Lifestyle
DIY or Hire a Pro? We Asked 3 Black Wedding Experts If You Should Hire a Planner
Whether you’ve got dreamed of your wedding since childhood or are only wondering where to start out, hiring a wedding planner will be the most significant decision you make.
For couples who grew up in families where easy cake-cutting with Polaroids was enough, a planner can seem to be an expensive luxury. But with so many couples facing an countless supply of selections, especially within the age of social media, where latest trends and concepts spread quickly, planning a wedding can sometimes feel like a full-time job.
So what are the advantages of hiring a wedding planner? Are all wedding planners the identical? We asked three black wedding professionals to weigh in on the choice to rent a wedding planner and break down an important considerations before hiring anyone. Meet the professionals and watch our one-on-one interviews with them edited into one Q&A below:
Suzette Spann Scarborough is the founder An imagined event by Suzettea full-service event planning firm based in Brooklyn, New York, with deep expertise in wedding planning, travel experiences, and etiquette coaching. Spann Scarborough officially began planning weddings after a successful profession in human resources and an inspiring conversation with Monique Greenwood, creator of the black-owned Akwaaba Mansion. With a long time of experience under her belt, Spann Scarborough brings purpose and mission to her work, with the goal of “showcasing the beauty of life through celebration, travel, and knowledge that inspires and empowers.”
Marc Wilson is the founder and inventive director of Marc Stylea luxury event and design studio offering full-service floral and wedding design. Wilson began his adventure in event design and floral art when an unexpected job change in the house textile industry gave him the financial freedom to travel and consider starting his own business. He was brave enough to persuade the owner of a New York florist to let him do an unpaid internship, gain experience in floral design, after which began booking top corporate clients.
Today, Wilson’s Harlem-based firm designs all the things from private parties to bat mitzvahs, corporate events and weddings worldwide. He recently served as a board member for The National Society of Black Wedding Event Professionals.
Jazmine Boutte is the founder Events & Design Dulcea full-service event and wedding planning company based in New Orleans and now in New York City. After spending her childhood and teenage years planning birthday parties, Boutte’s love of event planning reached one other level seven years ago when she organized her cousin’s baby shower.
With a background in public relations and marketing, Boutte works to create events that transcend the fundamentals and include unforgettable moments. Her experience planning festivals and conferences sharpens her expertise, and she or he strives to satisfy the varied needs of her clients.
First, what forms of wedding planners are there?
Wedding planning isn’t one size matches all. While some couples will want a planning partner from the moment they get engaged, others will wish to hire a planner afterward. What are the most well-liked roles?
Bottle: There’s the planner, the designer, after which there’s the day-of coordinator (I occur to be all three). So your planner is someone who literally works out all of the logistics. They make it easier to plan your day from start to complete.
A designer doesn’t do any of that. A designer focuses on how your event goes to look and the way all of it comes together. So they will just give you the look of the ceremony and the look of the reception, they usually literally are available in there to brighten and leave. They just do the design process.
And then the day of coordinator… They just are available in on the day of the show and just make sure that all the things happens on time.
Spann Scarborough: (Day planners) plan, organize, and arrange things in order that your day is organized and runs easily.
Then you have got planners who plan and design. That means they will transform the space… They can create design decks, they will create visualizations.
Then there are planners who plan, design, produce. Production is something completely different… production is at a high, extreme level… They can predict things before they occur, but in addition change into MacGyvers amongst things that occur.
I can only imagine what happens on the marriage day! Great! So if a wedding planner on the day of the marriage can assist my day run easily, and the marriage venue already offers that, then I do not need a full-service wedding planner, right?
Wilson: I don’t think in “day.” It’s a month. planner cannot come to you a week before your wedding and make it easier to in the event that they have not taken the time to know who you might be and what’s necessary to you. If you do not know exactly what it’s, you give them a list and tell them these are the things you must care for, and that is it, then high-quality. But this is not our client, our customer, our individuals who care about making not only their personal moment special, but the general experience for his or her guests special. That’s why planners are so necessary to me.
