ever. We got married on Panama City Beach with the ocean at sunset as the backdrop. We were surrounded by friends and family with 13 bridesmaids and 13 groomsmen at our side. It was a weekend of memories and laughs that we will never forget!
Their connectedness and the way that it inspires others and their ability to keep climbing no matter the obstacle. The Kings started young with nothing and from that they’ve experienced the best that life has to offer through the years.
Finally, they believe to always be vulnerable with one another. Vulnerability is the key to every level of intimacy. It’s not about physical intimacy, it’s about the ability to remove all inhibitions and trust your spouse with your life. It’s the only way to achieve real trust and love.
For Lyman: Crystal has absolute patience, strength, and heart. To watch her still love me and others while she was sick and needing to be loved when she was battling cancer is something I have never seen. I was able to love her even more despite her feeling as if she was not worthy of being loved. As a power couple Lyman and Crystal knows that working together can be difficult but also fun because Love Kings is a relationship based platform that we created together. It’s not forced and it’s our space for shared creativity. OUR WEDDINGS MAGAZINE
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Growing In Love Cedric and Shellye Lyons April 4, 2009 Dallas, TX
Founders of Will Moreland International, LLC Cedric and Shellye met at church. Cedric was resigning as editor in chief of our church magazine, “The HeartBeat”, and Shellye joined as a volunteer writer. The year was 2001. Our first real interaction was two years later when Cedric needed someone to help with his business, World Production & Design, while he worked at the Dallas Weekly. Shellye was searching for an opportunity to write and assist businesses through her virtual support business, Paradise Legal Support & Secretarial Services. Oddly, when the two first met they had no real attraction. Their first meeting was a farewell! Also, Cedric was married and Shellye was newly divorced so neither of them was looking for a relationship. “Even when we began working together in 2003, it was all business, nothing personal. But eventually, things just kept happening in our lives that kept bringing us together and we became closer,” Shellye says. As the two recall things was just a friendship that developed into something more. Cedric dated a few people,
even asked Shellye her opinion about them, but there’s a saying that “love is friendship on fire.” So when the two realized that they couldn’t and didn’t want to live without each other, the chemistry sparked, and they decided to take their friendship to the next level. Cedric knew in February 2008 that Shellye was the one. They were at their son’s 21st birthday dinner when he leaned over and asked her if she wanted his last name. But Shellye knew before then. In 2007 when he was on a panel of speakers and he was talking about the relationship between Martin Luther King, Jr. and Coretta. She wanted to be his Coretta. But she didn’t let him know that until later. Cedric’s informal proposal was in February 2008 but he formally got down on one knee in their living room in November 2008 even though the two had pretty much already committed to each other that they were going to get married. Yet in still, their kids (from separate marriages) wanted to see a traditional marriage proposal which was all smiles.
On April 4, 2009, in the Prayer Chapel of Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship the two tied the knot. Their original wedding date was April 11 (4-1-1) to symbolize the name of the business that really brought them together but other things were happening so they enjoyed a small, intimate wedding, with only our immediate wedding with family members. All the kids were able to attend except for one. They didn’t have a reception or honeymoon but they had a 4-course meal prepared by a chef and delivered to their home and sent the kids away for the weekend. As a blended family, this pair has experienced ups and downs. Their individual ideas of raising and disciplining kids were different and they didn’t account for that before they got married. So there was friction between parents and kids that they struggled with throughout the years. How did they survive? They grew up and the kids grew up! Cedric became more lax in his discipline and Shellye started to understand his ways better. As the kids OUR WEDDINGS MAGAZINE
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Our Couples: The Lyons got older, they began to understand as well. When loving your spouse is simple they shared these three things about the other: Cedric: “For me, one would be, I can physically and mentally see how she compliments me. Two, she thinks of things that I don’t think of that will benefit us as a whole. Lastly, I can see where she is putting forth the effort to do her part to ensure our marriage lasts a lifetime.” Shellye: “I love Cedric’s passion for our family to make sure that we’re all going to be okay spiritually, financially, emotionally, and physically. I love that he makes me think outside the box in everything I do. I love that he gives me the freedom to be myself and he makes me laugh and doesn’t allow me to be so serious all the time. I feel like I can let my hair down and really be a woman, a wife, a mom, and whatever else I want to be. When I was a single mom, I just couldn’t do that.” Cedric and Shellye don’t have children together but they have seven children - Anthonie, Kyendel, Typhani, Daniel, Cedric, Alex, and Xaivier. They range in age from 17 to 31 years old; and six grandchildren – Nathaniel, Joshua, Bryce, Aubrey, Khai, and Gyasi, ages newborn to 9 years old. And one pet, a fat chihuahua named Diamond, who’s such a diva! Over the 11 years of marriage Cedric and Shellye share wonderful memories
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including Cedric recalling the times where they have dressed up to attend events and buying Shellye a new car. Shellye’s recalls watching their kids grow up and go off to college. Also, traveling to St. Louis with all of the younger kids. Outside of their personal lives, Cedric and Shellye own and operate several businesses including 411 Sports News, 411 Radio Network, and The Lyons Group. Yet in still each one has their personal opinion on what it’s like growing multiple businesses together.
