The Bridal Brunch is just a few weeks away and we are so excited to introduce our panel of experts that will be answering all of your wedding questions on May 19th at the Akwaaba Mansion in Brooklyn, NY! We've hand selected some of the best wedding industry professionals to share their insight, tips and tricks on how to help you create an awesome wedding experience! You don't want to miss this amazing panel discussion hosted by Charreah Jackson, relationship editor at Essence Magazine. We look forward to seeing you there!
Charreah K. Jackson, Relationships Editor at ESSENCE magazine and Host of The Bridal Brunch Expert Panel
Charreah K. Jackson is a certified family life educator and the Relationships Editor at ESSENCE magazine, where she creates dating and relationship features from producing the brand’s first Storybook Wedding contest to hunting down a few good men for the video series, Ask A Brother. Charreah provides relationships workshops and coaching nationwide and is a featured love expert on VH1, WEtv, BET, CNN’s Headline News and the Huffington Post. Charreah is also a regular dating expert on the Bill Cunningham Show. She has interviewed hundreds of singles and couples on their journey to happily ever now.
Twitter Handle: @Charreah
Fallon Carter, Owner of Fallon Carter Weddings
Melissa McDowell, Owner and Creative Director of House of Papier Designer Invitation
Melissa McDowell is the Owner and Creative Director of the couture invitation company, House of Papier. The company, established in 2007, marries Melissa’s love of fashion and her love for design and all things wedding, to create Designer Invitations for Your Fashionable Life. Born in California and raised in Germany, Melissa has a sixth sense for all things fabulous. Her designs are inspired by what she sees in the fashion and wedding industry. Colors, textures, fabric, and trimmings from the runway all come into play for her invitation designs. Just as fashion greats create couture collections in fashion houses, Melissa designs couture invitations in the House of Papier. She has a penchant for creating noteworthy designs that evoke glamour, allure and distinction. Her goal is to ensure that your wedding invitations set you apart from the rest.
Twitter Handle: @HouseofPapier
C.K. Alexander, Vow Coach, Owner of Love Ink and Wedding Writer and Reporter
C.K. Alexander is the owner and founder of Love Ink, a special occasion writing service that assists couples with writing their wedding vows, love stories, lover letters and more. Love Ink specializes in taking your thoughts, your love and your emotions and turning them into beautiful words that lasts a lifetime. C.K. believes that the wedding vows are THE most important part of your wedding day and her coaching and writing services guarantees the perfect words for your special day! This is not a hobby for the young entrepreneur. Writing is her passion and love is her purpose. This ambitious writer, born in Los Angeles and raised in New York, studied Journalism at Howard University and received her master’s in Journalism at Columbia University and has gained invaluable experience writing for The New York Times and other notable publications. She has been featured in Ebony Magazine, David Tutera's "It's a Bride's Life" Blog and The Hill Newspaper.
Twitter Handle: @Love_Ink
Mellanee R. Harvin,
Chef/Owner of The Fork Goes on the Left Catering Service
Mellanee R. Harvin, graduated from New York Restaurant School in 1992, with honors after a short time in corporate America. Searching for something more creative and satisfying she found her niche in preparing and presenting food that is flavorful and visually appealing through her catering company, The Fork Goes on the Left. Mellanee continued to gain experience and notoriety while working with such clients as ESSENCE Magazine, People Magazine, B. Smith, Martha Stewart Living , Harper’s Bazaar, Child Magazine, Better Homes & Gardens and Glamour. She has had the pleasure of serving such notables as the late Jazz musician, Hank Crawford, Michael Douglas, State Senator Kevin Parker, Senator Kirsten Gillebrand, Congressman Ed Towns and the Towns Committee, NAACP Brooklyn Chapter, as well as many other clients who continually value her service.
Shea Zephir, Owner and Creator of Zephir Artistry, Fashion Editor, Fashion and Beauty Writer
Writer and Make-up Artist, Shea Zephir is the creator of Zephir Artistry which services all women with glamorous make-up applications for various special occasions. She has created makeup looks for an impressive roster of A-list clients and top designers via Sak’s Fifth Avenue. Based in Harlem, NYC her writing focuses on fashion, art, and culture. She is currently the fashion editor at The Harlem Times and contributing writer for XEX Magazine. Shea is a woman who believes in the celebration of black women and that she has the power to define her own personal style through the freedom of a diverse platform of fashion and beauty collections. She enjoys connecting with real women and learning about their needs in the fashion and makeup industries.Shea holds a B.S. in Fashion and Marketing from the Art Institute Philadelphia and is a graduate of the Make-Up Designory School in Soho, NY with a concentration in Beauty Artistry.
Twitter Handle: @SheaZephir
We want to hear from all of our Bridal Brunch Brides! Please tweet your questions to our experts @BlackBride using the hashtag #TheBridalBrunchNYC and we will answer your questions live at The Bridal Brunch on May 19th at the Akwaaba Mansion in Brooklyn, N.Y.! There are only a few tickets left! Hope to see you there!
