In honor of Black History Month, we’re highlighting 150+ Black wedding professionals across the country. No wedding would be possible without the creative team behind each and every element of the celebration—your vendors, including everyone from your wedding planner and florist to your caterer and photographer, are responsible for bringing the day to life. Intentionally striving to work with Black-owned wedding businesses is an impactful way to support racial equity and equality on your big day.
If you’re ready to begin hiring your wedding vendor team, this list, which we’ll continue to update over time, is a great place to start.
Photography
Amy Anaiz
New York City-based photographer Amy Anaiz began her career as a talent agent for top still-life and beauty photographers. It was there that Anaiz mastered and refined her photography skills, ultimately launching a renowned photography business of her own.
Chi-Chi Ari
Chi-Chi Ari studied fashion design at Parsons, The New School for Design, and worked as a fashion designer for many years. She says that it was the “undeniable hopeful romantic” inside her that led Ari to pursue a career in wedding photography.
Anée Atelier
Best friends Sheena Meekins and Gina Esposito are the women behind New York-based studio Anée Atelier. Before co-founding their joint photography business, Meekins had an eight-year career in publishing, working for Condé Nast and Time Inc., and is a two-time Marketer of the Year award-winner. Esposito has more than 17 years of experience capturing weddings and more.
Elizabeth Austin
Award-winning photographer Elizabeth Austin‘s approach to photography is this: “Candid moments are just as important as the curated moments.” Though she’s based in Atlanta, Georgia, Austin also captures destinations weddings.
Alicia Rinka Photography
Alicia Rinka is the founder and lead photographer of Alicia Rinka Photography, a team of Colorado-based destination wedding photographers. Rinka’s team knows that no couple or wedding is the same and are “ready to be inspired” by their couples’ love stories.
Amarachi Ikeji Photography
Amara Ikeji, the woman behind the lens of Amarachi Ikeji Photography, first picked up a camera during a fashion internship in college and hasn’t put one down since. She serves clients in New York City, Philadelphia, and Europe, and she strives to capture “stylish moments of love and beauty” for her couples.
Matoli Keely
Southern California wedding photographer Matoli Keely actually has a background in science. Her “analytical and scientific side” influences her photography style, capturing images “worthy to be preserved as heirlooms.”
André Brown Photography
André Brown is the lead photographer of André Brown Photography, a boutique studio in Atlanta. Mixing natural light and flash lighting techniques, Brown’s work has been published in Essence, Huffington Post, The Knot, Munaluchi Bride, and The B Collective.
Pharris Photos
Josh and Kariss are the husband and wife photography team behind Pharris Photos. They specialize in wedding and corporate photography. While they are based in Dallas, they photograph celebrations all over the world.
Bedge Pictures
Bedge of Bedge Pictures was born and raised in Delta, Nigeria, and currently resides in Abuja, Nigeria. The award-winning photographer has shot over 150 weddings in and out of Nigeria and has come to “sleep, breathe, and think weddings.”
Reem Photography
Based in South Florida, Kareem Virgo, owner of Reem Photography, is a wedding and lifestyle photographer. The name Reem was actually coined by Virgo’s wife, an acronym meaning “Reliving Each and Every Moment.”
LaJoy Photography
LaJoy Cox is the founder of Atlanta-based LaJoy Photography. While her business began with a focus on wedding photography, it has now evolved to offer videography services, as well. Cox has also worked on television shows including Love Is Blind, Married at First Sight, and The Real Housewives of Atlanta.
Samantha Clarke
Samantha Clarke is a lawyer turned international photographer. Since 2009, Clarke has worked on over 200 weddings across the world—from her hometowns of Atlanta and Toronto to Europe and the Caribbean.
Sacia Matthews
Before Sacia Matthews began her career in wedding and boudoir photography, she was a high school English teacher. “The first time I captured a wedding, I had a rush of energy that I’d never felt as a high school English teacher,” she recalled. Now, she captures weddings in Charleston and beyond.
Angela Lauren Company
Angela Miller graduated from Howard University in 2012 and began Angela Lauren Company in 2016. She’s passionate about photography and videography as they have the power to “freeze time and travel back” and her Houston-based team captures destination weddings, too.
Porterhouse LA
Zyaire Porter, founder of Porterhouse LA, has more than 10 years of experience as a photographer. In addition to weddings, Porter has a diverse portfolio of portraits, athletes, and musicians.
Stanlo Photography
Before Stanley Babb founded Stanlo Photography in South Florida, he was an information technology technician. Now, he specializes in destination weddings and celebrations in South Florida and the Bahamas.
Iris Mannings
Based in Washington, D.C., but photographing weddings across the world, Iris Mannings is a photographer for “vibrant, joyful, and modern romantic couples.” Her work has appeared in ABC News, The Knot, PopSugar, Aisle Perfect, Washingtonian Weddings, BellaNaija, Munaluchi Bridal, and more.
Rhea Whitney
In 2015, Rhea Whitney left her corporate accounting job to pursue photography full-time. With each wedding she captures, Whitney strives to provide heirlooms for clients and does not take the honor of photographing those moments for granted.
Erika Layne
Self-proclaimed “photography nerds,” the husband-and-wife team behind Erika Layne—who are based in the DMV area—takes pride in their “organic approach” to photography. Erika is a graduate of Cooper Union School of Art in New York City. After teaching photography and graphic design for seven years, she started her company nearly ten years ago.
Terri Baskin
Terri Baskin is a photographer, educator, and speaker based in Washington, D.C. She is known for her “authentic” approach to photography, admitting that she is always looking for the timeless moments at weddings—whether that’s “a glance, a smile, or a tear.” Her work has been featured in Essence and Inside Weddings.
