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Something Extra- The II Dope Wedding Debrief
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The wedding may be over, but the stories definitely aren't. In this bonus episode of the II Dope Chics Podcast: Wedding Mini-Series, we're giving ya'll the real behind the scenes tea from our big wedding weekend.
From realizing we hadn't even purchased our wedding rings until the last two weeks before the wedding, Keke Wyatt praying over the food during the reception, to sowing major love to the incredible vendors who helped bring everything together, this episode is full of laughs, gratitude, and honest moments.
We are sharing the little things that almost slipped through the cracks, the people who showed up and showed out, and the lessons learned along the way. Consider this the official after-party conversation where we reflect, shout out the celebs and vendors but most importantly our guest. We keep it real about what wedding planning actually looks like.
If you've ever planned a wedding, are planning one, or just love a good behind-the scenes story, this episode is for you. Grab a drink, pull up a seat, and join the II Dope Chics as we wrap up our Wedding Mini-Series with gratitude, humor, and a whole lot of love.
Welcome And Wedding Journey
SPEAKER_07Welcome back. I am Chine, Miss Party Life, CEO of Party Life Productions and Wedding and Lead Designer for the Two Dope Wedding. I am joined here by the Two Dope Chicks attorney Millicent and Shantae Pride Daniels. So thank you guys so much for joining us. We are at the bonus episode of the wedding mini-series of the Two Dope Chicks podcast. We want to thank you guys so much for all of your support and for joining us uh this far. So um, ladies, I'll I'll let you finish that.
SPEAKER_09Thank you. It has been an overwhelming response. Just thank you for for everything. Thank you for your love. Thank you for your support. Yeah.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, it's uh this has been quite a journey. It's been quite a journey. I never, ever, ever would have thought that uh the planning of our wedding would turn into such a um uh such a time as this. So yeah, for me it's kind of like a A D B C moment of life before the wedding and then life after the wedding. So I like that. Super special. I like that.
Photographer Who Set The Tone
SPEAKER_07Absolutely, guys. There's a lot of people who we've spoken about in you know some subtle ways throughout the podcast, but um we have not mentioned by name. So I want to start by highlighting a few of those vendors, one of which you guys have seen um tons of footage from them uh throughout this coverage, which is our key wedding photographer, Gregory Jules. Um, so I'll let you guys say a few words together.
SPEAKER_09We love you, Greg. Greg um was with us from the beginning, the engagement photo shoot, and up and through the wedding. So just felt comfortable, great vibes. Just it was an amazing experience with Greg.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, yeah. And you know, Shantae is always incredible in front of the camera. I mean, she's such poise, and she's just so super smooth, just a natural with it. But um, Greg was just very, very just skilled in. Um I tend to be a little bit more uncomfortable behind uh in front of the camera, but he was super patient and made me comfortable and hypes you up. Yeah, and hypes me up. So uh was so pleased to get literally editorial quality photos uh that really just captured uh just special moments of the entire weekend. So we're grateful for you, Greg. Thank you.
Content Creators And Social Takeover
SPEAKER_07And we're still going through photos because Yeah, because I know you guys haven't finished yet. I think there's some photos that I've mentioned that you haven't even seen and so many angles. And even from an industry professional, I just want to say that Greg's footage um and all the photos, there the album is great from start to finish. It's not just the highlight and the cover photos and thumbnails that you see, it's just beautiful work throughout, and we really appreciate that. Um so, in addition to Greg, we had some other coverage throughout the weekend.
SPEAKER_09So yes, Blissful Details out of Dallas, Texas, um, were our content creators. Phenomenal job, love working with the ladies.
SPEAKER_07Um tell me a little bit about content creation in case everybody doesn't understand what that means for a wedding. Yeah, what was their role?
SPEAKER_01I didn't know what it meant. Right. So uh when Shantae said we need content creators, I was like, content who? Right.
SPEAKER_09So they were behind the scenes with us, creating reels from different moments. Also, um, what a lot of people don't know that the people that were tuned in to our Instagram stories, that was blissful details the entire time keeping you all up to date on everything. It's like a full takeover to dope wedding. It was a full social media takeover. Um, they were actually with us at Welcome Party. Um, they started that night, and then they were there for the entire wedding.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, they really felt like our little sisters. In fact, one of them uh is one of my sorority sisters, and um, they just felt like our little sisters just cheering us on and just being super supportive and you know, at those tense, stressful moments of just making us laugh. So they were absolutely incredible.
