We couldn’t be more honored to be able to share this influential editorial, dreamt up by Amy Marie Events – it embodies the immeasurable beauty that comes from true unity, something we ourselves are hoping to inspire and strengthen within the wedding community. Read on for Amy’s beautiful words about the heart behind the shoot – and don’t forget to check out the full gallery of inspiration, all captured by David and Tiffany Photography. This might just be one of our most special features yet here on SMP.
From Amy Marie Events… Moving to Richmond, Virginia from a small rural town in VA I expected to see a world of diversity, integration, and unity. I had dreams of finding a home where my love for people of all colors, race, way of life was embraced and encouraged, something completely the opposite of the small town I was leaving. As I began to network myself with vendors I quickly realized that the world I dreamed I would encounter in “the big city” was not much different than the world of segregation I had started my business in.
As I looked through magazines, Instagram accounts, venue brochures, and all things events I quickly realized that there were the “black venues” and the “white venues”. The majority of what I saw around me caused my world to crash and me to grow sick to my stomach. I didn’t want to be blind to the prejudices all around me. So, on a cool spring day, I reached out to a black female friend of mine in the industry and asked her if I could ask her some candid questions. As we talked and discussed the culture in which we both worked it became very apparent that everything I was seeing was certainly not a part of my imagination but VERY VERY real. I began to share with her how I desired to start a change in our culture. I wanted to start having real conversations with real vendors, both black and white and help to bridge the gap and heal the prejudices that have plagued our society and city for far too long.
I reached out to multiple venues and vendors to begin the conversations. I had a dream of creating a styled shoot that brought together vendors of different colors and backgrounds and style it at a venue that was predominantly geared toward a white demographic and see what happened. As I began to reach out and build relationships and connections the push back and red flags were blaring in my face. I knew this would be harder than I imagined. THEN, the death of George Floyd took place. The morning I woke up to see his death on my newsfeed all I could do was sob. Another innocent life taken. The country was no longer willing to be quiet, nor was I.
At that moment the fire was lit even more. I COULD NOT BE QUIET, I was not taking no for an answer and needed for the cause to be known, no matter the cost.
In just a few weeks, after many hard conversations, we had vendors and a venue who were ready to stand with me in our city and open the door for racial reconciliation. I deliberated over the color palette and design, asking from input from each vendor and the decision was made, we would keep it classic, simple and yet make a powerful statement. The power of black and white has always made a bold statement. The two exist for one another and there is true beauty in their unity.
The date was set, the details designed and now it was time to bring it all to life. Xaneya and Clay met the day of the shoot and it was as if they truly were in love and getting married. Their genuine kindness and affection were contagious and it defined the shoot, Love is Color Blind. And while they are able to see the color of each other’s skin their heart of love shone so brightly. Every detail from the backdrop over the James River to the stone of the terrace, the wild Queen Anne’s Lace lining the wedding aisle, and the composition of the tablescape complimented one another and perfectly melded the vision of the Unity of Black and White. So, while I do personally believe that this shoot is balanced, with white space, detail shots galore, breathtaking views, the vision behind this shoot is truly what makes it all “STYLE ME PRETTY WORTHY.”
Photography: David and Tiffany Photography | Wedding Dress: Jenny Yoo | Cake: Fat Rabbit Cakes | Makeup: Holly Byrd Miller | Tux: Tiffany's Bridal | Event Design, Planning and Florals: Amy Marie Events | Invitation Suite & Calligraphy: Letterful RVA | Location: The Estate at River Run | Rentals: Rent Equip | Wedding Dress Shop: Urban Set Bride