Teshorn Jackson Photography
Teshorn Jackson, a graduate of the University of Texas at Austin, is an award-winning photographer based in Dallas. He was born in Antigua and shoots photos that capture how you “feel in the moment.” Willie Howard is an associate photographer at the studio.
Ubara Weddings
Tiana of Ubara Weddings is based in Philadelphia, where she admits to being a “perfectionist photographer helping perfectionist couples, plan, produce, and execute their dream wedding.”
Keith Cephus
Keith Cephus is a sought after wedding photographer based on the east coast. With over 25 years of experience in the industry, he’s won numerous awards for his work, including being voted among the top three wedding photographers in Virginia Beach.
Social Shots Photography
Social Shots Photography is a multicultural wedding boutique photography studio in Atlanta. Their work has been seen in a variety of publications including The Knot, Southern Bride, and Modern Luxury Weddings.
YNOT iMages
Haley and Tony Minifield are the husband-and-wife pair behind YNOT iMages. Capturing images for more than 10 years, the partners take a social approach to photography and “never like to be perceived as just a ‘vendor’ or stiff outsider.”
Sam Jasper Photography
Sam Jasper is a luxury destination wedding photographer with over a decade of experience. He cites the creative expression that comes with wedding photography as one of his favorite parts of the job, and he strives to capture both amazing details and extraordinary moments on the big day.
Hey Tay Photo
In the past six years, Tayanna Nelson, founder of Hey Tay Photo, has photographed over 150 weddings. She says, “I want to help you capture memories of your day the exact way you want it to share with your family, your friends, and yourself for years and years to come.”
Avonné Photography
Avonné has been a professional photographer for 10 years and has a background in opera and dance. She began her business as a college student in 2010 and shot her first wedding in 2012. With a passion for document raw moments, she “will travel anywhere to document a love story!”
Lavishly Lux Studio
While based in Dallas, Lavishly Lux Studio, founded by Misha Wynn, also has photographers in Atlanta and Las Vegas and services couples in Austin, Houston, and New Orleans. Self-proclaimed “professional wedding crashers,” the female team considers “love to be the purest art form there is.”
Alicia Wiley Photography
Alicia Wiley is a full-time photographer and part-time website designer. Based in Baltimore, Maryland, does more than weddings—she offers portrait, engagement, and mini sessions, too.
Gione da Silva Images
Behind award-winning studio Gione da Silva Images is a husband and wife team in Suffolk, England. Together, the pair shoots weddings in the United Kingdom, Europe, and worldwide.
Bri McDaniel Photography
Bri McDaniel is a wedding photographer located in Atlanta and Seattle. She believes that every love story is unique and therefore approaches every client and couple differently.
Igor Demba
Destination wedding photographer Igor Demba considers himself to be laid-back, and that is the approach he takes with his clients. His relaxed, candid images have been featured in a variety of notable publications, including Brides.
SoCal Standard
Erica Marlëne, founder of SoCal Standard, is a native San Diego photographer who specializes in “brands, brides, and baby mamas.” She has a degree in marketing and finance and describes her work has appeared in San Diego Magazine, The Venue Report, and more.
Kiyah C Photography
Kiyah Crittendon established her eponymous photography business, Kiyah C Photography, in 2014. Although based in Washington, D.C., she captures weddings, engagements, and elopements all over the world.
Ike & Tash
Latasha and Ike Haynes, the husband and wife team behind the Pacific Northwest’s Ike & Tash, bring their love to every couple’s wedding day. Their style? “Sassy, bold, edgy, and urban lifestyle portraiture.”
Adonye Jaja
Serving Denver and beyond, Adonye Jaja is a fine art wedding photographer dedicated to capturing “wonder and love.” He loves food and people—two musts at any wedding!— and is “passionate about creating beautiful and thoughtful photographs for wonderful people.”
John Branch IV Photography
While he has an assortment of talents—he’s a “music snob” and “video game nerd”—John Branch says he gravitates towards wedding photography because he “loves to support others.” He splits time between North Carolina and New York, and if you hire him to capture your emotional event, he says he’ll be “right there crying with you.”
Jennifer Ryals Photography
Jennifer Ryals—a wife, mom, and photographer—prides herself on staying calm in stressful situations (i.e. a wedding day!). She’s even won an award for “best hugs.” But, even more: She works to make her couples feel great as she shoots “the photos you need when you don’t want to miss a thing.”
Linda McQueen Photography
The photographer behind the viral Black Lives Matter wedding in June 2020, Linda McQueen has captured nearly 270 weddings throughout her career. Born in Haiti and raised in New York, McQueen especially loves photographing multicultural weddings and has also documented weddings in Mexico, the Bahamas, and Jamaica.
Sequoyah Daniel
Sequoyah Daniel is a Brooklyn-based lifestyle, travel, and wedding photographer. Her passion for photography began in childhood: Sequoyah says her father used to buy her disposable cameras when she was a kid, and she’d been honing her craft ever since.
Petronella Photography
Petronella Lugemwa is the founder and creative director of international photography studio Petronella Photography. Specializing in multicultural weddings, Lugemwa has captured weddings all over the world—from Thailand to Mexico. She also created a podcast called We Are Multicultural.
Chuck Olu-Alabi
Nigerian born photographer Chuck Olu-Alabi studied health science at Chicago State University before founding his photography business in 2010. Although based in Chicago, Olu-Alabi shoots weddings worldwide.
Candace Sims Photography
After working as an aid in a local hospital then as a fashion retail manager, Candace Sims finally found her true passion: photography. She hopes to “create timeless, natural and authentic images” and takes a nature-focused approach to her craft.