the time for a great length of time and not just for a season. Shellye adds, “We’ve been through some things, achieved some things, but we’re still in the struggle to be successful in business and in life. We want to be a Power couple but I never really thought that we were at that level yet. But I guess as we look closer, we really are a power couple, in terms of working together in business to achieve success, leave a legacy, and supporting our community! We’re just not at celebrity status… yet!” Cedric and Shellye have prayer and devotion every morning. they make sure that they spend at least an hour of together time at the end of the work day before they delve back into business. They also give each other a hug and kiss before they head out and when they return home every day. That’s how they have developed a strong support system for each other.
They both try to bring out the best in each other while knowing that it can be challenging at times living and working together continuously. That is why they are a power couple for Our Weddings Magazine. Cedric believe that it’s their determination to do God’s will with the gifts and talents he’s given them in business and in their personal relationship. He also think couples who stay married through the good, bad, and ugly are the true Power couples because marriage is hard work and they’ve made it, business or not. Also, being a power couple consists of longevity, putting in
“We never telling each other we can’t do it. If there’s something Shellye wants to do, I don’t stop her from doing it. While I might not always be available to be there physically, I’m always there spiritually and mentally,” says Cedric. Shellye adds, “I believe in having each other’s back in the good, bad, and ugly times. I don’t ever want to dash his dreams. I don’t want to see him give up. I was his friend before I was his wife so I try to still be that friend to tell him the truth to help him be better, even if it’s not always what he wants to hear. Sometimes, he gets upset, but eventually, he remembers that we’re a team, and it takes teamwork to make the dream
work.” In their businesses Cedric is the lead and Shellye is the support because she likes to stay in the background and help with whatever he needs done. In closing, the three tips that the Lyons have for other couples include: Cedric: “Be true to your marriage first. Address the issues as they come and don’t let them fester.” Shellye: “Try to find a balance between your business and marriage life. Your
business provides for your family but if you don’t tend to your marriage, you’re working for nothing. Keep things in their proper order - God first, Family, then Business, and everything else will fall into place.”
Elbert and Toni Madkins November 8, 1995 Dallas, TX
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Can’t Make It Without You
Owners of Small Miracles Academy OUR WEDDINGS MAGAZINE
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Our Couples: The Madkins Elbert and Toni We met the summer of 1995 in August at a business meet and greet. The attraction was at first site. She had the high ground up a staircase and I saw her as I entered the building. Our eyes were locked on to each other as I pushed through the crowd and up the stairs to introduce myself. I knew after our first date a few weeks after we met I proposed to Toni in September 1995. I was contemplating major changes in my career and in my life with her and said that those things don’t matter without her. I proposed at that moment and there was no hesitation. She said, “Yes!” and that she will move to California with me to start our new life together. From there we got married on November 8, 1995 in Las Vegas, Nevada at the Candlelight Chapel during our relocation move to Monterrey, California. One of the worst things we had to overcome together as a couple was when our daughter was born and we needed to figure out how we were going to do everything. We did not have family support, help, and guidance to fall upon and we had to depend on ourselves and The Most High God. We sacrificed and cut our expenses to live off of one income for a couple of years until The Most High blessed us with increases. Both. We have a daughter Rebekah, 21, and son Tobias, 19. We also have an English Bulldog, Peanut that is 6 years old (not sure what that is in dog years). Three things that I love about Toni is her
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dedication, endurance, and empathy. She is dedicated to this marriage and anything she puts her mind to. Her endurance when things get tough or times of struggle inspires me and everyone around her. Her empathy is special. This quality is not found in most people. Understanding, caring concern with the ability to stay on task and not waiver from the things that are important. Working with Toni helps me constantly learn how to manage people from
her. She has a natural trait of people management. She has the most vision of any CEO I have worked for or read about. Some of our best memories include the birth of our children and vacationing with them over the years. We believe that we are a power couple because of our dedication to each other in faith, values, and business.