Spann Scarborough: Hire a great planner because they will prevent money and time and provide you with rather more value in what you might be in search of on the day, including venues that offer you service. There are some things a venue won’t do, like in case your ceremony isn’t at a venue, they won’t go to your grandmother’s church, they usually won’t make it easier to together with your wedding rehearsal.
I had a wedding (where) we literally needed to be in five different places on the identical day. The bride was in a single hotel. The groom was in a different hotel, in several parts of Brooklyn… This place is just not going to enter that detail with you. They’re not going to do hair and makeup schedules.
All of those things, just remember… I don’t want people to feel prefer it’s inconceivable. It’s not — when you have got the support and the knowledge that’s available to you.
So with regards to saving money… How spending money on a wedding planner can actually work out Your money?
Bottle: Your event planner can negotiate higher deals for you. When you’re taking a look at a venue, there are particular belongings you don’t think to ask.
A planner might think to ask, “Okay, if my date gets canceled, what’s the process for rescheduling?” Most places don’t even allow rescheduling inside the following date(s). Some only do it throughout the 12 months. So as a bride or someone who’s not used to parties, you don’t all the time take into consideration those questions.”
Spann Scarborough: Planners can prevent money… I’ve had clients who went to a place I actually have a partnership with that didn’t tell me beforehand, or hired me later and paid me greater than they’d have paid in the event that they had are available in and I had introduced them.
There are relationships that planners have that may prevent money and mean you can reap the advantages. And by virtue of relationships, there are vendors that can do something for our clients due to relationship they’ve with me or the planner themselves.
And it also saves time. Time is money, time is a non-renewable commodity. Once it’s gone, it’s gone. As someone who’s getting married and attempting to construct this life with their future partner, you do not have time. And it is not your storehouse of data either.
I’ve done it a whole lot of times, while you will have done it five times. So there’s value that I feel is undervalued and underrepresented when couples, and particularly couples of color, are planning their wedding and their decisions about not having a wedding planner are very costly.
Besides saving money, is there anything wedding planners can do to enhance my wedding?
Wilson: I all the time tell those who you really want a planner because why would you as a bride want to sit down there and cope with all these little nuances? Because the list might be 15, 20 pages of nuances of things that you have got to do. You know, who’s going to carry your bridesmaids? Who’s going to be the ring bearer? Are you going to have a ring bearer? Are you going to have a dog? The possibilities are countless and there are tens of millions of them. So wedding planners, in my view, are essential.
Bottle: You don’t desire to emphasize out about what time the DJ goes to announce the cake cutting? Or you would possibly have a cousin (or) aunt they usually wish to party too. So they do not really concentrate to their responsibilities. I actually think the profit is that the couple stresses out a lot. You want to indicate up and luxuriate in your day. You don’t desire to think in regards to the little things.
Spann Scarborough: I all the time try to arrange my couples because that is when people in your life start to drag on you. So it becomes very emotional. And so I had to assist couples through that by being their confidant, you already know, calming them down. Sometimes giving them the language of learn how to react to certain things.
Many persons are surprised by the intensity of activities and the needs of guests that come up right before the marriage. Having the suitable people around you to support you on this will probably be extremely helpful. And setting boundaries.
None of this is supposed to be depressing. There are so many sides to the road to marriage. When you have got someone (who) knows what often comes and learn how to handle it, you have got support in ways you could not imagine. This relationship together with your planner is like nothing else.
Okay, you’ve got really got us pondering… Let’s say I’m all in on the planner. Is there anything I want to do on this process?
Bottle: Definitely set a budget because I do know people – they all the time say, “Oh no, I don’t have a budget.” Everyone has a budget. So a budget is literally the very first thing you do, even before you select a planner, because you furthermore mght need to put aside money on your planner.
Definitely budget after which hire a planner, just because these are things that planners pick up on that you just won’t think to ask, after which allow them to make it easier to find a venue and find other vendors, but definitely set a budget and hire a planner first.
When you consider how black men influence American culture, the modeling industry may not immediately come to mind. But from magazine covers to national campaigns to fashion runways, black male models are making waves in the fashion industry.
