1. Real Weddings

A Chic Multicultural Wedding at Botanica Gardens in Wichita, Kansas

Jennifer (Jen) Bradley (26, a stylist at Eric Fisher Salon and color artist for L'Oreal Professionnel and Onyemobi Nnanna Okpara (32, an event special

Jennifer (Jen) Bradley (26, a stylist at Eric Fisher Salon and color artist for L'Oreal Professionnel and Onyemobi Nnanna Okpara (32, an event specialist and?coordinator at KPush Entertainment) met the first Saturday of December at an event the night of Jens work Christmas party. One day, the couple decided to have a photo shoot for their mom’s to have a picture to hang in their house. Conveniently, Jen’s mother is a creative photographer, so she gathered everyone together and arranged a photo shoot. After a few photos, Jen’s mom said she thought she had gotten some good ones, so they could be done. “That was when Nnanna said, ‘I need to tie my shoe.’ Me, being the goof ball I am, continued taking funny photos with my mom,” Jen says. “Nnanna pulled out a blue velvet ring box, stood up and proposed. I was so surprised and filled with joy that I immediately said, ‘Yes!’” Jen and Nnanna didn’t want to just combine their lives with their wedding, they also wanted to combine their cultures. Jen rocked a 1920s style with her look for the ceremony and they both wore traditional Nigerian garb for the reception. They wanted everything to tie into their glamorous garden party. BloomHaus created amazing, exotic floral arrangements to add to the multicultural ambience and Ruffles And Rust provided all of the vintage furniture rentals for intimate sitting areas for guests to mingle. The couple really wanted to play up the natural beauty of the Botanica Gardens and used a neutral color scheme of ivory, gray and blush for a simple, chic feel. They added gold and crystal accents for a little glamorous flair. As soon as the reception started, the couple served plantains followed by a meat station with bone-in adobe chicken, carving station with beef tenderloin, Jollof rice (a nigerian rice), green chilli mac and cheese and salad. “We wanted to make sure we satisfied all taste buds for the intercultural wedding,” Jen says. They had about 50 international guests at their wedding!

With the help of Minted, the couple created glamorous gold foil pressed invitations with black lettering on ivory paper. They completed the look with a glittery gold envelope liner and calligraphy addresses.
I have a modern, chic, edgy style and wanted a very unique ring, Jen says. She sat down with Jewelry Savers to design three stackable yellow and white gold rings. Nnanna wore a simple, yet sleek, yellow gold band.
Jen bought her headpiece first, and then found a dress and shoes to match. She chose gold Antonio Melani crystal-embellished shoes that kept the 20s vibe.
Since Jen never fell in love with any of the dresses she tried on, she settled for one she liked and felt she could enhance with some custom work. Vanya Designs draped crystal beading across the open back and shoulders. I would suggest for brides to get a dress that they like and customize it to love, Jen says. Cut on it or add beading, but make it your own.
Jens first priority was for her bridesmaids to feel comfortable, so with a little guidance from Jen, each bridesmaid picked her own dress and Vanya Designs added some custom beading to bring them all together with some extra glitz.
"I wanted something loud and big that I could carry like a purse," Jen says. BloomHaus used banksia protea, white agapanthus, white scabiosa, hypericum berries, blush French tulips, Juliet garden roses, sara spray roses, gardenias and jasmine vine. They completed the look with a customized bracelet made out of cheetah leather and rhinestones so the bride could carry her lush bouquet on her forearm as she walked down the aisle.
The groomsmen wore gray Vera Wang tuxes with gold ties, pocket squares and cufflinks.
The men wore a simple white gardenia with banksia foliage boutonnieres to compliment the brides bouquet.
The flower girls wore chic vintage dresses from Dollcake and held the ring bearers hand as they walked down the aisle.
Jen and Nnanna exchanged vows under a large Oak tree while guests sat at the reception tables. Loving the venues natural beauty, the couple created a European garden wedding-feel with minimal decor.
During the ceremony, the parents sat facing the other guests in gold trimmed black vintage chairs next to the Oak tree, and the bridal party stood behind the parents chairs.
The ceremony music was performed by one of Nnannas very good friends, Shawn Jackson, an amazingly gifted vocalist accompanied by keyboard player Tim Phillips.
I wanted both cultures combined as much as possible in our wedding, Jen says. I wanted it to be comfortable, but still chic.
Jen and Nnanna had about 50 international guests they had not seen in years, and some wore traditional Nigerian attire.
A large printed photo from the couples engagement shoot was displayed at the reception.
Jen and Nnanna spiced up the Botanic Gardens entrance with chic white petal curtains tied back with sparkly gold fabric.
The couple created a hashtag (#okparapartyof2) and displayed it in a We Love Photos sign on the reception tables.
The reception tables were decorated with champagne table linens topped with a sparkly gold runner, small centerpieces and lots of candles.
Knowing that the cakes would be outside, and loving the look of multiple, different size cakes, the couple decided to have faux cakes at their wedding. Five fake cakes were displayed on a vintage dresser while sheet cakes were inside, ready to be served.
While the cake designer was showing Jen and Nnanna cake stands with display cakes on top, the couple wondered why they couldnt have several different faux cakes. The five fake cakes were displayed on crystal and gold cake stands matching the chic golden palette.
The couple danced to All of Me by John Legend. We were huge fans of this song and selected it because we heavily identified with the lyrics, Jen says.
Jen and Nnanna had a Nigerian-themed reception, which included African clothing. Jen wore a crystal-beaded African-patterned dress and Nnanna wore a Kaftan.