A Glam Smoky Mountains Wedding in Tennessee

Barbara and DeZwaan were both students at Penn State University when they crossed paths while out one night. Ever since then, the pair have been inseparable. They decided to make their love official by tying the knot this past August in a full glam wedding ceremony in the mountains of Tennessee. Check out all of the gorgeous details captured by Tolman Media.

Bride: Barbara Manana, Business Development Manager, 28

Groom: DeZwaan DuBois, Business Intelligence Architect , 31

Photography by: Tolman Media

Place of residence: Charlotte, North Carolina

Wedding date: August 21, 2020

Wedding location: Lodge at Brothers Cove, Sevierville, Tennessee

Wedding theme/motif/inspiration: Glam Lodge Wedding

Honeymoon Destination: Jamaica

What makes your love special?

Our love is special because of our positive mentalities. We both choose to see the good in all things and for that we are appreciative of the experiences we share together both good and challenging. We strive to seek excellence in each other and are supportive of one another in whatever we choose to do, even if it means being physically distant. We’ve seen how our love has served as an example to other couples and hearing how it has inspired them to treat one another with love and respect is very special.

From the Bride: (briefly tell us about your wedding experience and how you felt on your big day)

My wedding experience was the most adventurous experience I’ve ever had! From the planning to the honeymoon in Jamaica! We had a destination wedding in the deep valley of the mountains in Tennessee. All of our relatives are from big cities so taking them to the deep woods and being in complete isolation for a few days was an adventure for all! It was romantic, intimate, fun and vacation-like. Walking down the aisle while taking in the view behind him felt like I was walking towards heaven! Then partying the night away in the midst of the clouds.. It was one of the happiest moments of my life!

From the Groom: (briefly tell us about your wedding experience and how you felt on your big day)

I felt as though the entire experience was very rewarding. Even though we had an amazing wedding planner, we were still very involved in the process. Our wedding day turned out to be truly magical. The ceremony venue was absolutely breathtaking with the picturesque Smoky Mountains as our backdrop. The reception venue was transformed into the perfect embodiment of what we envisioned – glamorous and elegant. Thanks to all of the great work from our vendors and the support of our friends and family, it was without a doubt one of the best days of my life.

Your best/most memorable moment:

Bride – My best moment was performing a solo routine with the Brazilian carnival dancers and leading them into their spectacular show! The way my husband looked at me made me feel so sexy and confident.

Groom – As cliché as it may sound, my most memorable moment was watching her walk down the aisle. It was as if it was only the two of us. She was more beautiful than ever, and I was simply overcome with joy, excitement and love.

Wedding song, explain choice for song:

Our wedding song for our first dance was very unique! It was a mix of zouk, bachata and salsa. We took a six-week private lesson and surprised our guests with our new moves!

Favorite wedding detail:

The Brazilian carnival dancers and Capoeira team was an incredible moment! Also, the big floral cabana above our sweetheart table was amazing! It highlighted us as the focus of the entire room and the was an amazing view of the mountains behind it to make it truly special.

What are you most looking forward to as a married couple?

We are looking forward to building our new life together a
nd achieving our greatest accomplishments. Buying our dream home, traveling the world, being entrepreneurs and developing businesses together, buying a puppy and having more beautiful babies like our little Nova Claire. We are extremely excited to share in on that journey with the love and support of one another as husband and wife.

Advice:

Our best advice is to just go for what you want. You only get to do it once, so make it everything you ever imagined it being.

Please feel free to include any other interesting anecdotes from your big day!

Barbie is Dominican and Dez is Black and Puerto Rican so they made sure to incorporate a Caribbean/Latin feel into the food and entertainment. They even showcased a Brazilian dance team.

Congratulations to the happy couple! We wish you a fruitful marriage and many years of wedded bliss!