By Jasmine Grant · ·

In November 2017, Mia decided to try BlackPeopleMeet.com. A few days later, William discovered Mia’s profile and wrote her a message. “I appreciated the time and care William put into his meaningful messages,” says Mia. “One night I happened to pick up the phone to call William. Our conversation lasted well over three hours. We clicked immediately and made an official appointment for the following week. “

Within their 18 months of dating, William was beaten by Mia and knew she had the potential to be his forever. True to their habit of surprising one another with random journeys and experiences, William devised a seemingly sporadic but romantic sunrise proposal for a hot air balloon that knocked Mia down.

Your upscale wedding was originally intended to be shot for a reality show. However, just days before the big day, the venue decided not to allow filming on their property. Mia and William had two options: look for a new wedding venue in 72 hours or miss the opportunity. They decided to follow their heart and miss the show’s offer. “William and me [realized] The circumstances are either God’s direction or protection, ”says Mia.

In retrospect, the couple is not only happy to have kept their original wedding plans, but also to have successfully acquired various providers for their wedding. “We wanted our money to flow through the hands of those who understood us best,” the couple told ESSENCE. “We are proud that 99% of our suppliers were colored.”

Scroll through the gallery to see Mia and Williams’ beautiful, upscale North Carolina wedding.

Would you like to see your wedding in Bridal Bliss? Send your story and a link to your wedding photos for review to bridalbliss@essence.com.

01

Meet the Poinsettes
Bride: Mia Mindley, Compliance Advisor
Groom: William Poinsette, Chief Operating Officer
Conference location: The Grand Marquise Ballroom in Garner, North Carolina
Theme: Traditionally with surprise elements
Pastor: Alonza G. Scipio
Event planner: Elana Walker of Elana Walker Events, LLC
Wedding salon: Anjolique Bridal & Formal
Custom ceremony dress: Demetrios
Custom Ceremony Veil: Eva from Milady Bridals
Custom bridal robe: Veronica Tabi
Engagement ring of the bride: Heidi Gibson
Install bridal hair: Nneka from NneStyledYou
Bridal Makeup & Hair: Abby Falore-Ayodeji
Bridesmaids Makeup: Vee Washington
Bridesmaids hair: Amaka’s international hair
Groom hairdresser: Deshawn Jones
Rental: CE rental
Florist: Vilma Zamora from Génesis Eventos Florales
Cake: Brie and Mariston from Cake Couture Boutique
Photographer: Stanley Babb from Stanlo Photography
Videographer: Morgan Scott Films
Flash Mob Choir: JPM Vocal Group
DJ: Anthony Garnes from DJ Harlem Entertainment
Pyrotechnics: Ultra mix events
Custom dance floor: Imagine floors
Helicopter: Total Flight Solutions
Ice sculpture: North Carolina Ice Events
Acrylic monogram for card box: JM Creative Designs
Stationery:
Three little birds stationery

02

Your sunrise suggestion
A few months before the proposal, William casually asked Mia about her engagement ring preferences. “I mentioned there was a designer in LA named Heidi Gibson who made the most incredible engagement rings,” she told ESSENCE. “William woke me up on June 30, 2019 at around 3am to ask that I watch the sunset. After driving an hour away, we arrived in an open field where some men were inflating a hot air balloon. We then glided across the sky to greet the sunrise as close to humans as possible. Halfway through the flight, William shared our love story with the pilot, then grabbed my hand while speaking from the heart of our time together before kneeling on one knee. ”

03

Bridal style
Mia’s sexy wedding dress was designed by Veronica Tabi.

04

New year, new us
William says he discovered Mia was the one on New Years Eve 2017. “We went on a fireworks dinner cruise,” he recalls. “After only being together for a month, I knew I didn’t just want to spend the New Year with her, but every year after that.”

05

Smile from the heart
Mia’s wedding anniversary glamor was only matched by her smile!

06

Memories for a lifetime
“Being a bride was a feeling I will never forget,” said Mia. “The love and support that surrounded us in our first moments from husband and wife still makes me emotional.”

Stanlo Photography

07

Forever ready
“As a traditional man of high standards, I believe I was destined to meet someone who wanted to experience the journey of life with me,” says William. “I think you always hope to find love using dating apps, but honestly I didn’t expect to find a needle in an online haystack.”

08

Look up, say cheese
William took a selfie with the bridesmaids before the ceremony began.

09

The music of love
The first surprise of the night came as Mia walked down the aisle. A 14-member flash mob choir wore all black and sat in the last two rows. The entire wedding reception went down the aisle to make a selection from a string quartet. When it was Mia’s turn to walk down the aisle, the secret choir members began saying Beyoncé’s “Dangerously in Love.

10

When i see you smile
“Hearing our guests cheering with excitement as the doors opened for my descent down the aisle is a sound I’ll never forget,” says Mia. “Plus we both cried when we first met, when we met in the middle of the aisle. “

Stanlo Photography

11

A feeling like no other
Williams says, “Being a bridegroom was exciting because not only did I marry the love of my life, but also because of the love, happiness and energy felt in the room when the closest people in our lives came together, to celebrate our union. It was a feeling I will never forget. “

12th

Everlasting love
Two pastors from Mias and Williams’s family gave readings during the ceremony. They also lit a unity candle during our ceremony to symbolize their eternal commitment.

Stanlo Photography

13th

my everything
“William is my best friend and the epitome of love,” says Mia. “He’s the most patient person I know and my soul is the calmest when we’re together.”

14th

Timeless style
In keeping with the elegant theme of the night, Mia and William chose a long black dress in various styles for their bridesmaids and a classic black tuxedo for the groomsmen.

15th

Clean and fresh
“I’m not a big color fan, but I knew automatically that I wanted a monochromatic color scheme of ivory, champagne and gold for our big day,” says Mia added another classic and luxurious layer. “

16

Forever my queen
“My screen name on the dating site was PrincessMia. William whispered in my ear during our first dance to Kem’s “Heaven” that “Princess Mia was finally a queen”. All I could do was cry harder because my king was finally next to me. “Awww !!

17th

Let’s eat cake
The couple’s spectacular white wedding cake was designed by Cake Couture Boutique, which appeared on the second season of Netflix’s Sugar Rush. The multiple levels consisted of a variety of flavors including red velvet, carrot cake, lemon chiffon, and triple chocolate.

Stanlo Photography

18th

The upshift
Mia slipped into an elegant sequin dress with a high slit for her reception look. William opted for a classic black suit.

Stanlo Photography

19th

Mia’s advice to brides
“Don’t be afraid to ask questions! We received astronomical offers from some vendors before we finished our team and had no problem pushing back or questioning what we were charged for. Be honest with your event planner and get him into yours Having names represented is another bonus for having a qualified person running your event. “

20th

Go out with a bang
“We knew we needed a spectacular way to end the night,” the couple told ESSENCE. “Although the venue provided sparklers as part of our package so the guests could stand outside as we walked through the crowd, we knew we could do better. So we booked a helicopter as our escape surprise. ”

Stanlo Photography

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