SPEAKER_09They made it fun. So it was a joy to have them behind the scenes with us, and they didn't miss a beat. I mean, they were there when we were getting dressed, they were there when we were walking down the aisle.
Extra Coverage And Confessional Booth
SPEAKER_07So and they're able to, you know, turn around content quickly for you, very quickly, get things out. So, in addition to that, for let's talk about welcome party brunch, photo video coverage, things like that.
SPEAKER_09So D2R D2R, D2R Dre Jenkins was with us for Welcome Party, um, captured a lot of moments via photography as well as video. Um, he also was with us for farewell brunch on Sunday. Um, same thing, behind the scene moments. Confession booth. And he did the confessional booth.
SPEAKER_01Wow. Everything that's something too art.
SPEAKER_09They may have to see a video or something from that confessional booth.
SPEAKER_07So I'll tell you guys a little bit about the confessional booth. Um, I know we mentioned it previously, but basically, guests were able to, this was on wedding day, hop into the booth during cocktail hour and also during the reception and just give their raw emotions for the couples to have. And I think I heard Millicent say especially, this is one of her favorite takeaways from the wedding. Something to watch back and be able to hear and see. And it's what what I liked about it is you're getting feedback from different perspectives throughout the day. Right. So at some point, it's people who've only seen Music Soul Child.
SPEAKER_06Yes.
SPEAKER_07And then some people who've only seen Music Soul Child and Kiki Wyatt. Right. And then, of course, the people towards the end who'd seen Everybody Plus Juvenile. Yes. And it's just a great thing to look back on. So we'll share some of that with you guys now.
SPEAKER_02So far, it's beautiful. I think my favorite part is watching y'all two walk out.
SPEAKER_00Y'all both look great.
SPEAKER_02Beautiful, beautiful. And we're so grateful to be a part of it.
SPEAKER_00Listen, Shante, awesome experience so far. Um, everything has been dope. Literally, uh, from the rooftop gathering last night. Uh, the amazing weather that we're experiencing. Couldn't ask for a better experience. You guys are beautiful.
SPEAKER_10Cannot wait. I don't even know what more you guys can do or what I can expect, but I am ready for this ride, and I can assure you so far, this has been too dope.
SPEAKER_03Clock it, clock it. I caught that as a ceremony, Miss Shantae Renee. But congratulations to you both. I love you both, and thank you so much for inviting me and joining you all in this momentous occasion. Love you.
SPEAKER_02Okay, so um, I'm not going to any more weddings for the rest of my life because this one was just official, y'all. It's it's it's it's over with. Like just just just throw the whole thing away. Just throw it away. I can't beautiful thing.
SPEAKER_09I can't I can't wait to watch all of the videos from the confessional booth because they covered a lot. I mean, they talked about how delicious the food um was. And you know, everybody had different things as far as their meal options.
SPEAKER_01They talked about the carpet, our white carpet. And um, I saw a lot of folks with their shoes off just.
SPEAKER_07Didn't even want to touch the carpet. That white carpet. Just enjoying, enjoying, enjoying the software carpet. Right. Give us our carpet now. Give us our carpet, which is Slack Decor.
Vendor Shoutouts And A Quick Ad
SPEAKER_01Thank you so much for that. Since we're since we're on carpet. No one ever expects to be in a car accident, but when it happens, you need someone who stands on business. I'm Melissa Daniels, and this is my city. I fight for my people. I am your attorney. Scan below, save the number, and if ever in need, call.
Florals That Transformed The Room
SPEAKER_07So, yeah, we really did have a lot of really amazing vendors, some of our most talked-about, I would say ponds, florals. Yeah, absolutely incredible.
SPEAKER_01Absolutely incredible. Love ponds. Literally, when we did the reveal and walked into uh the reception room, the room that we were having the reception for the first time, it literally smelled like a huge garden. I mean, it was so beautiful, breathtaking, um, just exceeded our expectations. So um he did an absolutely fantastic job with all of the florals and uh just really making that room just.
SPEAKER_09It was hard to depart with those. Like I just wanted to keep them, but I'm so glad that we were able to remember able to donate them out.