We make sure that we greet and kiss each other every morning even if over the phone while traveling. And that makes sure that our support level is above reproach because we have established trust and follow each other’s decisions. When it comes to the support vs. leadership of our marriage and business relationship it honestly depends on the endeavor. She is the CEO (Chief Executive Officer) which means she drives the company’s vision, management, and operations. I’m the CFO (Chief Financial Officer) which means I drive the financial decisions and marketing to accomplish the vision set forth I work for her just like all CFO’s work for the CEO. But in our personal life, marriage, she is very comfortable allowing me to be the head of the household. I make all of the decisions and she trusts that because she knows that my family, after the Most High, comes first. The tips that we have for other couples is that they need to start with the commandments of the Bible (your instructions manual) then communicate, trust, and love one another. Always remember that your spouse is your best friend!
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The Best Person Of My Life Dr. Will and Kristie Moreland November 1997 Phoenix, AZ
Founders of Will Moreland International, LLC Kristie and I initially met in a gym on our Army Base in Kitzigen, Germany back in 1996. She tried to play me and act like she didn’t like me (inserts laugh). A buddy of mine saw her and her friend and we went over to introduce ourselves and they basically ignored us. But the seed was planted, it was only a matter of time. To be honest, it wasn’t one of those magical moments, I think officially, we met and talked at a mutual friend’s birthday party. That’s when we discovered we both grew up in California about 15 minutes from each other, but never saw each other. Her mom would always tease her that she had to travel 8,000 miles to marry a knucklehead from down the street. “For me it was when Will had to leave for deployment, we wrote each other letters almost every day. He wrote so many beautiful words and really knew how to express himself through words,” Kristie says. “I would say the same, during my time deployed, she and I really connected. I knew I was going to marry her.”
We will be celebrated 20 years of marriage in Beverly Hills, CA in 2017. We started dating in January and I got deployed to leave for nine months in February. We were not sure how we would do in a long distance relationship. There was no internet, no Snapchat, no Facebook Messenger, no Skype. Writing letters to each other almost every day and a weekly five minute phone call was all we had. This went on for about three months. I was allowed to come home for two weeks. During that time, we invested every moment we could with each other. The last weekend we had together, we went on a boat ride on the Rhine River in Germany. As we sailed down the Rhine River, I asked her to follow me to a quite place on the boat, knelt down, and asked her to marry me. This was the night I proposed!!! “Our wedding day is a funny story. After we got engaged, I told my mother. Will and I had talked about some dates. And my mother told me, she would kill me if
I didn’t come home to get married. We agreed that we would go home and get married in July. But it was October of 1997 and Will didn’t want to wait until July of 1998, so we secretly got married in November of 1997. So we had a small ceremony in German Court House November 1997,” shares Kristie. “For the first five years of our marriage, we didn’t tell our families we had gotten married in November, so each year they would send us anniversary cards in July, but we forgot they didn’t know about the November wedding. We finally told them and now everyone is one the same page. In July of 1998, we had a wedding in Los Angles, CA with family and friends.” Kristie recalls, “Fortunately, we don’t consider any experiences worst, but we have had a lot of faith, growth, and forgiveness opportunities. As always, we lean on our faith, our vision for our family, and our love for each other. But a really challenging time was when I was pregnant with our now 15 year old daughter, Karah. The doctor called me into his office and told me he had some OUR WEDDINGS MAGAZINE
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Our Couples: The Morelands bad news. I told him I wanted Will to be there. Prior to this pregnancy I had experienced a miscarriage, so I was really stressed out. When Will got to the office, the doctor told us that it was a possibility that our child would have Down Syndrome. They were not 100 percent for sure, but it was a great possibility. We both started to cry. Then we looked at each other and said we got this. We left that meeting, called our Pastor and he prayed with us. For the next seven months, we prepared to love our daughter no matter what. Fifteen years later, our daughter is healthy, intelligent, and beautiful.”
