Full Names Jasmine Styles and Maxwell Pearce
Occupations Jasmine: Alert Desk Anchor, 7News DC Maxwell: Artist and Harlem Globetrotter
Cultural Background Jasmine: African American (mother) and African American (father) Maxwell: African American and Caribbean (mother) and African American and Jamaican (father)
Where & How Did You Meet?
Maxwell had an interview in Birmingham, Alabama, for the Harlem Globetrotters in 2020, right before the pandemic. Several pieces of fruit were thrown at him during this live segment, including a banana. Maxwell was aware of the racial implications behind this gesture and used his massive social media platform to speak out about it.
A mutual friend of ours shared the video on Instagram. Jasmine reposted the video, which sent a notification to Maxwell. He was thanking all of his supporters individually through DMs, and we struck up a conversation. Maxwell eventually asked about how to further his message. Since Jasmine worked in local news and had pretty extensive knowledge of the media landscape, she gave him a list of outlets. Days later, the story had gone viral on several of the outlets she suggested.
They spent the following year talking strictly through DMs, subtly flirting and missing each other’s hints that they were interested in one another. Jasmine eventually took the initiative to directly ask if Maxwell was interested in her, and he said yes. They would meet up a month later in Florida for a Disney World trip on Labor Day weekend.
Where Did You Get Married & Why Did You Pick That Location?
We got married at the Signia by Hilton Orlando, which is on Disney World property. At first, we looked at more unique venues like art museums and docks. We were also looking at venues in Tampa, Florida, where Jasmine lived for a bit. But our wonderful planner, Shadow Anderson, owner of Thee Chaos Coordinator, steered us toward Orlando because costs were more reasonable.
She also got married at the Signia and deeply trusted the staff. The fact that it was a major hotel also eased our worries of something going wrong and having no backup. Some of the downsides of those unique venues were that if it rained, the only backup space would be the dance floor. And very few had spaces for the bridal party to get ready for the wedding.
The cherry on top was that the Signia was the perfect place to bring our story full circle. Our first date was at Disney World, so it was only right that we got married on the property. We also decided to go to Disney the next day along with several of our guests.
What Was The Most Important Thing To Each Of You When Planning Your Wedding?
Max: The most important thing to me was making sure the budget could accommodate the vision we had for our wedding. When you are shopping for wedding venues, it can be easy to assume that the venues with the highest price tag are the most accommodating. I am here to tell you that is not always the case. Make a chart and write down every feature that the venues have so you can compare them to each other. You may find that some of the cheaper venues pack a bigger punch!
Jasmine: The most important thing to secure for our wedding was a full-fledged planner. Since we did not live in Florida, I wanted to make sure someone was nearby to handle things when we could not. I had also heard so many stories from couples of terrible vendors. I barely did any planning at first because I was worried we would do all this research, present these vendors to our planner, and they would be duds. Nothing beats foundational knowledge and expertise, and we found that in our planner!
What Does Family Mean To You?
Family is not just denoted by blood; family can be chosen. These are people you choose to be vulnerable with and lean on during difficult times. They are the people who contribute to your foundation as a person, share similar values, and understand your circumstances.
Extending an invitation to become family and partner with your spouse for a lifetime is one of the most important decisions of your life. That decision will have a seemingly infinite impact on every branch of your family tree. Sharing your wedding day strengthens the bond with the new members of your family in a way that can only be felt after you say, “I do!”
What Tips Would You Give To A Couple Planning Their Wedding?
Maxwell: Although everything will not be as “perfect” as you plan for it to go, it will be worth it! Do not let one wrong thing be the reason that you do not enjoy your big day! There are so many things happening at once on your wedding day. Worrying about every single detail as they happen is going to prevent you from being present in a moment that you will reflect on for your entire life. Everyone will be having such a good time that they either do not notice the little details you want to stress about, or they just do not care. Your guests are there for you!
Jasmine: Just have your wedding inside. I will never get over the rain ruining the vision for our ceremony and having to edit out exit signs and room dividers from our pictures! I would also advise every couple to make a shot list for their photographer that includes every picture they want, even the things you think your photographer would instinctively know to capture. Lastly, stay on top of your budget and payments. It really does come at you kind of fast toward the end.
Photography by Derrious Robinson of RTW Photography.