Even in case you do not know much about fashion, it’s value testing these famous black models whose biggest achievements modified the industry as we understand it. Here’s every black male model you need to learn about in 2024.
A transient history of black models in fashion
Even the least fashionable amongst us can easily name a couple of Black modelsreminiscent of Naomi Campbell, Tyra Banks and Iman. You might even think of the criminally underrated Donyal Luna, the star of the series documentary about supermodels on HBO. You’ll probably notice something that these names have in common: they’re women. And while we definitely don’t desire to undermine the enormous achievements of these black supermodels, it’s clear that not less than the American fashion industry has long preferred to open up its limited spaces for people of color to black women slightly than black men.
Early pioneers of black male modeling included Benin-born Djimon Hounsou, who rose to fame posing for designer Thierry Mugler, actor and NAACP Image Award winner Shemar Moore, and Ford model Boris Kodjoe. It can be a sin not to say the late Renauld Whitean iconic model and actor who died in 2024 after an extended profession of pushing boundaries in fashion. These and many other icons paved the way for today’s top black male models.
Most Influential Black Male Models
1. Tyson Beckford
If you have got studied the fashion industry, you’ll recognize Tyson Beckford as one of the most famous black male models of all time. The Bronx-born model first broke boundaries in the Nineteen Nineties, establishing himself as one of the first high-profile black American male models, starring in well-known campaigns reminiscent of the 1999 Guess Raw Denim ad.
Outside of fashion, Beckford has appeared in music videos reminiscent of Lizzo’s “2 Be Loved (Am I Ready)” and Mariah Carey’s “Infinity.” He also starred in movies reminiscent of “Into the Blue” (2005) and “Searching for Bobby D” (2005). Beckford even played himself in the modeling comedy Zoolander (2001), proving that even one of the best-looking men in the world knows higher than to take himself too seriously.
2. Alton Mason
The Nebraska-born runway model made history by becoming the first black model to walk in the Chanel show in 2018. Since then, he has been named Model of the Year by GQ Australia, was named to Forbes’ 30 Under 30 list and has even branched out into acting.
At just 26 years old, Mason has already landed several major acting roles. He appeared in the 2022 TV series “Yara Shahidi’s Day Off” and most notably played the role of Little Richard in the biopic “Elvis” (2022). Now a longtime model and actor, we won’t wait to see where Mason’s many talents take him next.
3.Adonis Bosso
Our next breakthrough model comes from Ivory Coast and Canada. Adonis Bosso was working in retail at H&M when he landed his first campaign. This was at the same company, which meant an abrupt end to his days as a sales representative.
It was a stroke of luck not just for Bosso himself, but in addition for a lot of of the brands he would later pose for, including Armani Exchange, Dolce & Gabbana, Tom Ford, Vivienne Westwood, Thom Browne and Yeezy. On a more personal note, Bosso, 34, and his girlfriend, fellow model Slick Woods, welcomed a son named Saphir in 2018.
4. Armand Cabral
Armando Cabral, turned model and designer, was born in Guinea-Bissau but raised in Portugal. He began his first catwalk classes at the age of 17. This early preparation paid off just a couple of years later: Cabral signed a contract at the age of 21 and continued his profession walking or posing for a lot of major fashion brands, including Louis Vuitton, Balmain, Dries Van Noten and J. Crew Menswear.
Not content with remaining one of the most famous black men in fashion, Cabral took his fashion investments to the next level in 2009 with the release of his first footwear collection. He delved so deeply into the craft of shoe design that his work landed him a job in the African fashion documentary “Bangaology – The Science of Style” (2016) directed by Coréon Dú.
5. David Agboji
Like Cabral, Agbodji comes from West Africa (specifically Togo). The Togolese model’s profession began with a bang in Milan in 2010, where he opened and closed the Calvin Klein spring and summer collection show. Since then, Agbodji has walked in over 100 shows for brands reminiscent of Bottega Veneta, Fear of God and Zenga. If you are not into the runway, you could recognize Agbodji from his appearance in Lady Gaga’s music video “I Want Your Love” (2015).