is Will and is the Third,” Kristie shares. In our 20 years of marriage we have shared so many great and amazing times. Like any couple we have had many learning experiencing. If we had to choose just one, we would have to say our trip to Ghana. It was great to travel to the Motherland together and experience the great culture, people, and time together. Okay, we will throw in a bonus for you. We had the opportunity to pastor for eight years, during this time, we were
Will: “Kristie is funny, very kind, and loyal.” Kristie: “Will’s determination to succeed is off the chain. I don’t know too many people as driven as him. But he is equally as humorous, many people don’t know about his sense of humor. Lastly, he has the ability to look at situations in a totally different way and always find the lesson.” “It is HARD with your spouse on a consistent basis!! Before the children I worked in the office with Will. Being his wife, I thought I would get a little slack. No way! (inserts laugh) Once I had my daughter, I made the choice to become a Home Engineer. My strengths were better served managing the house and letting Will build the business. I still assist him from time to time,” she adds. “We have a 15 year old daughter, Karah but there was a time that I thought we were going to only have the one child, because Will said he was fine with one. Then seven years later, yes seven, he comes to me and says, “I think I want another baby.” I thought he was crazy. But I agreed and we added an amazing baby boy we call ‘Champ’, but his name
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we still do. Understanding that both of us do different things for the family, but equally important. We are committed to setting a great example for our children of love, leadership, and legacy. If we are able to accomplish this, that will be powerful. As Christians, prayer is very important to us. Making a daily connection with our Heavenly Father is essential to our personal, spiritual, and business success. Sharing our love toward each other is important to us. Respecting each other’s views and opinions is something we try to model as well. We allow each of us to follow what we believe our assignment is and know some times things will not always go right. Instead of criticize we try to support, encourage, and pray for each other.
able to serve and lead some phenomenal people. Built some lasting relationships that we still enjoy today. During this time, we did work in the office together every day and we made a great team. The word power means to act or produce an effect. We believe our power is in our ability to allow each other to flourish in our gifts, talents, and skills. We don’t compete with each other, we work to complement each other’s strengths. It took us some time to understand this and we had to really work at it, which
We don’t think of our home and business as two separate entities, rather two separate divisions, Kristie handles the Home Division and I handle the Business Division. And we try to support each other in operating our divisions the best we can. Our greatest advice is to be patience, be yourself, know what you want. Be vocal about your needs in the relationship. Enjoy the journey, stop to smell the roses. Work together to cut the thorns out of your yard. Remember, that love is an action word. Relationships and business are HARD, period. No way around it. But if you are willing to work at both, the rewards are amazing and worth it.
Don’t try to do either alone. Surround yourself around good marriage advisors and the same for your business. We have used both to have a successful 20 year relationship, not perfect, successful. And a successful and profitable business for 17 years.
Our Couples: Newlyweds
Shawn and Catrina Pullum July 2, 2010 Dallas, TX
Unbreakable Love
Catrina: President of PullCorp Media Group Shawn: Senior Systems Engineer
Makeup by Danyel Giovandi Artistry
Our Couples: The Pullums Shawn and I met online in 2008 by accident through a friend. We chatted with each other for a while before exchanging phone numbers and the rest is history. When I first met him I honestly felt that I found somebody who would and could really love me for me. Someone who understood what it was like to go through hurt and pain and still be able to come out on the other side with an ability to love. “Very early on she asked me what was the goal of the relationship. That forced me to do some soul searching about what I really wanted. That’s when I decided I wanted her,” says Shawn.
three-fold cord would not be easily broken, we wove together these three cords to show that our marriage would not be easily broken. We got married at our church in Louisiana. We had a phenomenal wedding and reception that symbolized our cultural and new beginnings. Along with all of the traditional reception events (bouquet, cake, garter, toast, first dance, etc.). We had a mime/praise dancer perform, and ended the night by having a New Orleans
Working together can be fun and it can be tough sometimes. When you work with a spouse it can be difficult to separate the personal from the professional. But by bringing the family together in work engagements, we get to spend time with each other and as a family, a build something positive and lasting together.
I knew he was one when I pretty much spent as much of my available time with him. His attentiveness not just to me but to my children made me know that he was the one. We dated long distance for at least year. After that time, we made the decision that I would relocate to where he was. “We both have kids from previous relationships, Durrelle – 26, Ruby – 20, Sharae – 18, Christian - 12 ,so I took everyone out to brunch at Another Broken Egg. During our meal on the upper level of the restaurant, I pulled out the ring and proposed. She was a little caught off guard, and our kids were excited, since they didn’t know what was going on until that moment either.” “The Ultimate Merger” took place on July 2, 2010. This was our “Independence Day”! We both came out of disappointing marriages, so we decided to have a red, white, and blue color scheme wedding. During the wedding we performed a cording ceremony. We had three cords: one red representing Catrina, one blue representing Shawn, and one white representing Christ. Just as the biblical
that ability to overcome has brought her through some dark times and helped her achieve some lofty goals. Her compassion, she has always had a heart for children, and a protector for those being treated unfairly or the powerless. Catrina: His compassion for others. His agape love for me. I have had health challenges and my husband has not given up on me. He continues to support me when I am successful and even when I have a setback from time to time. I am attractive to his selflessness. He has a habit to always put others first before himself. I find myself making him do things just for him or I surprise him with me time.