Imagery by Jules
Gregoire Jules is the photographer behind Imagery by Jules. Currently residing in South Florida, Jules has experience in portraiture, wedding and studio photography.
Joy + Everette
Amber Joy and Tyler Everette are professional wedding photographers and cinematographers from Georgia. Together, they make up Joy + Everette and has over a decade of combined experience in the industry and have captured over 400 weddings.
Gaby J Photography
Gaby Jeter of Gaby J Photography is a wedding, elopement and boudoir photographer based in Las Vegas. With nine years of experience in the industry, Jeter is “inspired by raw emotions and sincerity between a couple.” Her work has been published in a variety of acclaimed print and digital publications.
Lynn Dunston
Based in California and Washington, D.C., Lynn Dunston is a fine art wedding and editorial photographer. Following a modern romantic aesthetic, Dunston believes “photos don’t belong on your phone. They belong on your walls, in your wallet, and taped to your mirror forever.” Her work has been internationally recognized and featured in various publications like Martha Stewart Weddings and Style Me Pretty.
Wedding Planning and Design
Guerdy Abraira
Guerdy Abraira calls Miami home but travels worldwide to execute beautiful wedding celebrations for all couples. Prior to opening her own planning company, she worked as a catering manager at a Miami hotel and owned a floral and events studio on Fisher Island.
Sinclair & Moore
Seattle-based Sinclair & Moore is led by Steven Moore—an experienced musician, cake artist, dressmaker, floral designer, and event planner—and his wife Jamie Sinclair Moore. Founded in 2002, their team strives to shape each celebration in a way that tells each client’s story.
Joy Proctor Design
An expert in all things florals and styling, Joy Proctor is world-renowned for her talent designing weddings for “couples with impeccable taste.” She is based in Portland but has traveled the globe to create stunning celebrations for couples and celebrities alike.
OneTouch Events LLC
OneTouch Events LLC founder and managing director Jillian Smith runs a full-service event studio that specializes in “the data, the design, and the details.” She is based in Atlanta but loves to travel, admitting that her second passport book is almost full.
ILE Events
After graduating from Pace University, CEO Alicia Mae decided to combine her years in hospitality and customer service into event planning, founding ILE Events. She and her passionate team want the wedding planning journey—and wedding!—to be a fun experience for all, so they draw from favorite childhood memories to create celebrations full of energy and real-life moments.
Roxanne Bellamy
Roxanne Bellamy splits her time between Miami and Washington, D.C. In addition to planning, she offers creative direction, vendor curation, and consulting to meet the needs of her clients. Fun fact: Ceremonies are her favorite part of a wedding—so don’t be surprised if you find her in the back “bawling like a baby.”
Precious Celebrations
Precious Thamaga-Mazibuko, aka “Precious the Planner,” is the founder and CEO of Precious Celebrations, a luxury wedding and event planning company in South Africa. With more than 14 years of experience, she plans weddings in her beloved South Africa, as well as events in international destinations such as Mauritius and across Europe.
Fallon Carter Events
Fallon Carter fell in love with weddings at a friend’s wedding—so much that she gave up her dream of law school and instead began planning dream weddings for couples around the globe. Based in Brooklyn, she is known for her “classic yet contemporary” aesthetic and admits that she enjoys the logistics and organization of an event as much as the details.
Cocktails & Details
As the name suggests, Terrica and her team at Cocktails & Details offer full-service wedding planning, event styling and management, and destination wedding planning. Based in St. Simons Island, Georgia, they specialize in mixing “metropolitan style with low country charm.”
Tinsel Experiential Design
Integrating expertise in experiential design, brand strategy, and digital marketing, Erica Taylor Haskins, Liz Castelli, and Adette C. Contreras of Tinsel Experiential Design are “redefining the status quo” in event design and experiences. Launched in the kitchen of a Brooklyn apartment eight years ago, the partners have grown into a multi-million-dollar business. They are proud alumnae of the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses Program.
Andrew Roby Events
Andrew Roby is a proud army vet and veteran wedding planner. He is based in Washington, D.C., where he leads a team producing “engaging and romantic” celebrations. As a boutique firm, they limit the number of events they take on—no more than two weddings and no more than six corporate or social events each month—so that their attention can be first-and-foremost on their clients, who refer to as “family.”
Michelle Norwood Events
With a belief that your event should be “a true reflection of you, your story, and the city you’re marrying in,” Michelle Norwood and her New Orleans-based team plan, design, and produce weddings that are fun, detail-oriented, and a reflection of each unique client.
Party Life Productions
When planning a wedding or celebration, Shanae Hall—affectionately referred to as “Miss Party Life”—makes three promises to every client: passionate planning, perfect coordination, and attention to detail. She and her Orlando-based team, who collectively make up Party Life Productions, are all about “wow” moments on the big day, with her favorite being the first look.
Chic By Nicole
If you’re looking for full-service wedding planning, Montreal-based Nicole, founder of Chic By Nicole, is ready to help navigate the logistics of planning any event, large or small. She is certified by the Wedding Planners Institute of Canada and has been named as one of the “Top 30 Event Planners in Canada” since opening her business in 2015.
Favored by Yodit Events & Design
In 2012, Yodit Gebreyes Endale, founder of Favored by Yodit Events & Design, looked to her Ethiopian family roots to launch a full-service planning and design company in Washington, D.C. She has since planned celebrations worldwide, always striving to design “ stylish, seamless, and multicultural weddings and events.”
