Donovan McNabb weds college sweetheart in hometown ceremony

Jet, July 14, 2003 by Melody K. Hoffman

During a spiritual and romantic ceremony on a blissful, sunny first day of summer, Donovan Jamal McNabb, one of the NFL's leading quarterbacks, exchanged marital vows with college sweetheart Raquel-Ann Sarah "Roxie" Nurse.

McNabb, the Philadelphia Eagles superstar, wed the blushing bride before 450 lively guests at Valley Kingdom Ministries International in Oak Forest, IL, a suburb of Chicago near his hometown.

Nurse is an advisor for academic support for athletics at Villanova University. Her hometown is Hamilton, Ontario.

McNabb, a Pro Bowler who will be entering his fifth NFL season, met Nurse in 1994 when the two attended Syracuse University together. There, she was a member of the women's basketball team.

White orchids and white roses wrapped around columns that overlooked the altar in the intimate ceremony.

McNabb and his best man, Sean McNabb, also his older brother and only sibling, playfully strutted to the altar to the uplifting song Dwell Among Us, performed by the church's rambunctious choir. The 26-year-old football star waited patiently for his future wife to make her way down the aisle.

The processional was an exquisite black and white delight, with the bridal party, including Nurse's sister and matron of honor, Rachelle-Ann Newsome, donning black satin dresses with chiffon shawls and the juniors wearing white dresses with black chiffon bows. The groomsmen looked dapper in black tuxedos.

The 28-year-old Nurse was a magnificent sight to behold as she wore a striking white strapless, crystal-beaded bodice with duchess satin skirt and 6-foot train designed by Chicago's Barbara Bates. Escorted down the aisle by her father, Arlie Nurse, she lit up the room with her delicate, majestic smile.

At the time in the program to hand over his beautiful daughter to McNabb, it took Mr. Nurse a few good pushes to step aside, drawing laughter from the guests.

Apostle Daniel Wilson and Pastor Beverly Wilson officiated the ceremony. After tying a ribbon around the couple to bind them through the service, Apostle Wilson said, "Everything you'll have to do in the next few minutes, you'll have to work together. That's what marriage is really all about."

McNabb, who perhaps showed some signs of nervousness when he said, "awful wedded wife" instead of "lawful" wedded wife, adorned Nurse's hand with a stunning 4-carat, emerald-cut diamond solitaire with pave diamond-encrusted band.

Those attending the wedding coordinated by Merry Green Promotions included the bride's mom Marjorie Nurse and the groom's parents, Charlene and Samuel McNabb, who is a Deacon of the church. "We are both very happy for our son in choosing his wife. We know and love Roxie as our own," Mrs. McNabb told JET. Among the family and friends were the groom's teammates James Thrash, Freddie Mitchell, Chad Lewis, Rashard Cook, Troy Vincent, Titans' Eddie George and Keith Bulluck, Steelers' Jerome Bettis, and Eagles coach Andy Reid

The elaborate reception was a sea of red roses and white silk linen at the classy Ritz-Carlton hotel in downtown Chicago. McNabb and the fathers of the bride and groom even added a little color change to the reception by changing their black tuxedo jackets to white ones.

Instead of the traditional tapping of glasses to see the newlyweds kiss, the guests were asked to sing a song with the word "love" in it on the microphone at the center of the room. This served up many laughs as people with pleasant (and not so pleasant) voices rushed the stage to use their creativity to recite different ballads and raps.

In front of the 270 invite-only guests, the first dance was danced to K-Ci and JoJo's This Very Moment. The loving couple smiled and sang to each other as though they were the only two in the room.

Another highlight for the lovebirds was the video package of "American Idol" Ruben Studdard. Studdard is a favorite among the McNabbs and was invited to the wedding. However, with Studdard's hectic star-studded schedule, the "Idol" apologized for not being able to attend.

The newlyweds honeymooned in the Dominican Republic and will make their home in the Philadelphia area.