Second Line with us and our guests, led by a Mardi Gras Dancer to exit the building. “Our greatest challenge so far was February 20, 2017. On that date I determined that my spouse was suffering from a stroke and I had to get her to a hospital. There is nothing scarier than thinking that you will lose the woman who God blessed you with but He allowed me to notice that she needed so I obeyed His word and sprang into action. Since then survival has been due to hard work, faith, and the character and values that we have and that we instilled in our children that has helped us to make it through,” Shawn recalls. Shawn: Her smile, it’s infectious and lights up a room. Her tenaciousness,
“Our memories are vast but it’s always interesting to go to events and watch her work a room. She has this uncanny ability to talk herself into places she is not normally supposed to be. People gravitate toward her and it’s truly a joy to watch sometimes,” he smiles. I would say we balance each other. We play off of each other strengths. I love seeing him in his element of coding, debating, and creating solutions. I have always been attracted to a smart man. When he is in his zone, that is so sexy to me. We are a power couple because we balance each other out well. When one of us is going over an edge, the other usually already has the rope out and is dragging that person back in. We both have high targets for each other and the
people around us, we have standards for our inner circle, and keep each other accountable for them. Our beliefs are simple: Faith, many of our choices are stepping out on faith. Partnership, we don’t make business decisions without talking to the other person and coming to an understanding of what our joint decision and direction is. We support each other by being able to pick up each other’s role. Being a sounding board for each other. Knowing where the other is weak, and not taking over that area entirely, but helping our partner stretch and grow in those weaker areas. “In business, Catrina is usually the lead. She is the face of the business and the person who builds most of the relationships that the business is being built out of. But I am the head at home,” he says. Shawn is usually the support, managing the operations side of things, taking care of the logistics, project managing our engagements, but he can take the lead when needed. We advise other couples to love like you’ve never been hurt. Listen to your partner. Listen to yourself. If the two of you stay hand in hand, then you can stand against whatever the world throws at you.
Photo by Antwan Edwards
Brent and Charity Reaves June 5, 2004 Dallas, TX
A Deeper Connection
Owner of Smokey John’s Inc.
Our Couples: The Reaves Brent and Charity met in 2000 through Brent’s sister, Yulise. Yulise and Charity met while attending Southern Methodist University in Dallas, TX together and became fast friends. Yulise invited Charity to her dad’s domino birthday party at his restaurant, Smokey John’s, and that’s where they first met. When they first met Brent thought that she was cute. But for Charity she really didn’t have any thoughts. After a brief introduction, the two didn’t interact much during the party. About two years after the two met and soon found themselves in a deep conversation before church. Up until that time, their relationship was playful and goofy; nothing romantic about it at all.
got down on one knee. Charity was shocked and nervously giggled for a while before saying yes. Then they went to Brent’s parents’ house to tell them the good news. On June 5, 2004 they tied the knot at the Inspiring Body of Christ Church in Dallas, TX with over 300 people in attendance at the wedding and over 200 at the reception at City Club Dallas. Their first dance was to “It Had to Be You” the Harry Connick, Jr. version - their favorite song.