All this experience has made Agbodji an authority on the experiences of Black models in the industry, and he has been invited to look in a range of short movies and videos on the topic, including “The Ever Changing Face of Beauty” (2012) and “Sea of Voices” (2020) . When he isn’t stomping down the runway or analyzing fashion on film, Agbodji is pursuing a second profession as a boxer and Muay Thai fighter.
The role of black male models in changing perceptions of masculinity and diversity
We probably needn’t let you know that traditional gender norms are likely to elevate a narrow, Eurocentric definition of beauty. These norms have each influenced and been shaped by the fashion industry, making a feedback loop of privilege for white models, designers, and journalists.
A presence on runways, magazine covers, red carpets, and movie screens, these black men and many others have challenged racist beauty standards and advocated for a more inclusive fashion landscape. Like their peers, these models prove that folks of any skin tone might be aspirational for consumers of all races.
Still, black models must deal not only with the fashion industry’s Eurocentric biases, but in addition with the quite a few stereotypes and false expectations that typically accompany black masculinity. This may mean that you just are expected to look tall and fit while being extra careful to not pose a threat, or taking risks with style without questioning your sexuality.
When you see a black model in a photograph or on a runway, you do not just think of an African-American model dressed in fashionable clothing. You are witnessing the culmination of a long time of individual and collective efforts to vary the face of fashion around the world.
Upcoming black male models to observe
1. Babacar N’doye
The London model debuted in 2018 at Burberry designer Christopher Bailey’s last show, but the Elite signature model was an enormous success last 12 months. In March, he posed for the cover of GQ France and has since appeared in campaigns for Burberry, Flâneur, Givechy and more.
2. Abdulaye Niang
This emerging model hails from New York and is signed to Next London, VISION Los Angeles and Berlin-based MINT Artist Management. Niang has walked the runway for brands like Gucci and John Elliott and appeared in campaigns for Zara, Helmut Lang and more, and we hope he’s just getting began.
3. De’Laney Ortiz
The Detroit-born model and Next Management signee has previously posed for leather brand Luar, appeared in the June issue of GQ South Africa, and starred in the 2021 Gossip Girl reboot. Whether she decides to stick to modeling or pursue acting, we won’t wait to see what Ortiz does next.
The future of black men’s representation in fashion
As more and more people call for greater diversity in all points of life, it is obvious that more and more black male models will turn out to be relevant in the coming years. No matter who they’re, the next generation of black men in fashion will undoubtedly have the trailblazers we discussed today who we are able to thank for the doors they left open behind them.
But fortunately, the next generation’s achievements won’t be limited by the same rigorous beauty standards that hampered the models of color who got here before them. The world is quickly adopting latest visions of masculinity, beauty and fashion. We cannot wait to see how these latest perspectives are embodied in the next wave of black supermodels, regardless of gender.
Lifestyle
You get a present, you get a present and also you get a present! That’s right, Oprah Winfrey is once more encouraging everyone to get ahead of their holiday shopping. When Mariah Carey dramatically announced the beginning of the vacation season, the queen of all media signed the Queen of Christmas’ declaration, freeing her “Favourite Things List” 2024.
“It’s time for your favorite things,” Oprah said in a video announcing the discharge of this yr’s list. “Every gift is a way to send a little bit joy and plenty of gratitude to the people in your life. I hope this list will make the busiest time of the yr a little bit easier for you and provide you with some ideas.
The legendary producer and talk show host’s annual list includes gifts for everybody, from the low-end to the high-end. From beauty to tech to food, the 2024 Favorite Things List contains a list of Black-owned brands value looking for this holiday season. While we encourage you to take a look at the entire Black-owned brands Oprah’s team has chosen this yr, listed below are 12 of our favorites from this yr’s list:
Telfar Puff Hooded Coat
In addition to her appreciation for his or her handbags, Winfrey highlights her love for Telfar clothing, especially theirs “Coat with a hood and down.”
“This trendy, oversized, unisex quilted nylon down jacket with hood will keep you warm all winter long,” said Oprah.
