Top Weddings Of The Year

Ebony, Feb, 2001 by Joy Bennett Kinnon

FROM the seat of government in Washington, D.C.--with the president of the United States as an honored guest--to the shores of the Caribbean Sea, those who married in the dawn of the new millennium celebrated with prayers, music and dance.

Weddings in the first year of the 21st century were celebrated with friends, family and fairy-tale touches. Whether on sand or dry land, these modern brides and grooms repeated the age-old vows at intimate affairs of less than 50 and mammoth productions of more than 500.

Labor leaders, boxers, fitness trainers and preachers wed in 2000--and those were the brides! Women in 2000 proved that no matter what their occupations, saying, "I Do!" will never go out of style.

Alexis Herman, who was then secretary of labor, wed Silver Spring, Md., physician Dr. Charles L. Franklin Jr. at the National Cathedral in Washington, D.C., in a private February wedding ceremony that included then President Clinton reading from Paul's famous First Corinthians letter on love.

Oceans away nationally syndicated disc jockey Tom (Fly Jock) Joyner and fitness expert Donna Richardson literally took the matrimonial plunge in Jamaica. Their nontraditional ceremony before 300 guests featured great music and great fun, and the newlyweds dancing on the beach before jumping into the sea and swimming to a waiting speedboat.

There were several other high-profile persons who took the matrimonial plunge in 2000 and some are featured on the following pages.

Alexis Herman and her husband, Dr. Charles L. Franklin Jr., pose (left) with then President Bill Clinton and their wedding part)'. Clinton also gave the first toast at the private wedding reception dinner held at the home of Alma Brown, widow of former U.S. Commerce Secretary Ron Brown. The couple married two days before Valentine's Day. The bride wore a Vera Wang white, silk satin gown with a cathedral train.

Nationally syndicated disc jockey Tom Joyner and fitness expert Donna Richardson pose with their wedding party following their Jamaica nuptials. The wedding party included Tom Joyner Morning Show radio personalities J. Anthony Brown and Miss Dupree, and inspirational author and speaker Iyanla Vanzant, who officiated at the ceremony. The bride wore a two-piece gown of English net, hand-embroidered with pastel flowers, designed by Robert Legere of New York.

NFL Star Emmitt Smith and actress Patricia Southall Lawrence and nearly 600 guests "got down" at their lavish reception at the Fairmont Hotel in Dallas after exchanging vows at the First Baptist Church. The bride, a former Miss Virginia, wore a soft silk satin strapless A-line gown with a 15-foot detachable train. The gown's bodice was handbeaded in Austrian crystals and Baroque pearls. She wore an Austrian-crystal-and-pearl-covered tiara, attached to her silk-illusion veil. Patti Flowers of Stanley Korshak Bridal Salon of Dallas designed the gown.

Beautiful pro boxer Laila Ali was a knockout without lifting a glove when she married former champion boxer Johnny McClain at the Ritz-Carlton ballroom in Pasadena, Calif., before 275 guests. When she entered on the arm of her father, boxing champion Muhammad Ali, she wore an elegant white crystal-beaded sheath designed by Lazaro of New York City. The happy pair (left) poses with their mothers, Veronica Anderson (1.) and Nisaa Seifullah. The glowing bride (below) is joined by her famous father. Wedding favors for this affair were unique to the couple--tiny white leather boxing gloves.

Rap star Mack 10 and Tionne (T-Boz) Watkins of the hit group TLC won't forget the year 2000. They established Mack and Boz Films, a film production company, and performed a duet on Mack 10's new album, The Paper Route, then exchanged vows at an undisclosed location in Los Angeles before a star-studded guest list that included Ice Cube, Chilli from TLC, Gerald Levert, who performed at the ceremony, and E-40. The bride surprised her new husband at the reception with a special performance by his favorite group, The Whispers. The newlyweds also welcomed a daughter last year who they named Chase Rolison.

Barry Sanders, former Detroit Lions running back, and Detroit news anchor Lauren Campbell were married (after six years of dating) by the Rev. Nicholas Hood III in Detroit in an intimate ceremony before about 50 guests. The elegant wedding and reception were held at the Detroit Golf Club. Campbell selected black magic roses, lavender and red roses. The bride chose a "feminine" Diamond Collection gown with a halter-style, lace-covered bodice and full skirt with a cathedral-length train. Although Sanders was described as "poetry in motion" on the football field, his bride said they had to practice for their first dance, but everything went smoothly as the couple glided into their first dance to "I'm Glad There Is You."

Los Angeles Dodgers left fielder Gary Sheffield's wedding to DeLeon Richards was a real royal wedding. Sheffield, who says he "never wanted a wife," eloped with the Chicago-born gospel singer in 1999, but to celebrate their first anniversary he decided to give his wife her dream wedding. L.A.-based wedding producer Diann Valentine says petals from 70,000 red and gold roses were used to blanket the church in a 6-inch-deep rose carpet. A total of 500 custom-molded candles formed a halo effect around the altar at the First Presbyterian Church in St. Petersburg, Fla. The bride wore a Michelle Roth cap-sleeve gown with a bodice of imported lace and a full silk skirt. Gospel superstars Yolanda Adams and CeCe Winans performed, and the bride performed a heartfelt solo to her husband that brought a tear to his eye. He in turn gifted her with 30 carats of diamond-studded jewelry. The couple honeymooned in Hawaii.