It was Labor Day weekend 2010, and Jerica, who introduced herself as “Stacy,” was intrigued by a friendly, handsome man who’d just walked into the VIP room at Club Belvedere in Houston. The two engaged in conversation and soon realized that they grew up in the same neighborhood and knew some of the same people. Their conversation continued to progress, but ended abruptly after Gary disclosed that he was 14 years Jerica’s senior. Jerica was not deterred by their age difference and decided to go for what she wanted. “I flirted and smiled at Gary for about 5 minutes while he was on the phone, and he quickly ended that call and made his way back to me,” recalled Jerica. “Once we got deeper into conversation and he asked for my number, I decided to tell him my real name.” 6 years after their chance meeting, the happy couple celebrated their union with a modern wedding at the Royal Sonesta, Houston, Tx. Check out their special day, captured by Civic Photos.
Bride: Jerica Nickerson, College Professor,29
Groom: Gary Guidry, Entrepreneur,43
Place of residence: Houston, Tx
Wedding date: November 26, 2016
Wedding location: Royal Sonesta, Houston, Tx
Wedding theme: Modern and fun
Honeymoon: Lake Tahoe
Proposal Story:
It was Valentine’s Day weekend in 2016, Gary surprised me with a trip to the city I’d been begging to visit, New York. With the city being a hot commodity hosting the NBA All-Star festivities, everything was moving so fast. We explored the city and enjoyed every moment, even with the weather hitting all-time record lows for the winter. After going on a lunch cruise on the Hudson River, Gary had the bright idea to go to Central Park. Let me remind you, the temperature was every bit of -2 degrees. After “submitting” to his bright idea, we walked along the sidewalk and were mesmerized by the amount of snow falling and the lake being completely frozen. For a moment Gary was quiet, which is rare, so I continued to walk ahead of him to play with the ducks. As they ran from me, Gary grabbed my hand while we stood under the deck in Central Park and started expressing his love, appreciation, and his desire for me to be his lifelong partner. Everything around us was so perfect, to the point I thought Gary paid the ducks to come back and just sit as he proposed to me.
Wedding song:
Beautiful by Tank. To be blessed to have him sing it live at the wedding was mind blowing.
From the bride:
It was fun and entertaining. I tried my best to not let the stresses of wedding planning get to me. My planner Venus did a great job of coordinating everything and keeping us within our budget. For Gary, it was a different story. He really didn’t get into the process until a few weeks leading up to the big day and even made a few changes and surprises for me.
From the groom:
The wedding experience was definitely more than I expected. As a male you don’t really pay attention to all the details and decisions that have to be made. I really appreciated how Jerica valued my opinion and made sure the day reflected both of our styles. The wedding day was awesome, it was really a time for celebration and the joining of two families. I really loved how warm and loving the environment was, it was deemed by family and friends as the party of the year!
What makes your love special?
Our love is special because of the friendship foundation we’ve built it upon. We are truly best friends and enjoy one another’s company, but we also balance each other out. Where one of us lacks or is weak the other is strong.
What is your best memory from your wedding?
The best memory I have from the weeding is having my favorite R&B artist, Tank, sing as I made my grand entrance! He also serenaded us for our first dance, with an exclusive song. Gary’s best memory was finally seeing me come around the corner and watching me walk to be by his side as we became one. Also, the reception was more like a party / club scene than it was from your typical wedding reception. We definitely didn’t want people just sitting in their seats all night so our DJ and MC kept the party going all night as we celebrated our love.
What are you most looking forward to as a married couple?
We’re looking forward to growing with one another, creating new and lasting memories, and traveling the world as we admire some of God’s greatest creations.
Advice for a bride and groom?
Enjoy the engagement phase and the process of wedding planning. The day itself goes by so quickly and all you have are the memories. Invest in what’s important to you and not other people. Don’t go into your marriage with debt from your wedding night, but do go into it not regretting anything you did or purchased for that night.
Congratulations to the happy couple! We wish you many more years of wedded bliss.
Sources
Civic Photos|Royal Sonesta Houston|XOXO Weddings and Events|Mikes Dance Floor|Impressive Events|Decor 2 Remember|Tammy Allen|Sweet Dreams Gourmet|The Wedding MC