SPEAKER_07And I would say, like, Ponce, something that a lot of people tax write-off don't know is um we joked about how we both dreamed of the wedding, the nights leading up to it. Oh, wow. It was very top of mind. Um, we talked a lot, lots of FaceTimes, lots of sketches and conversations. And so it's always great. I've never had the opportunity in this platform to be able to talk about it later. Um, but it's always great to hear and see that, you know, the things that we were discussing, um, you know, all did its part because they worked very hard. He had a team of almost nearly a couple dozen people that were processing the florals there. Yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_01And it literally made it all worth it. Like I just remember when we were on the phone for hours, um, and Shantae was trying not to go to sleep because I know florals are not her thing. She's like, she's like uh a man in stilettos.
Bridal Assistants And Getting Dressed
SPEAKER_09It was it was probably the chairs and the I mean it was so many dealer rentals, it was so many details, you know, to cover. Um one of my one of my favors was uh Vanglorious Brides. Shout out I even made a jingle for them.
SPEAKER_07So, guys, tell them Vanglorious Brides were uh behind the scenes most of the time, but they were your bridal assistants. And a lot of people think that that's what wedding planners do, right? They think that on wedding day they're steaming dresses, because that's what the pretty pictures show.
SPEAKER_06No.
SPEAKER_07That they're you know, steaming dresses and they're getting you into dresses. But guys, if your wedding planner uh and designer is doing anything they're supposed to be doing, they do not have the availability to you know steam your dresses. And so wonderful companies like they actually got me in my dress.
SPEAKER_09I mean, you will see um plenty of photos and videos of them now that I I look back and I'm like, wow, they were there every single moment. They did not skip a step. So um, shout out to Van Gloria's Rise and even keeping the room tight guys, yeah, everything ready to go. And they traveled all the way from one was from Atlanta. Um, the other one, uh Micah, I think she came in from Texas, but just the two amazing young ladies that spent the entire Yeah, they helped me they helped me get in my jumpsuit, which was it was quite a feat because the jumpsuit was bejeweled.
SPEAKER_01So if you can just imagine how heavy it was of getting it on and getting me secured in it, that that was a uh definitely had to be like a tag team situation.
SPEAKER_09Very professional, never stop, never complained, never it was me like, hey, I don't think you all have eaten anything today. And they were like, We we gotta do it later.
Suite Decor And Nostalgic Photos
SPEAKER_07So speaking of this room, let me go back to your rooms real quick. The rooms were decorated, and um just I'll let you guys tell us a little bit about it. What was special about that?
SPEAKER_09What was so special about the way our rooms were decorated by Vanessa? Um sharpers, sharp sharp designs. Um she hung old pictures of us my whole journey, 15 years, from the ceiling with the white balloons. And I remember I walked into my room because I was in another room in hair and makeup, and I walked into the room. Crazy enough, I found one of the first pictures that Millicent and I um took on a first date. And in that moment, I became so emotional because I was like, wow, to find this picture hanging from the ceiling. Out of all the photos, out of all the photos, because you guys sent a couple hundred.
SPEAKER_01Yes, we've yeah, we've shared a lot of life together.
SPEAKER_09And I'm like, and here we are today about to take this huge leap. And I'm looking at this photo and remembering just feelings that I had and how I felt in that particular moment. And yeah, it was just it was very emotional. But that was one of the most special things about that that room for me. I mean, you could see the balloons that she did where Bride was ridden um across the wall. Beautiful, but my favorite were the pictures.
Hidden Branding Details Guests Missed
SPEAKER_01Yeah, the pictures just they were so incredibly nostalgic. And um just literally, you know, remembering the backstories behind those pictures of you know, the the weekends and the trips and all the experiences. Um it just it just made me even deeper, you know, in love with Shantae because I'm like, we have shared so much of life um together. And um that was that was special.
SPEAKER_09How about you too, Puda?
SPEAKER_07So that that makes me think about small details, right? Some of the things, some things guests saw, some they didn't. There were so many details, some went like so quickly. Um, that it's like maybe only the three of us will ever really know about them, but things that we really, you know, put some thought into. Um I want to talk about some of your favorites, some some things that guests may not have seen um from your standpoint, from your viewpoint.