Brandon Blackwood Nia travel bag
While Brandon Blackwood’s eponymous brand is thought for its stylish small handbags, Oprah’s team took notice “Duffle Nia” a bag that she says is “Super soft, comfortable on the shoulder, with a cool design (and) a fashionable way to carry everything.”
Dungeon Forward HBCU Hats
Created to develop work directly inspired by and for the creative community. HBCU “The YARD” Hats by Dungeon Forward use “eye-catching graphics,” details and colours to pay “homage to the excellence of historically black colleges and universities.”
Cindy Liebel jewelry
Cindy Liebel reimagines timeless jewelry silhouettes for on a regular basis wear, offering pieces inspired by abstract lines and architectural motifs.
Reisfields Cement Collection candles
Made from natural earth pigments sourced from world wide, in small batch Reisfields “Signal Cement Collection” accommodates chemical-free scented candles that last over 90 hours.
Roq Innovation Headlightz Pom-Pom Cap
Stay warm and guarded during morning jogs and late evening runs with Roq Innovation jackets “Headlightz Pom-Pom Hat.”
“This good-looking bobble hat has a rechargeable light, making it perfect for walking the dog or jogging when the sun sets a little too early,” Oprah said on the list.
Le La Lo Mama + Me travel sweatshirts
Designed especially for fogeys traveling with children, And matching La Lo sweatshirts Help families travel in style while staying secure with distinctive design.
Litflaska
Combination of an insulated water bottle, Bluetooth speaker and portable charger Litflask smart water bottle makes it convenient to stay hydrated and luxuriate in without breaking your stride.
“The young founder of this company realized that everyone he knew carried three things with them, so he put them together,” suggests Winfrey. “Give it to friends and family – because the speakers connect, you’ll have a unique surround sound experience at your next gathering.”
Pattern Beauty Blow dryer
Designed specifically for individuals with kinky curly hair, but suitable for all hair types Pattern Beauty Blow dryer offers 4 attachments and different temperature settings, making the styling process smooth and painless.
People of gorgeous color
People from Color Beauty “Holiday Nail Polish Gift Set” offers three festive, non-toxic, vegan and cruelty-free nail polishes, suitable for manicures and pedicures.
Tonya’s Cookies – Pound Cake with Cream Cheese
Described as “moist, buttery and delicious”, Tonya’s Cookies “Cheese and Cream Cake” combines cream cheese and a touch of lemon to create an authentic Southern dessert.
AC Grill
Founded by comedians and barbecue enthusiasts Cedric the Entertainer and Anthony Anderson, AC Barbeque’s “Signature Gift Set” offers a variety of fragrant snacks and sauces that will assist you to diversify your grilling during your next cookout.
Featured Stories
Average cost in keeping with Apartments.com I’ll rent a one-bedroom apartmenttons in San Francisco is about $3,000 per 30 days. Brownstone Shared Housing has created a cheaper option: sleeping pods.
For $700 a month, San Francisco residents can rent a pod the dimensions of a double bed. The four-foot-tall pod has two fans, a mirror and a privacy curtain. The sleeping units are positioned in a constructing with shared toilets, storage and workspace. The price is ideal for beginner entrepreneurs to live some of the expensive cities in the USA, where the fee of living is 70% higher than the national average.
“I lived in the Presidio before and was kind of looking for cheaper options to continue working on what I wanted and working on open source projects” – Ben, resident and entrepreneur, he said
When the housing project gained popularity last yr, the town threatened to shut it down as a consequence of lack of proper permits. Brownstone Shared Housing co-founder James Stallworth said they’re forced to stop renting pods to potential residents until they receive the required permits from the town.
“There was never anything illegal in the pods. However, we did not change the use, because this building used to be a bank. So we went through this process for about a year. Meanwhile, the planning department at one point said we couldn’t list it because people were complaining, thinking we were renting illegal apartments,” Stallworth said.
Additionally, Stallworth said they should make some repairs to the constructing to comply with city safety standards. After a year-long process, the San Fransico Department of Inspections issued a letter of approval for the pods.
Stallworth said they’re creating additional living units in a bigger constructing scheduled to open early next yr.
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