“Brent was like a big brother or cousin. Whenever we were around each other, it was all jokes and laughter. Then one Photo by Tim Kossler day, we started talking about Like any relationship their marriage our goals and aspirations, and I has faced challenges. One of their discovered a totally different side major challenges was when Brent’s of him. Everything changed for me mom, Gloria, passed away suddenly in that moment; I felt this instant, in 2010. It was shocking for the deep connection to him. I remember whole family. Mama Reaves, as she thinking, ‘God, can I keep him?’” she was called, was the family’s rock; recalls. she was the glue that held everyone Brent says, “I had just ended a long- together. It was hard for everyone to wrap their minds around her not term relationship two months prior. being there. But they got through At that point, I was looking for the one; something real and lasting. As I it with a lot of love and a lot of long conversations. Brent and Charity listened to Charity speak, her words gave each other space to grieve were checking things off the list in and process their feelings. They my head of what I wanted. I thought to myself, ‘Oh, she’s a wife; probably also gave themselves permission to talk about her and embrace her mine.’” memory—to laugh and remember the good times. That’s how they Brent proposed at Starbucks—their continue to celebrate her life. favorite place to go drink coffee and talk. He did the traditional thing and
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Despite the pain of losing the matriarch of the family, Brent and Charity also have great memories: Brent says, “Charity is a HUGE Michael Jackson fan. (I mean, HUGE.) So of course, she took his death hard. One day, I saw a cool framed poster of MJ and bought it for her because I knew she’d like it. And oh boy, did she love it… much more than I ever thought because she gave the poster its own chair in the den. (No one else could sit there; it was MJ’s chair.) And it sat there for almost three years. And on top of that, she said good night to the poster every night… for three years. MJ did not know us, but he watched over us for three years.” “Brent is always trying to surprise me. One year for my birthday, he bought me a car, and he wanted it to be a surprise. He made dinner reservations at The Oceanaire, and his plan was to have his brother (Juan) pull up in the car in the valet area as we were leaving the restaurant. It turns out the key wasn’t working, so Juan wasn’t able to meet us there. Brent ended up having to tell me about the plan, and then we went to Juan’s house to get the car. He was so disappointed, but I still thought he was the greatest for even trying to pull it off,” Charity laughs. Building a marriage of 14 years one finds qualities that makes everything better. Brent loves Charity’s laugh because it fills the room. Her loyalty
makes a marriage work. The couple shares their three tips for a successful marriage:
Charity loves Brent’s humor because “he can always make me laugh even when I’m having an awful day. His hugs because they cure whatever ails me. His cooking skills because the boy is bad! (He’s turned me into a foodie.)”
Brent: For all three, communication is key. It’s a good idea to check in with your spouse and/or business partner at least once a week to see how they’re doing.
Over the years they have become one moving unit. That’s why they are a power couple. They are each others strength when the other has a moment of weakness. They are not afraid of hard work because they are firm believers in putting in the time needed to get the results they want. They support each other by taking the time to listen to each other and communicate often. No topic is too big or too small, too heavy or too frivolous. They are fully invested in each other’s happiness and wellbeing.
Charity: •
Laugh often; don’t take yourself too seriously.
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Never allow your ambition to overshadow your integrity.
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Be intentional.
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When you lose perspective, leap into gratitude; you’ll find it there.
Photo by Katlyne Hill
because she fully gets behind whatever she believes in. Her nurturing nature because it creates an amazing amount of warmth.
Brent is the co-owner of Smokey John’s Inc., a nationally recognized BBQ restaurant started by his father. Charity recently joined the family business as a project manager but working together for these two is not a heavy experience. Brent says, “It’s sharpening. The things I lack, she’s amazing at; it daily pushes me to be better in those areas.” Charity adds, “It’s cool. It feels great to grow and build with someone who believes in you as much as you believe in them.” As President of Smokey John’s, Inc., Brent takes the lead role. He’s a great leader because he not only believes in his vision for our business, he believes in their people (employees) also. He’s as invested in building our people as he is the company. You don’t get this far in love and happiness without knowing what
Photo by Tim Kossler
Through the Fire Through It All Nate and Monica Ware September 4, 1988 Knoxville, TN
Monica: Publisher and CEO Be You! Girl Magazine Nate: Human Resources Manager We first met when Nate came to Florida to visit with his sister for the summer. We were supposed to meet up one Sunday and spend the day together at church, but that day never happened. Our quick relationship got cut short when Nate’s father decided to pick him up early for the summer. “I was disappointed I wasn’t going to see Monica, so I wrote her a letter and gave it to my niece to give to her. That was the start of our letter writing to one another until we got married. Monica still has that very first letter I wrote to her, along with all the letters I’ve written to her.” Monica: I was in the 10th grade, so I thought Nate was handsome and so fine! Nate: I thought, Wow, she’s beautiful! I would like to get to know her better. Nate: I knew Monica was the one the day we took a walk around the lake in her hometown. That day we daydreamed about all the big houses we saw as we walked around the lake. We talked about our future, new goals and dreams. When I held Monica in my arms that day, I felt
a shiver run up my spine, and I knew she was the one. Monica thinks that shiver was lust, but to me it was true love. I proposed to Monica in her college dorm room at Florida A&M University. I presented her the ring and she smiled. She was very surprised, and of course she said, “Yes.” We didn’t have a wedding when we got married. We decided to get married Monica’s sophomore year in college. Her mother didn’t like the idea, but she fell in love with me as her son-in-law. I was in the military, so we decided on a date that included a holiday, September 4th, around Labor Day. We got married in a small wedding chapel. License one day, wedding the next. It was a quick ceremony and an even faster weekend, but we enjoyed ever second of the time we spent together. We finally decided to celebrate our 20th wedding anniversary with a big wedding 10 years ago. Friends and family came from near and far to help us celebrate our 20th anniversary dream wedding. This year we’re celebrating 30 years!