SPEAKER_09Uh one of the things I don't think um guests may have not seen uh or paid attention to was maybe the napkin rings that had too dope wedding um written on it. I mean everything was heavily branded um for the wedding. Um I love the fact we wanted our guests to remain in all black the entire time. So we made sure that they had black flip-flops, um, which also stated too dope wedding.
SPEAKER_01Um just yeah, listen, we wanted to make sure we absolutely, absolutely love fragrance. Um and we wanted just to impart uh our guest with fragrance that we actually made and curated. So that was just a super, super. And it was given a sex. Yeah, made sure for everyone. Just a nice that lasts forever. Yeah.
SPEAKER_07A little bit, you know, more than a piece of candy or you know, something that just kind of goes away that night. Um, your guests are still wearing the t-shirts and the purple tone. They're still drinking out of yesterday, true story, used shot glasses for a couple cocktails. Okay. Um, the umbrellas, the um, you know, there's just there's so much. There's drinksters, there's the napkin rings, there oh, the drinksters was we gotta do a count. I can't think of how many places we put the you know, two-dope wedding monogram.
SPEAKER_09The napkins.
SPEAKER_07But it is one of my favorite things to do is to to brand creatively.
SPEAKER_09But now you did your thing with the wall. The wall was probably my most favorite out of everything that was branded. And guests had the opportunity to see it, and I don't know if they remembered, but we started Welcome Party Friday night with the the wall that was branded in two dub weddings. Yes. And that wall followed us Sunday.
SPEAKER_07We reused it. We were very, very, very conscious of reusing as much as possible. This was a long weekend with a lot to do. Um, that was actually something that MPE um, you know, created for us along with many other things. But that wall, it was a monochrome, so pretty nude on nude, and all the guests actually on Friday also were instructed to wear shades of nude. Um, so it looked really good with them on Friday. But that was my favorite wall.
SPEAKER_09It was so pretty.
SPEAKER_07So we reused it on Sunday as well. Um, that guests took pictures of before and after the event.
SPEAKER_09But that was amazing.
SPEAKER_07Yeah, we'll have to share it so we that we can keep count of how many, how many small branded items and what they meant to you. One thing we just forgot were um the handkerchiefs.
SPEAKER_06Oh, yeah. I just thought about that. And then nine to nine.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, and yeah, and then New Orleans tradition, of course, for a second line, we're gonna have uh handkerchiefs that were branded with two dope chicks, two dope wedding uh type of insignia. So that was definitely super special.
SPEAKER_09And you know, someone just told me the other day they just realized that in our logo, the two dope wedding logo, that our initials is inside the O. So you have two dope, and the D O is the S and the M and the M connected together. And we did use that in some places throughout, yes, there is more so on the brunch.
SPEAKER_07Yeah, um, we included that in a couple places at the welcome party as well. So we had a few different versions of your logo that were able to be used throughout. So that's really cool.
SPEAKER_09Yeah, so cool.
The Rings Arrive Under Pressure
SPEAKER_07And I see y'all over there holding hands. I don't know if the people can see it, but I know what they can see. Okay, they can see that ring, and I feel like we need to have some conversation about it because there is a lot of backstory about this ring, these rings, because here's the thing um that I'm not sure if we've had a chance or not to mention, but we were in the middle of a government shutdown. There was a lot going on, but I'll let you guys uh speak a little bit more about that in the ring process. But first, I gotta know more about how we got to this design.
SPEAKER_09Uh well, I'm going to allow Millicent to talk more about it. But I will say we waited until the ninth hour, the last minute. Um, it was a lot going on, and we just decided two weeks before the wedding.
