Black History Month: Inspirational Leaders Who Are Changing The Wedding Industry Game

As an industry we like to say that as our clients evolve, so do we. What we’re working on now will be all over social media in a year from now – we know influence very well. Behind our work, though, is the community of boundary-pushing, trailblazing, innovative professionals who constantly inspire and elevate one another. As Black History Month draws to a close, we celebrate Black wedding industry pioneers whose creativity, innovation, and leadership continue to transform the landscape. Their contributions extend far beyond this commemorative month, inspiring professionals across the wedding world and elevating the art of matrimonial excellence year-round.

BLACK WEDDING INDUSTRY PROFESSIONALS THAT ARE WIPA LEADERS
Connect with these outstanding WIPA members via the Member Center at WIPA.org:

• Martin Collins, BOLD Catering & Design – Atlanta Chapter
• Toryn Lankford, Exquisite Sounds Entertainment – Atlanta Chapter
• Shantara Strickland, CM Production – Atlanta Chapter
• Barbara Shorts, Verve Austin – Boston Chapter
• Brandon Shabazz, Premier Austin DJs – Boston Chapter
• Jennifer Price, Event Shoppe Chicago – Chicago Chapter
• Duerell Jones, Spark Entertainment Group – Chicago Chapter
• Sharnise Sears, Weddings By CPE – Cleveland Chapter
• Devin Moore, Catalyst Entertainment – Cleveland Chapter
• Paula Ewers, Truly Ewers Events – Dallas Fort Worth Chapter President
• Deanna Evans, De Evans Events – Greater Cincinnati Chapter
• Beth Holland, All Occasion Event Rentals – Greater Cincinnati Chapter
• Tina Adigwu, Pixel Memories Photo Booth –Houston Chapter
• Dawn Angela Mickens, Timeless Connection –Las Vegas Chapter
• Jazzmin Micallef, True Colors Creative – Las Vegas Chapter
• Patrice Armstrong, PLS Coordinate – Nashville Chapter
• Lauren O’Brien, Lauren O & Co. – North Carolina Chapter
• Drew Coleman, Drew Coleman Films – North Carolina Chapter
• Marcus Anderson, DJ Fire Entertainment – NW Florida Chapter
• Melissa Parker, 7 Blooms – Philadelphia Chapter
• Tiffany Chalk, Tiffany Chalk Events – Philadelphia Chapter
• Joncie Dilworth, JDM Barba – Phoenix Chapter
• Reign Coleman, Red Door Catering – San Francisco Chapter
• Oniki Hardtman, Oh Niki Occasions – SE Florida Chapter
• Pearl Farquharson, Designed by Delsie – SE Florida Chapter
• Natalie Thames, Deja Vu Sweets – SE Florida Chapter
• Tracy Evans-Bowles, Flawless Weddings & Events – Southern California Chapter
• Kaushay Ford, Kaushay & Co. – Utah Chapter President

OTHER BLACK WEDDING INDUSTRY PIONEERS 

Planners & Designers:

• Deliece Knights-Barnett, Dhalia Weddings:  a wedding planner who loves dreaming big with her couples – delivering highly personalized experiences. Deliece is WIPA National’s Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging Director. She is fiercely committed to promoting inclusivity in the wedding industry, alongside increasing the diversity of WIPA’s membership through outreach, representation, and education.
• Chanda Daniels: a wedding planner and designer for over 25 years who continues to be a leading voice and advocate for positive change.
• Tara Melvin, Signature Concepts LLC & The Signature CEO Conference: creating memorable experiences for her clients as well as exceptional experiences for our industry.
• Joy Proctor: your favorite designer’s favorite designer, with an undeniable eye for the finest details.
• Lance Devereux, Designs by Devereux: an endlessly charismatic risk-taker with big designs and big personality.

Photographers:

• Stanley Babb, Stanlo Photography: capturing striking and dramatic images that go viral instantly, making everyone look like a celebrity.
• Chi-Chi Ari: known for natural-feeling portraits and effortless candids long before they were trendy.
• Elizabeth Austin: creating her own lane within the aesthetic of romantic, fine art photography.

Fashion Designers, Stylists, & Curators:

• Mark Ingram, Mark Ingram Atelier: an icon in the bridal fashion space, with a luxurious New York City bridal salon and an impeccably-designed namesake collection.
• Selina Howard, Vainglourious Brides: a personal bridal fashion stylist like none other who’s created her own niche in the field.
• Brian Alexander Lunsford, Brian Alexander Bespoke: custom suiting in bold colors, patterns, and textures, often seen on the best-dressed men in sports.
• Andrea Pitter, Pantora Bridal: one of the industry’s first to design ornate, beautifully-detailed gowns for brides of all sizes and skin tones.

Media:

• Lawrence & Michael Broughton, Black Gay Weddings: the first media outlet dedicated to showcasing the love stories of LGBTQIA+ people of color, all the time.
• Eliana Baucicault, The B Collective: a curation of weddings, parties, and editorials created by Black industry professionals, by an industry icon herself.
• Jacqueline & Chike Nwobu, Munaluchi Bride: a wedding publication centering women of color that has evolved into a community of industry professionals worldwide.

New Era:

• Ashleigh Coffie & Toniah Paryo Gray, Hue I Do: two besties whose one-of-a-kind podcast about Black wedding culture has grown into a multimedia brand.
• Lauren Ladouceur, Plan With Laur: a visionary lifestyle influencer, creator, and one of the very first to offer wedding content creation as a service.

This collection of leaders is only scratching the surface of exceptional Black talent within WIPA membership and in the wedding industry as a whole, and there are so many more out there whose names we’ve yet to learn. There are thousands of us all over the country, and the world, who are making big moves while defying limited expectations and negative stereotypes. Black History Month is a good time, but not the only time, to bring these game-changing contributions to the forefront of our industry.