Denise Lillie Engagements
Based in Northern California, Denise Lillie is a pro at producing fusion and multicultural events, including Indian weddings, Persian weddings, tea ceremonies, and multi-ceremony weddings. No matter the wedding size or style, she promises to deliver a “dramatic and memorable” experience for all.
ellyB Events
Eliana Baucicault took her master’s in business and combined it with her natural party-planning talents to found EllyB Events. The award-winning celebrity planner is a self-proclaimed extrovert, but on the big day, she wants her couples to have fun—while she “handles the fork placement” and logistics. In addition to her planning company, she is the publisher and editor of The B. Collective and author of “B Inspired The Book.”
LilyVevents
LilyVevents is a luxury full-service event planning and design atelier based in Philadelphia, specializing in everything from engagement parties to bridal showers and weddings.
This Love Weddings
Faith Folayan is the owner and creative director of This Love Weddings, which is based in Minneapolis. She is also a certified professional bridal consultant and member of The Association of Bridal Consultants.
By BrianGreen
Brian Green has over a decade of experience in the event planning industry. He specializes in offering custom wedding planning and event planning services in the Atlanta area and beyond.
Lemiga Events
Michelle Gainey is the owner of Lemiga Events based in Atlanta. With 15 years of experience in the industry, Michelle specializes in full-service event design and planning.
Elana Walker Events
Elana Walker is an award-winning certified wedding planner and the owner of Elana Walker Events. With over 10 years of experience in the industry, she has planned events all across the country, from North Carolina to California.
Touch of Jewel Events & Designs
Jewel Odeyemi is the CEO and owner of Touch of Jewel Events & Designs based in the Dallas/Fort Worth area. With over seven years of experience, she was recently nominated for “Best Wedding Planner” by The B Collective and was a second runner up for the “Dallas Best A-List Wedding Planner.”
Avila Dawn Events
Jevettra Devlin is the principal event planner at Avila Dawn Events, a wedding and event planning company serving South Carolina and beyond. She offers a variety of services including wedding planning, wedding design, and wedding event management.
Luxe Fête
Nathalie Cadet-James, a former attorney, is the founder and CEO of Miami-based Luxe Fête. She and her team plan, design, and produce events in the South Florida area and around the world.
Dure Events
Chioma Adure Nwogu-Johnson is the creative director of wedding and event planning company Dure Events. She has more than 10 years of experience in the industry and has created over 200 exclusive events all over the world, including St. Lucia, Puerto Rico, Mexico, Turks and Caicos, Paris, and Dubai.
Kesh Events
Akeshi Akinseye is the CEO and creative director of Kesh Events, an award-winning event planning, and design firm based in Chicago. Additionally, her floral and design workshop program, The Kesh Experience, hosts a series of design masterclasses that offer mentorship and education to industry professionals.
Jessica Campbell Events
Jessica Campbell, a luxury wedding planner and event designer, is the founder and lead planner of Jessica Campbell Events. Based in Miami, she is also the founder of Bridal Suite by Jessica Campbell, an online fashion boutique for brides and bridesmaids.
Grace Arhin Events
Grace Arhin Events is an event planning company based in Toronto. Grace and her team plan and execute affairs for clients around the globe, with services ranging from comprehensive planning support to event management.
Jayne Heir Weddings & Events
Jamésa Adams is the founder of Jayne Heir Weddings & Events, a premier event planning boutique based in Washington, D.C. Since 2014, she and her team have been providing high-quality services for clients and their guests.
Imperial Events
Sandy Bell is the founder and principal planner of Imperial Events, LLC, based in Atlanta. She has over 20 years of experience in the wedding and event industry and is an active philanthropist in her community and beyond.
Michelle Harrison Signature Events
Michelle Harrison has more than 20 years of national and international experience as an event planner. She founded her company, Michelle Harrison Signature Events—formerly My Dreamz Eventz—in 1999 and has produced more than 300 events throughout her career.
Kaycia Rhone Events
Kaycia Rhone is a certified wedding planner and the founder of Kaycia Rhone Events in Atlanta. She launched her company in 2012 after studying business and hospitality at Georgia State University.
Events by Mesita
Mesita Partridge has been planning events for over 13 years. She is the founder of boutique wedding and event planning company Events by Mesita and the owner of bridal boutique Ivory Bridal, both based in Atlanta.
B. Moore Events
Shaundra Anderson is the CEO and lead event coordinator of B. Moore Events based in Atlanta. B. Moore Events has been providing full-service and day-of-event management for couples since 2006.
D’Concierge Design
Based in Houston, Darryl Moore has been planning weddings for over nine years. He is a certified wedding planner and the founder of D’Concierge Design.
Events by André Wells
André Wells is the founder and CEO of Events by André Wells, a full-service event planning firm in Washington, D.C. As one of the most creative and revered event planners in the country, he has coordinated over 4,000 events in the D.C. area alone.
Erica Estrada Design
Erica Estrada is a wedding planner, designer, and stylist based in Sacramento, California. Her firm, Erica Estrada Design, provides full-service planning and event design for clients in the Northern California area and beyond.
The Style Marc
Marc Wilson is the creative director of The Style Marc, an event and floral production studio with offices in New York City, Wyoming, and Miami. The Style Marc is a one-stop-shop for event planning services, including destination management, and experiential design.
Howerton+Wooten Events
With more than 25 years in the event industry, Kawania Wooten is the founder of Howerton+Wooten Events. The award-winning event management boutique collaborates with clients to create an unforgettable experience from start to finish.
Meadows Events
Over a decade ago, Debra Meadows left her home in Colorado to pursue her event planning dreams in Los Angeles. Since then, Meadows and her team at Meadows Events offer full-service event planning as well as florals and design.
Madame Wedding Design
Estelle Bogaert of Madame Wedding Design began her career as a wedding blogger. Now, the acclaimed wedding planner and event designer offers bridal styling services as well.