SPEAKER_01Like, it wasn't a decide. It was literally two weeks before we were like, We need our rings. There's something missing, there's something missing, there's something missing. Juvie. Right. Flowers, flowers, the ring, the ring, and so literally two weeks before we're scrambling um about the rings, and just completely, completely forgot. I guess we were just so immersed in everything else. So uh went to some jewelry stores. That was not working out very well for us, uh, because the jewelry stores literally continued to say, This is something that it's gonna take several months to do. Uh, we'll send it out, and you know, it has you have to do this, you have to do that. And we were just like, we don't have that kind of time. So uh we went to our old reliable jeweler, Dan the Man. Dan the Man Dan the Man. Dan the Man at Majestic in Warner Park. And of course, Dan came through literally. Um, I wanted Shantae to be surprised. And because I felt like the engagement was a little bit lackluster when I came out of the shower and decided to ask her uh to marry me with with no ring. Hey, Shantae. Right. With no ring, with no ring, no photographer, no videographer, nothing. Just um me and my doll soap. Um but I wanted to make sure that the ring was really special. Um so I had been looking at some designs and uh consult it with Dan. And I wanted to have something that, of course, was uh natural instead of lab grown. I know lab grown is super popular right now. Uh no judgment, no tea, no judgment at all. It's just and I didn't know the difference. It was it was it was it was my personal preference, but nevertheless, um put together the ring. Dan did an incredible job putting it together. Incredible. Um, literally, I am behind in one of his back rooms of his shop, uh, under the microscope, looking at the ring. Um, I did this huge study up on diamonds and uh these things called inclusions and all of, you know, carrots and clarity and uh they call it the four C's, really trying to make sure that I completely understood because I was like, this is gonna be quite an investment. Um, and was able to keep all of this a surprise to Shantae. And um, yeah, the ring was sent out of to go ahead and be put together. And I think the the most, the scariest part of it was the ring was actually delivered to me at the hotel the morning of our wedding. Morning of the morning of our wedding.
SPEAKER_07And and tell people why it was delivered in that way, the morning of the wedding.
SPEAKER_01So Dan was really uncomfortable with um the airlines with uh and all of you know FedEx and things like that. Certainly, you know, you don't want to FedEx uh and leave it up to a courier service uh for such an investment, uh, particularly with the government shutdown, everything was running behind. Right. And uh there was no room for error. So uh what they decided to do was just to go ahead and send a person down from New York uh to Orlando to actually deliver the ring to him, and then he then delivered the ring uh to the hotel to me at like No, not to you. Yeah, to my to my wonderful lion sister, Bestie Lisa. Thank you, Lisa Saturday morning. And uh yeah, literally he asked Lisa for like four forms of ID in the live.
SPEAKER_09He said he actually did a retina scan before he would hand the ring. That's before he would hand the ring to. That's why Dan is the man.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, yeah, before he would hand the ring to her. So uh shout out to Dan, the man, the Majestic family, um, their family in particular. I mean, they were just they they came through in the clutch. And so let me just say this is you know, people may think the ring is extravagant. That I'm not I really don't care about the opinions, but I will say that it was part of my thought behind the design is I wanted Shantae's had such an incredible impact on my life. Um she has literally been the the the air that I've breathed um during those breathe again. I knew you were gonna do it. Um, you know, during those super hard times, just the encourager, you know, prayer warrior, partner, coach, um, supporter, um, everything, everything, everything, everything. I wanted to make sure that she she knew how much I loved her, knew the impact that she's had on my life. So I chose 200 stones, 200 stones, 200 stones, and from every van, because every vantage point I wanted her to make sure that um she was she knew how special she was to me and um to my life, and that that would be a constant reminder that she is loved.
SPEAKER_07Well, we all know now I ate loved.
SPEAKER_09But she is loved as well. So I honestly did not know that I was receiving an upgrade. You know, I heard that song in the background Beyond say, Let me upgrade. So I loved my engagement ring, did not want to let my engagement ring go. Um, Millicent did not necessarily want a ring at all.
SPEAKER_01It's not my thing. It's not her thing.
SPEAKER_09I wanted a wedding watch. I remember that she did receive on her birthday, which was two days after the wedding. She received her wedding watch. Oh, but we did not want to let go of that engagement ring. So what we did is people may not know this. We repurposed it. We repurposed it, and so we removed the stone. Millicent is wearing the stone from my engagement ring.
SPEAKER_07That's amazing.
SPEAKER_09Yeah, so it's still with us, and of course, we added some extra diamonds on the top and the bottom of hers, but it's still special.
SPEAKER_07I appreciate that as a detail that I didn't know. I know. Um, so that's really, really cool. I just wanted to make sure people understood the process behind this ring. I have never had to remind a couple to get their wedding rings before, but we've also put that on the list. We were doing some other things. We were talking about people swinging in the air and dancing and shouting out. Shout out to Isou. Thank you. But we we we were we got overwhelmed with other things, and so I'm really glad that that worked out really well.