One of the worse things we overcame in our marriage was infidelity. Once you break the bond of trust, it’s a process in getting it back, but it is possible. Our marriage testimony shared on social media went viral and has helped thousands of people. Monica shared our story of infidelity and separation, but how God brought us back together. We sought counseling and made a decision to work through the pain together. Today, our testimony is still being shared online and we’re finishing up our new book to share the entire story of restoration. Monica: I love how my husband loves and supports his family! He is my biggest cheerleader! He truly supports everything I do and I’m so thankful for that! I love how gifted and talented he is musically. Nate finally went after his dream and produced his own CD. I also love his silly sense of humor. Nate: I love how considerate Monica is. She’s always extending herself and making sure that she’s there for everyone. She’s a great supporter! I love her creativity! She created Be You! Girl OUR WEDDINGS MAGAZINE
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Magazine from her love of teaching teens. She’s very creative! I love how Monica makes me feel like I can do anything. She’s exactly what I need in my life. I’m so thankful for Monica. We have three young men that we are very proud of. Nathaniel, Gabriel, and Daniel. We’re so proud of the young men they are becoming. Nate: I have such a busy schedule, but recently we decided to take a family trip to the beach. It was the first time I took the time to experience a sunrise with Monica. That was a special moment for me. Monica: The best memories for me are the ones where
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Our Couples: The Wares my husband makes me feel like I’m his world. His support is everything! I’m so thankful for him. We are a power couple because we have the ability to overcome adversity together is one reason why we’re a power couple. We stand in faith together, fighting together, loving, and leading together. The key word is together! So much so we acknowledge God in everything we do. As the husband, I make sure to show love to my wife everyday, like Christ loved the church. It’s important to me that I show her love and to be the husband she needs. God over everything! We support each other by encouraging one another to reach our goals and dreams. We also make sacrifices for one another, by placing the others needs before our own. We don’t always get it right, but we strive to please each other. In order to have a successful marriage we believe the best way to love your spouse is to deepen your relationship with God. The more you learn how to love God, the easier you can learn to love your spouse. If I’m faithful to God, then I can be faithful to my wife. Life is a journey with many detours. Make sure you’re in the journey together. Include God in your every day business as well. He gives wisdom for every aspect of our lives. That’s how we can be a power couple and have a successful marriage and family.
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Jewell and Octavia Whitlowe January 20, 1997 Cedar Hill, TX
The Beauty of Love For Beauty’s Sake
Our Couples: The Whitlowes Jewell and I worked together, and I thought he was very handsome but he could not dress at all. His style was terrible. In my mind I was thinking I could change that. That was a minor flaw. Unfortunately, he was dating someone so I decided to stay quiet. One day someone that we mutually knew told him that I really liked him. I was so embarrassed but played it cool. I gave him my phone number and told him he could call me whenever he was ready. Jewell thought that I was cute and attractive but him being in a relationship at the time, it was only a thought. Most people know immediately that love is written in the stars but for us our realization of marriage didn’t come until we were well into the years of our marriage. Yes, after 15 years of marriage, I finally started to understand what this was all about. We were just existing prior to that. But the favor of God preserved us to get to this point in our relationship. But for Jewell, he thinks differently, “Well being married in your 20s is tough, however I knew soon after we started dating I was going to be with her. But not married.” My husband did not propose to me. I asked the question of what are we doing because I was not trying to play house. He swears that was me proposing to him. I never asked this man to marry me because I do not believe that is the way it should go. I guess we decided together to just get married. We were so young and naïve to it all. So no I did not get the proposal of my dreams. I think I am still a bit salty about it a whole 21 years later. (She laughs) Jewell adds, “Well I didn’t officially propose it was more like we both said, ‘OK.’. Lets get married like the Jagged Edge song.” (He laughs) We got married January 20, 1997. We did not have a wedding. We were in a Pastor’s office and my in-laws were our witnesses. I still remember what I was wearing. I had on my favorite blue jean Guess dress and these opaque white tights. So maybe I should thank Guess for providing my wedding dress.