My Simply Perfect Events
Summer McLane is the woman behind My Simply Perfect Events, a planning, design, and coordination firm based in Georgia. Her career began after planning several successful events for her close friends, who quickly encouraged her to enter the industry full-time. In addition to owning her own business, McLane is also an educator and writer for Huffington Post and Essence.
Dejanae Events
Based in Chicago’s Hyde Park neighborhood, Desireé of Dejanae Events has been planning weddings for 20 years with a motto of “the essence of event planning.” She is author of WEDology Notebook: For the Budget-Chic Bride.
Enraptured Events
Based in Atlanta, Enraptured Events is a full-service planning and design company. Their mission: tell each couple’s story through the details and “passionately and enthusiastically tailor fit” each celebration so that it’s unique from start to finish.
Benessamy Weddings & Events
Travel and adventure are central to Benessamy Weddings & Events‘ chief planner Val Mattinson’s business, so it’s no surprise that she plans weddings from her home in Nottinghamshire, UK, to Barbados and beyond.
La Soirée Chic Events, LLC
Planner Shavon of La Soirée Chic Events, LLC, focuses on elopements and micro weddings, using her attention to detail (she says “it’s a Virgo thing”) to create stylish yet intimate celebrations. She also takes an “Olivia Pope, “It’s handled!” approach” to problem-solving, so you’ll be in great hands no matter your wedding size.
Saunter Weddings and Design
Ashley Mason is the planner and designer at the helm of Saunter Weddings and Design. Based in Dallas but serving couples worldwide, Saunter is known for putting on timeless and beautiful events.
HerKreations
Toni Antrobus founded event planning and wedding design company HerKreations in 2017. HerKreations serves couples in New York and New Jersey.
Waverly Coleman
Waverly Coleman is a wedding planner with over a decade of experience in the industry. Located in Los Angeles and New York, her work has been featured in a variety of publications including Essence.
Pink Wasabi
Pink Wasabi is a South Florida-based wedding planning, design and styling team that specializing in both large-scale weddings and intimate elopements. Their events have been published on Junebug Weddings, Modern Luxury Weddings and more.
Details Made Simple
Carla Friday is the owner and founder of Details Made Simple, a day-of wedding coordinator serving couples in New York City, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and the Washington Metropolitan Area. She founded the company “to exercise my love for weddings and to help assist brides and grooms with all their wedding details and execute them to perfection.” Details Made Simple has been featured in a variety of publications and even appeared on TLC’s Say Yes to the Dress and Cake Boss.
Kia Marie Events
Kia Marie is the owner and founder of Kia Marie Events. While based in Chicago, the wedding and event planning team serves couples worldwide and operates with three words in mind: class, elegance and style. Kia Marie Events has also been recognized as a top wedding planner by Harper’s Bazaar.
Lea Stafford Events
Lea Stafford is the owner of Lea Stafford Events in Oakland, California. Her career in the events industry began while working for a top caterer in the Bay Area, then led her to create her own event planning company. With over a decade of experience in weddings and events, Stafford is also the founder of the Ethos West Collective, a group aimed to highlight the work of Black wedding and event professionals across the U.S. and Europe.
Chanda Daniels
Chanda Daniels is a wedding planner and designer in the Bay Area. Recognized as one of Harper’s Bazaar’s top 2020 wedding planners, Daniels is also a founding partner of the Ethos West Collective.
Creative Flow Co.
A boutique event design studio, Creative Flow Co. is owned by Cynthia West Martin and based in San Francisco, California. Martin’s work has received recognition by The Knot, Style Me Pretty, and Huffington Post, to name a few.
Régine Danielle Events
A lawyer-turned-event planner, Regina Brooks is the owner of Régine Danielle Events. Although based in Chicago, Brooks serves couples worldwide and her talent has been featured in Martha Stewart Weddings.
Southern Affairs
Robyne Swink is the owner and founder of Southern Affairs, a wedding planner and design firm. The award-winning business serves couples in Dallas, Texas; Portland, Oregon; and Seattle, Washington—all with a Southern touch.
Summer Newman Events
Summer Newman is the owner of her eponymous wedding planning firm Summer Newman Events. Based in Beverly Hills, California, Newman’s work has been published in a variety of wedding publications including Brides, Martha Stewart Weddings, and Style Me Pretty.
Fashion
Mark Ingram Atelier
Mark Ingram is the founder and owner of Mark Ingram Atelier in New York City. Since 2002, the renowned by-appointment-only bridal salon has been offering a wide selection of gowns from top bridal designers.
Ashley Michelle Miller
Ashley Michelle Miller is a wardrobe stylist and personal stylist based in New York and Florida. She has worked with notable figures such as chef Carla Hall, and her work has been featured in both film and television as well as ad campaigns.
Pantora Bridal
Andrea Pitter is the founder and creative director of Pantora Bridal, a bridal boutique based in Brooklyn, New York. In 2011, she received a BFA in Fashion Design from the Fashion Institute of Technology.
Amsale
Renowned for her modern yet timeless aesthetic, designer Amsale Aberra created sophisticated gowns with crisp, clean lines, and figure celebrating silhouettes. Now under the direction of her husband, daughter, and senior design team, Amsale’s legacy lives on through her namesake collections.
Jean-Ralph Thurin
Jean-Ralph Thurin is a luxury bridal design house located in Somerville, New Jersey, that specializes in wedding and special occasion dresses. He is a graduate of the prestigious Parsons School of Design.
Esé Azénabor
Esé Azénabor is a bridal and evening wear designer based in Dallas. She debuted her eponymous ready-to-wear collection in 2012 and has been designing one-of-a-kind gowns ever since.