SPEAKER_09Amazing. Thank you.
SPEAKER_01I am so glad you're pleased.
SPEAKER_09I absolutely love this ring.
SPEAKER_01And I'm not, I'm not, it's not, it's not about the thing, it's about the symbol.
SPEAKER_09Absolutely.
Kiki Wyatt Prays Over Dinner
SPEAKER_07So now that we're done talking about this ring, I think a lot of people would say they used to pray for times like this. Um let's talk about let's talk about the prayer. That is something that I'm not sure if the people have been able to see. Um, but it is one of my favorite moments from the day, um, especially since so many people don't know the story behind it. Um, and when I say prayer, I'm talking about the blessing of the food at the reception. I'll let I'll let one of you guys spill in a little bit.
SPEAKER_09I still can't believe that Kiki Wyatt blessed, prayed over our foods at the reception. So basically, how it happened, Kiki, of course, everyone saw the viral moment where Kiki um sang our song for our first dance. And so after that, she went into another song where we brought all the couples out on the dance floor. So um one of our DJs comes on and says, you know, hey, do you mind if we kind of pause right here, say grace? That was my fault. And so when he said that, Kiki was like, um, I could say the grace. And I was like, because in my mind, I'm thinking, oh my God, because we had already talked to one of our guests, one of our friends that was present, and she was actually supposed to pray over the food. So immediately in my head, I'm like, oh my God, I hope this doesn't make her feel bad because you know, she was supposed to have this moment. Um, but Kiki is like, listen, I'm on this stage, I have this microphone in my hand, I'm not getting off. Y'all look good. Look at them. Like Kiki just in her whole moment. Everybody ain't able. She just had the whole moment up there, and so she went right into a full prayer. And when I say she prayed over the good one, baby, she prayed over the steak, she prayed over the chicken chorizo. What was it? Chicken chorizo chorizo, the tofu. I mean, amazing. She got that old mission in the bed. She gave us a good old sanctified prayer.
SPEAKER_07But from the wedding planner standpoint, um, Kiki was there to perform a few songs, but to keep the program rolling, in between those few songs, I needed people to start eating. Yeah. And, you know, Kiki's team didn't want her to be interrupted once she got started. So we had decided that, you know, we we wouldn't interrupt her. We'll, you know, see what happens naturally. And well, that was naturally. It was it was so perfect because it's what I originally asked for. And Kiki didn't even know that. That was just a conversation between me and her team. But she didn't know that I needed it to happen at that time. And so her doing it, it was exciting because Kiki Wyatt was doing and saying the blessing of the food. But for me, I'm like, this couldn't have turned out any better. Because how can I ask someone's manager, do you think she can bless the food? Like in between performing.
SPEAKER_09Her whole vibe was just amazing. Like everything to me with her just happened naturally. Even when she came down to take pictures with us, it was almost like, yeah, I know this is Kiki Wyatt, but it felt like this is just it was somebody who was happy to be there. She's happy to be there. She did not feel like a performer or artist. She felt like, yeah, yeah, she felt like a guest. Yeah. And so to me, that is she was so personal.
When Artists Show Up As Guests
SPEAKER_01Yeah. By blessing the food, it just made it even more special. Um, you know, I always say is people are multidimensional. Right. And so it was beautiful seeing that particular dimension of her coming from, you know, the culture of God fearing, God loving, um, and loving people and her sharing that experience with us.
SPEAKER_07I would agree. And even with juvenile, like speaking of just people being multidimensional, you see him as a rapper and this, you know, harder exterior, but it was just another artist who was just glad to see y'all. Like just loved it, literally said, This is the best wedding he's ever been to. And we love you, Juvie. And he he meant it. And, you know, it was it was nice. Um, I'm not sure how much guests got to hear of that, but to be able to share that with you guys, that it wasn't just a performance for your vendors.
SPEAKER_09You know, when he walked up, he literally walked up giving us words of encouragement. And he talked about how he and his wife have been married 20 plus years. That was one of the first things he said to us the moment he hit the floor, like before he went on stage to perform. It was like, I just want to impart words of encouragement. Exactly what I mean. And so, you know, it touched my heart because everybody that was hired to be there really wanted to be there. It didn't feel like I'm paid to be here, so I'm just coming up here to do my thing and and I'm out. It felt like I'm your guest and I'm here to party with you, spend time with you, encourage you. That's what it felt like.
