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Sealed With a Kiss: The bride wore a strapless mermaid dress from David’s Bridal for the ceremony, and then changed into a second gown — also mermaid style — for the reception. The groom’s double-breasted tuxedo came from Better Menswear of Richmond.
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All in the Details: Reception table centerpieces included a variety of tall and short arrangements with white hydrangeas and lush greenery. “We wanted a modern and romantic-style reception,” Quanei says.
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Floating on Air: “I have an obsession with chandeliers,” Quanei says. “I told my event decorator that I wanted a floating chandelier cake, and she couldn’t believe her ears. But her and my florist collaborated and made it happen. They were such a dream.”
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Shining Bright: The bride’s jeweled headpiece, purchased from Amazon, actually broke moments before the ceremony. “I don’t know how they made it happen, but somehow the bridesmaids all came together and fixed it right before we had to walk out,” Quanei says.
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Kick up Your Heels: The bride wore Christian Louboutin heels, which she received as a birthday gift, for the reception. “They were the most gorgeously painful shoes that were totally worth the pain and a wonderful excuse to have my husband carry me into the hotel room,” she says.
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Playing Games: The couple’s love of the classic board game Monopoly inspired this creative invitation suite, which they designed themselves.
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White Hot: The wedding guests were asked to wear white for the June event at The Boathouse at Rocketts Landing.
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Father Time: Maurice’s engraved Fossil watch was a gift from Quanei for his first Father’s Day.
The love between Quanei Fields and Maurice Smith goes back to their middle school years — they met because their older siblings dated. Though that relationship did not last, Quanei and Maurice later reconnected while attending the same high school, and they’ve been together ever since.
The pair became engaged on Christmas Day in 2015 and eloped in June 2017. They had hoped to have a 2020 wedding celebration, but those plans changed due to the pandemic. Six months after the birth of their daughter, Halo, they finally celebrated their nuptials with an elegant summertime affair at The Boathouse at Rocketts Landing. The couple and their guests were handsomely coordinated, wearing all white. “We knew it would be hot, and we envisioned how beautiful all white would look against the river and the trees in the background,” Quanei says.
Guests enjoyed a plated dinner that began with a soup and salad course, followed by a mixed-grill entree of filet mignon, salmon and chicken with Yukon Gold mashed potatoes and roasted asparagus. The couple’s showstopping four-tier cake — made of chocolate, strawberry and vanilla cake with buttercream icing — was displayed on a floating crystal chandelier.
Quanei and Maurice cherish every part of their big day, including hilarious best man and matron of honor speeches, as well as Quanei witnessing Maurice getting ready with her young nephew. But for the groom, nothing compared to seeing his bride walk down the aisle. “It put a smile on my face and made me cry,” Maurice says.
Decor: Etc Events
Florals: Agape Love Events
Cake: Incredible Edibles Bakery
Hair: More Styles by Kat
Makeup: Makeup by Bre