Brides by NoNA
Brides by NoNA is a luxury brand of bespoke bridal and formal wear based in Atlanta. Known for its unparalleled quality and design, Brides by NoNA serves clients in the United States and internationally.
Andrea Iyamah Bride
Andrea Iyamah Bride was founded in 2012 by Dumebi Iyamah and specializes in made-to-measure custom gowns with a minimalist and timeless aesthetic.
Violette Tannenbaum
Violette Tannenbaum is the founder of Tannenbaum Atelier based in Paris. Violette Tannenbaum’s “cool bride” aesthetic is perfect for the bride searching for something different. Tannenbaum is also the founder of a podcast called “Black Lemonade.”
CUSHNIE
CUSHNIE is a luxury women’s ready-to-wear and bridal brand established in 2008 by Carly Cushnie. Her sleek and architectural styles have been worn by many influential women including Michelle Obama, Beyoncé, Gal Gadot, Lupita Nyong’o to name a few.
Curvaceous Couture
Curvaceous Couture believes that every bride deserves a joyful shopping experience and is the first bridal boutique to feature a complete collection of full-figured gowns in sizes 16-32W from notable designers from all over the world.
Odylyne the Ceremony
Stephanie White started her ready-to-wear brand Odylyne in the early 2000’s and launched her bridal brand Odylyne the Ceremony in 2015. White creates unique and deeply romantic bohemian gowns.
Valerie Madison Fine Jewelry
Valerie Madison, owner of Valerie Madison Fine Jewelry, handcrafts heirloom-quality fine jewelry from alternative engagement rings to delicate necklaces. Her pieces feature unique stones such as salt-and-pepper diamonds, rose-cut diamonds, and more.
Jalona Marie Bridal
Jalona Marie Bridal is an award-winning bridal designer based in Jacksonville, Florida. She creates beautiful one-of-a-kind custom couture wedding gowns to honor your style and budget.
Alonuko
Alonuko is a bespoke British fashion brand founded by Gbemi Okunlola in 2015. Gbemi creates sophisticated wedding gowns designed to make her brides feel beautiful and confident.
Haute & Co Bridal
Haute & Co. was founded in 2013 for the curvy and plus-size bride. Owner, Shannelle Fowler, is an award-winning leader in fashion and retail. Fowler has been featured in The New York Times, InStyle, People, Essence, and more.
Veil by Dara Adams
Owner and lead stylist of Veil, Dara Adams created a bridal styling agency for “brides who break the rules.” In an industry that lacks diversity and inclusivity, Dara created a safe place for brides of color to feel empowered and to find a fashion-forward wedding look that celebrates their personal style
Oui Madam Bridal Atelier
Cynthia Grafton-Holt is the owner and designer behind Oui Madam Bridal Atelier. Cynthia is a highly skilled dressmaker with many years of experience in the wedding industry and her handcrafted bespoke gowns have been worn by high profile clients and celebrities.
LUXE Bridal
Located in Nashville, owner Niya Toms founded LUXE Bridal while searching for her own wedding dress. Toms was looking for a dramatic, statement-making gown and with only traditional silhouettes on the market, LUXE was born. Each gown at the intimate boutique is hand-selected and feature exquisite detail at affordable prices.
Loulette Lingerie
Best friend duo Timmy Johnson and Marteal Mayer launched sister brands Loulette Lingerie and Loulette Bridal in 2015. The pair prides themselves in their sustainable and ethical designs, which are sold nationwide as well as in their Brooklyn studio.
Jaye Applewaite
Before Jaye Applewaite began her career as a bridal designer she was a civil engineer. Now, her eponymous label designs bespoke wedding gowns inspired by Caribbean destination wedding venues.
J. Biles Sartorial
Owned by Xavier J. Biles, J. Biles Sartorial is a Houston-based bespoke menswear brand. Biles began the business in 2015 and has worked with clients in Chicago, Atlanta, and New Orleans. He also owns a casual line, J. Casual and wedding line, J. Couture.
Golden Style Consulting
Before Rachel Sogo of Golden Style Consulting was a fashion stylist, she was practicing law as an attorney. She began her styling career in 2016 (after realizing “fashion was my first, true, undeniable love!”) and enrolled in F.I.T’s Image Consulting Program. Ever since, her work has been featured on Good Morning America, Martha Stewart Weddings, Munaluchi Bride, and more.
Hair and Makeup
Illy Beauty
Ellta Sequar is the artist behind Illy Beauty located in the Washington, D.C., area. Illy offers makeup and hairstyling services for weddings, production, film, editorial, and other special events.
Jamila Tarisai
Jamila Tarisai is the owner of Beauty to Behold Luxury Events and is the owner and editor in chief of Iconic Bride Magazine. Tarisai and her contracted stylists help clients with limited time to achieve their hair and makeup needs by servicing them in their home, office, or hotel room. Tarisai studied at Paul Mitchell and is based in Atalanta.
Brittany Scott
Brittany Scott is a Los Angeles-based makeup artist who specializes in brows, lashes, and makeup. Scott is also an expert makeup artist for Blushington, a one-stop beauty lounge that offers services from hair styling to wedding day makeup.
Delina Medhin
Delina Medhin is a makeup artist content creator and educator whose work has been featured in ELLE, Essence, and on Vogue.com. Medhin is also an expert on The Wendy Williams Show, AOL’s Build Brunch, and MTV’s Decoded.
Robin Chism
Robin Chism is the owner and lead makeup artist at Topflight Studio. Chism specializes in bridal and event makeup and is a licensed esthetician in New Jersey and Pennsylvania through Rizzieri Aveda school.