SPEAKER_07And do the little the little extras. Yeah. And spend those extra moments. Absolutely. So, and it's not just the celebrities and stars. I really want to highlight your guest and your gifts and just the things that I've heard. And I don't, I know I that I haven't seen or heard about all of them, but I I would just love for you to share a little bit about that part of the experience for you guys.
SPEAKER_09I can also say if we didn't believe that we were loved by our friends, family, guests, um definitely after this, I know for sure we are loved and not just based on the gifts, just the fact that we were going through a government shutdown, and some of our guests had to fly in, and you know, they paid for their hotels and they made sure that they were in dress code for every event, and that took a lot, and that showed love for me. So even if we didn't receive uh actual gift from them, just their presence was the present. It was the gift. Um, but I must say, our guests, our friends, family, they showed out for us. We received um some of the best gifts, um, especially monetary. Um wow.
SPEAKER_07So we have a couple favorites, some a couple tangible things that you'll remember the most.
SPEAKER_01One of the things that was so touching for me, um, particularly because um I didn't have you know a lot of family there. Um when we were getting dressed, and I know you were in a separate suite, so in my suite, um literally there was a delivery. Uh there was a floral delivery. And uh you already know how much I love flowers.
SPEAKER_06Right.
SPEAKER_01And um uh Lisa gave me the flowers, the flower with a floral arrangement, and I was just it was so beautiful, you know, the hydrangeas and and the roses and the tulips, and it was so beautiful and thoughtful. Um, and the card was just so beautiful. And when I opened up the card um that had this beautiful seal that I thought was just exquisite, uh, it was a message from uh one of Shantae's uh very close sorority sisters um who has loved us since day one. And uh the message was just so beautiful and and and it really touched me uh because it it felt like you know, even though family is not physically here, um I still get family through the village that that we have created constantly throughout the day too. Yeah, coming throughout the day that I didn't have to wait. And mental. And so after I I learned the story of I got a chance to talk with her and her husband, and and she said, Well, I wanted to, well, I found out number two that Shantae had gotten the same arrangements.
SPEAKER_09And I actually thought it was from her when I first received it at the door. I was like, Your flowers are at that wedding.
SPEAKER_01No, no, your flowers are at the wedding. Your flowers are at that wedding. Yeah. So uh she told me the story behind it. She said on her wedding day, many, many, many years ago, um, their pastor had sent a floral arrangement uh to her and in advance of the wedding, just with some words of wisdom. And she wanted to impart that to Shantae and I. So that was especially moving for me given my whole family situation. It was it was just it was moving.
SPEAKER_07It meant a lot, and it makes me think of um, you said, you know, their presence was a present being in this industry for so long, so many couples don't realize the importance of who you choose to be at your wedding, it's a very selective process. It's it's hard. You some people lose friends, some people aren't as understanding, some people aren't very respectful of the process and the cost and things behind it. But what I see when couples sometimes fill the room with people who they think should be there because of a certain title or you know, where they are in the family versus people who really love them from my side, I can see the difference. Oh, okay, I'll preach. I can see the difference. And and I can tell you, and it you can feel it. All vendors can feel it. And for you all to have had three days of events where I can, I mean, 100% honestly say the mood, the vibe, the the care, the the attitude of everyone was just love. They were people who were happy to be there, that had fought traffic, airlines, all the things, but you can feel it. And when people feel that way, it shows in your events, it shows how people dance, it shows when they're at a cocktail hour and they think. But you know, cocktail hour was longer than an hour. We had a lot to do, we had a lot to move, and nobody said, When is this over? What's gonna happen? People were just happy to be there for you guys. So not only did they show it in their gifts and everything to you guys, but they also just showed it in their presence and in their kindness and in their attire and just respect for.