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Over the years we have developed a strong love and appreciation for each other. The three things that I love about him is that he is a protector. It can be overwhelming at times but without any doubt, I know he will go to the extreme to protect me. He is extremely handsome. I know it is shallow but who doesn’t love a nice looking man? He is very responsible. He has made me want to be better and want more in life. He has taught me how being responsible plays a major role in business and to be able to do what you want personally. Jewell adds, “My wife has a very loving spirt, I love her determination and strength. I have a very strong personality and she helps to balance me. She is my light in the dark.” We have also enjoyed so many memories in 21 years of marriage. For me, I would say when my husband encouraged me to become a full-time entrepreneur. At that time, he believed in me more than I did. I would never forget how he encouraged me to move forward with my business. Jewell agrees. We have three daughters, Jasmin, Jade, and Jordan. I have decided to not tell their age because then you will be calculating ours. LOL! We have one dog and her name is Saydee. Saydee is a full breaded Maltese. She has been in the family since 2009. While the good times and growing a family has been a great experience we have had our fair share of dark days. One is particular was in 2007, we decided to get a divorce. We had been so broken for years and it was only a matter of time before that decision was made. I did a lot of praying. When I say a lot, I mean exaggerate a lot. It was my prayers that got us back together. After never getting the divorce, we were okay for a while and then things shifted again. It took the grace of God to change our minds and our hearts. So a whole lot of Jesus. That’s how we developed our belief system that we use today. We speak
positivity over our life. There is power in our words and we speak positive daily. What you put out into the universe, you get back. So there is no room for negativity and we practice speaking life into our lives. We gained our power understanding that we have to believe the same positive things in order to continue to grow, which is why I think we are a power couple. I believe what makes us a power couple is the fact we are committed to the marriage no matter what. It’s power in commitment. “As well as understanding that it is the two of us period. As well as being able to commit to our dream together on one accord, adds Jewell. When I became a full-time entrepreneur Jewell was right there and working together every day gets on my nerves, but I know he only want the best for me and he wants us to succeed. When both people think they are right, it takes a lot for either of us to humble ourselves to listen to the other. That is work in itself. But we support each other by believing and investing in each other’s dream. And also being the first person that we call when its good or bad news to tell. Just knowing we can share everything with each other. Jewell would be the support and I would be the lead. I have been the big dreamer and I have had so many ideas. I will tell him them all and he would do everything he could to make sure I had what I needed to get it going. When
that didn’t work, he would wait for the next big idea and help me again to get it to go. He is my partner and he believe in what I am believing simply because I believe it. Our advice to other couples is to understand that there is no other option. When you took your vows, understand they are real. Understand the power you have when you both work together. Your business, your life and your love will stand the test of time when you exercise your power by standing on everything together.
Our Couples: Newlyweds
A Diagnose For Love Gary and Tiana Hampton, Georgia October 9, 2017
Gary and Tiana met in 2012 when her check engine light came on and he ran a car diagnostic for her. As she sat in the car looking for the closest dealership he knocked on her window and gave her his phone number. “I was initially shocked but it was cute so I took his phone number,” Tiana recalls. Gary told Tiana very early in their relationship that they were meant to be and every day since he made sure that she knows he’s not going anywhere. Gary proposed on February 10, 2015. He included Tiana’s daughter, Delilia, in the surprise and in true 4-years-old form, she ran into the room screaming, “Mommy! Gary got you a pretty ring!” He got down on one knee and it was beautiful and really sweet. I probably would have cried but we all couldn’t stop laughing at Delia’s outburst.
being amazing from start to finish. Tiana purchased her dress at Bride Beautiful in Roswell, GA. Her mother did her hair and makeup. The team at 702 Vegas Weddings was so helpful. “I probably had one of the most peaceful, stress-free weddings ever because the venue provided a video live feed so that all of our friends and family not in attendance could participate in our day,” she smiles. Gary Sr., the father of the groom and Tiana’s father, Greg, were both very ill at the time and could not make the trip to Vegas so it was such a blessing for the couple to have them there via the live feed. Hey Baby “Gary you make me feel like I can do anything and be everything I want to be but still loves me fully exactly as I am this moment. That’s why I could do this forever.”
The couple enjoyed a really beautiful ceremony at 702 Vegas Weddings in Las Vegas, Nevada which they recall as OUR WEDDINGS MAGAZINE
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