The Heir Salon
After being top of her class at Paul Mitchell and receiving a certification in coloring, natural hair, micro-blading, eyelash and hair extensions, Kindale Godbee founded the Heir Salon and Family. Godbee’s mission is to “help all members of The Heir Family find that beauty in all aspects of hair and life.”
Corianne Cowan
Corianne Cowan is based in Atlanta, and is the owner and artist behind Corianne Elizabeth. Corianne specializes in makeup, grooming, and hairstyling for editorial, weddings, and special events. Corianne travels all over the world to service clients at luxury weddings.
Juicy Looks by Abby
The owner and founder of Juicy Looks by Abby, Abby Falore-Ayodeji has over 10 years of experience in the beauty industry. She specializes in bridal beauty and special events and recognizes that “makeup is not one size fits all,” taking a unique and personalized approach to each client.
Ninahwee
Vernitta (Ninah) Weddles-Ninahwee is a hair and makeup artist in California. As a licensed cosmetologist, she has extensive experience in the beauty industry and always seeks to uncover “the natural beauty of brides on their wedding day.”
Floral Design
Preston Bailey
Preston Bailey is a world-renowned florist and premier event designer who specializes in creating transformative and one-of-a-kind floral installations. Bailey is also dedicated to supporting and remaining accessible to the industry so he created his PB Protégé program, a series of masterclasses that provide mentorship and education to industry professionals.
Keisha’s Kreations
Keisha Ervin’s journey actually began in corporate America as a civil engineer but due to her undeniable passion for event design, she founded Keisha’s Kreations in 2007. Keisha’s Kreations is a full-service design and event production company specializing in elegant centerpieces and fine floral arrangements.
Brooklyn Blooms NYC
LaParis Phillips, the owner and floral stylist behind Brooklyn Blooms NYC, “creates beautiful things out of beautiful things with you in mind.” Drawing inspiration from nature, art, fashion, and her surroundings, Philips mixes textures, colors, and silhouettes to create one-of-kind arrangements for weddings and events.
Special Event Factory
Leneille Moon owns Special Event Factory, a floral design company based out of Atlanta.
Beautiful Kreations Events
Started in 2005, Beautiful Kreations is a Fort Lauderdale, Florida, based event design and florist creating amazing and modern structures throughout the South Florida area.
Alexis Denise Floral Design
Based in Brooklyn, New York, but servicing the New York and New Jersey area, Alexis Denise Floral Design is an experienced florist working on weddings, birthdays, and celebrations of any size.
Everbloom
Based in Dana Point, California, Erice McNeff of Everbloom creates floral arrangements with a soft and modern sensibility.
Rogue & Fox Floral Co
Rogue & Fox Floral Co is a Los Angeles-based floral design studio. Founded by Drew Rios, Rogue & Fox puts an emphasis on sustainability, as well as creating modern and whimsical floral creations.
Offerings
Schentell Nunn studied interior architecture and design at the Academy of Art University in San Francisco and graduated in 2012. Four years later, she opened Offerings, a floral design studio in California. She is also the owner of NÜN, a jewelry company.
The Perfect Creation
Alisa Smalls is the founder and lead designer of The Perfect Creation. She’s been in the floral business for 15 years, stylizing florals for “clients who have a love for flowers, value luxe designs, beautiful environments.”
Wild Bloom
Kristen Griffith-VanderYacht is the owner and creative director of Wild Bloom Floral in Seattle. He was a judge on Netflix’s The Big Flower Fight and describes his design philosophy as “a combination of editorial with a sensibility for distinctive and organic perspectives.”
Figure Eight Events
Teresa Eoff, the founder of Figure Eight Events, is an award-winning floral designer with nearly two decades of experience in the wedding and event industry. She specializes in “lush garden style looks” and has transformed hundreds of spaces, from intimate settings to grand ballrooms.
Designs by Oochay
Uche Ojunta Akinkuowo is the florist and event designer behind Designs by Oochay, a Washington, D.C., floral studio. She runs the business with her husband, Lekan, and says “creating joyful memories that last a lifetime feeds my soul and fuels my passion.”
Ellamah
Ellamah is a floral design studio in Los Angeles. Owned by Jessica, who named the studio after her middle name, Elllamah finds inspiration in “lush and romantic flowers infused with modern sensibilities.” Jessica’s work has been featured in Once Wed, Style Me Pretty, Wedding Sparrow, and Magnolia Rouge.
Wonder Wall OC
Wonder Wall OC is a flower wall rental company in Southern California.
Shean Strong
Shean Strong is the owner of his eponymous wedding and event planning and floral design company, Shean Strong, which is based in Atlanta, Georgia. His passion for flowers began when he was a biochemistry student at Kennesaw State. He describes his aesthetic as “organic, tailored, and refined” and his work has been featured in a variety of publications including Martha Stewart Weddings and The Knot.
Videography
KEJ Productions
After filming their first wedding in 2015, husband and wife duo Kaleb and Elaine of KEJ Productions have a unique take on wedding videos. The Florida-based couple films all over the world.
Malekfoto Weddings
Abi Matesun of Malekfoto Films is an Emmy Award-winning filmmaker.
Bridges Cinema
Based in Miami, Sandra Bridges is the owner of Bridges Cinema. The wedding and event videographer shoots celebrations around the world and commits to an “unobtrusive” style that still captures cherished moments in time.
Luxor Wedding Films
Kalechi “Kal” Noel is the founder and CEO of Luxor Wedding Films. He received his bachelor’s degree from Baruch College and studied film at the New York Film Academy. Noel entered the wedding industry after meeting his wife, wedding photographer Linda McQueen.
Entertainment
DWP Live Factory
DWP Live Factory is an international event music agency. From corporate clients to couples on their wedding days, DWP knows how to enhance any occasion with the perfect musical group, band, or ensemble.