No Plus Ones Quality Over Quantity
SPEAKER_09And I do want to say, Sinead, um, I must say thank you to. We had people that did not even attend our wedding um that thought about us and still to this day will receive a gift saying, like, hey, then forget about you guys, love you. Um, we've received beautiful water for crystals, uh, ring holders. Yeah. Um, just hold the ring. It holds it. Okay, keep going, keep going. I mean, just the love and the just everything, the love and care that we've received from our community. Um, when we went into this, and I know you recall us saying this, is that we did not want our guest list. Um, we didn't want plus ones. We wanted the room to be filled with people that your people. Our people. And so some people, you know, may have had a little, a little gripe about the no plus ones. Um, but for us, it meant quality over quantity, as far as quality of relationship with us.
SPEAKER_01Quality over relationships with us.
SPEAKER_09Um, because you can fill the room easily just with a bunch of people. But we wanted our people, people that love us, people that have gone through the struggles with us, through life with us, people that really knew us. That's who we wanted in that room. And so I just want to thank the people who didn't get a chance to be in the room and still felt it not robbery to want to bless us in some type of way.
SPEAKER_01That's that old Baptist. Well, we know that old Baptist felt it not robbery.
SPEAKER_09Felt it not robbery, thought it not robbery. So I thank you. I from the bottom of my heart, and I say this right now, I'm being as genuine as I possibly can. I truly, we truly appreciate you.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, it's not about the thing, it's about the thought.
SPEAKER_07Yeah, definitely about the thought. And and for people to understand that if they couldn't be there, there's a lot of people that you still wanted to be there. So, you know, it's like y'all couldn't be there. But yeah, I always don't like it. It was blame me, Sinee. Blame me because you're you're gonna mess up my floor plate.
SPEAKER_09Every time we even gave in and was like, oh, Sinee, the number changed again. Millicent, you call her this time. I texted her the last time.
SPEAKER_07It was the absolute perfect crowd and the the perfect amount. So many people would have assumed that because it felt very grandiose, that it would have been a larger number, and that wasn't what it was about. You know, for you guys, it was about the right people in the right rooms. So it was it was a pleasure for everybody there to be a part of and to feel like they were actually touched by two dope chicks at the two dope wedding.
SPEAKER_09Absolutely.
What’s Next For Two Dope Chicks
SPEAKER_07So thank you all for that.
SPEAKER_09Love you.
SPEAKER_07But thank you guys, you two in particular, for this experience, for the the podcast, for I don't even know how to begin on wedding weekend, but for sharing so much of yourselves through your wedding weekend, but also through these conversations. Um I know there's a little bit more to come with the Two Dope Chicks podcast. So I Love for you to share that. But aside from what's next, we just want to thank you for being, and that's for you guys. We just want to thank you for being a part of this wedding mini-series. Thank you all so much. So, what's next?
SPEAKER_09Well, we're still working, we're still grinding. Um, we have added a couple of new businesses um since the beginning of this year. Yeah, I know it's crazy, but we did. Um, so we're starting two dope rentals. Um, we now have a luxury sprinter that we've added to the two dope family. Whatever family.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, you know, we we are serial entrepreneurs, so so this is what we do, but we're so excited um to uh see the blessings that God is going to bring this year. And uh we're so grateful for this opportunity um to really share out our with our experiences, our lives, and hopefully um someone will be touched and know that uh they are not alone, uh, that this is just a process and and continue to to keep keep going to bed and keep waking up and things will get better and uh you know if we can be of any other.
SPEAKER_09People say keep fasting and praying. And we're back to the Baptist church.
Perfumes Rentals And Where To Find Us
SPEAKER_07We can't, we can't, we can't shake it. We can't shake it. That's right. That's who we are. People don't understand that was another connection of ours. Um but we'll we'll save that for next time. Another thing you'll be sharing from here after this point is also the perfumes that you'll be sharing so that others can purchase those.
SPEAKER_09We want everyone to get a chance to experience dough as well as dough, two or two hearts in French. Um, they'll be on the website as well, iidopechicks.com. That's i do chicks.com, along with um the new two dope rentals also for um your events. We now have furniture, love seats, chairs.
SPEAKER_07We've talked about where you all are based.
SPEAKER_09We are based in Jacksonville, Florida. Uh, right here in Duval.
Closing Thanks And Stay Tuned
SPEAKER_07So um aside from that, of course, they can learn more from the Two Dope Chicks podcast and from your Instagram, II Chicks. And we have a lot to talk about. So stay tuned. Stay tuned. Because uh there's more. There's a lot more. Thank you guys so much for joining us.