Kinfolk Brass Band
In the wake of Hurricane Katrina, brothers Percy and Richard Anderson founded Kinfolk Brass Band in 2005. Between performing at intimate events, grand occasions, and even the streets of New Orleans for second-line parades, they combine “Mardi Gras Indian chants, New Orleans funk, modern jazz, and traditional brass band sounds.”
Orchestra Noir
Maestro Jason Ikeem Rodgers established Orchestra Noir in 2016. The award-winning orchestra focuses on music of all genres, including classical, hip-hop, and R&B. They also advocate for music education, hosting annual concerts with music students in Atlanta.
Will Gill
Will Gill is a DJ, emcee, and choreographer. In addition to weddings, the L.A.-based professional has worked on seven seasons of NBC’s hit show The Voice as well as two seasons of The Kelly Clarkson Show.
Exquisite Sounds Entertainment
Exquisite Sounds Entertainment brings a lot more than music to wedding celebrations. The Atlanta-based company offers a variety of enhancements from photo booths to uplighting to video montages and more.
The Todd Everett Experience
Based in the Greater Detroit metropolitan area, the team of DJs that make up the Todd Everett Experience take every event up a notch. The team provides not only music but lighting and photo booth services.
Dannis Winston
Band leader Dannis Winston founded DWPLiFactory in 2011. His bands, including his own, create a music design concept that will perfectly go with your event.
Honey+Vinyl
Led by “Sonic Sommelier” Keanna O’Quinn, Honey+Vinyl has a unique sound that “takes an event beyond the music.” The band uses all elements of an event—from the décor to the food—to inform its sound.
Jeremy Green
Originally from Texas, contemporary violist Jeremy Green now resides in Los Angeles and recently graduated from Berklee College of Music in Boston. He began his career by playing popular music covers on YouTube in 2014. Since then, he has amassed over 8.3 million views and has worked with artists like Kiana Ledé and the Jonas Brothers.
Catering and Cakes
Occasional Occasions
Occasional Occasions by Carlton is an award-winning catering company operating out of Gloucester Park, a wedding venue in Perth, Australia.
Cantrell Occasions
Chef Ro Cantrell of Cantrell Occasions has one mission: “to provide clients with great food, superior service & memorable moments.” He graduated with a degree in Culinary Arts from the Art Institute of Atlanta and in 2012 launched his eponymous catering company in Atlanta.
GetPlated Catering
Keyon and Alexandria Hammond are the husband-and-wife team behind GetPlated Catering in Washington, D.C. Known as the “home of cultured, hip and refined food,” GetPlated creates, cooks and serves custom menus fit for any occasion—large or small, rustic or classic.
Chops by Rera LLC
Chef Rera O of D.C.-based caterer Chops by Rera LLC is a graduate of the International Culinary Center. Her business focuses on using fresh, local ingredients to create eye-catching and delicious dishes.
Cakes by La’Meeka
La’Meeka Edwards began her business, Cakes by La’Meeka, as a hobby over 10 years ago. Since then, she’s baked and designed hundreds of cakes for clients throughout Georgia, including celebrities such as Ne-Yo, Phaedra Parks, and Kandi Burress.
Sweet Details
Sweet Details is an Atlanta-based custom cake studio owned by cake designer Andrea Weithers. From the cake design to the flavors, Weithers believes the secret to a great dessert is “all in the details.”
Sugar Euphoria
Randi Smith is the owner of Sugar Euphoria, a cake and confectionery studio in the Raleigh-Durham area. She focuses on creating wedding cakes, celebration cakes, and mini desserts for all of life’s special moments.
Nicole Bakes Cakes
Based in Southern California, Nicole Bakes Cakes creates designs for weddings and celebrations locally and beyond. “I dream in all things cake,” says Nicole Redd-McIntosh. “I am inspired by life. My goal is to make your cake dreams come true!”
Additional Talent
Rev Roxy Birchfield
America fell in love with officiant and pre-marital counselor Roxanne Birchfield, who you might better know as Rev. Roxy on Love Is Blind, but her relationship with weddings goes much further back. She has been helping couples create custom ceremonies since 2017.
Minister Toya
LaToya Papillion-Herr, known also as Minister Toya, is a wedding officiant and marriage coach based in New Orleans. She has been providing orchestrating wedding ceremonies since 2015 and has served over 300 couples.
Papered Wonders
Lisa R. Zachery and April Davenport want their clients to “imagine your dreams…on paper.” They create unique stationery designs for their clients with a personalized process that starts with a couple’s vision. The designing duo has been in business with Papered Wonders since 1995.
By Dami Studios
Oluwa Dami founded By Dami Studios in 2011. Out of her Harlem-based studio, Dami creates beautiful custom stationery and invitations for clients all over the world.
Oda Creative
Folasayo and Ndidi, the husband-and-wife team behind Oda Creative, create custom stationery, monograms, and branding for their clients. Operating outside of Houston but serving clients all over the world, this couple believes that “the thing that makes you unique is what makes you outstanding.”
Lepenn Designs
Le’Trice Penn is the owner of award-winning design studio Lepenn Designs based in Detroit. With over nine years of custom design experience, Penn still gets “butterflies” every time she creates one-of-kind work for clients.
Marayah Lane
Marayah Lane designs bespoke wedding brooms and bridal accessories.
F10 Studio
Michael Fayehun is the lead photographer at F10 Studio, a boutique destination wedding and portrait photo/video studio based in Toronto, Canada. Fayehun is a Nikon Ambassador and has worked on over 150 weddings across the world. His work has been published in Black Bride, The Knot, Munaluchi Bride, Bella Naija, The B Collective, and many more global publications.
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