One of the most rising and prominent mid-size fashion influencers on social media, Devana Turner stunned the Internet when she came to prominence for showcasing her style on social media, detailing Get-Ready-With-Me videos on how she was styling herself for a day out and hauling her latest fashion finds. But when she announced her engagement and subsequently began sharing her bridalhood journey on her various platforms, she gained an even bigger following and audience as many found solace, hope, inspiration and aspiration on what being a fashion-forward, curvaceous mid-size bride can look like for women entering their bridal era everywhere.
We exclusively sat down with Devana for an interview to discuss her unique love story, fashion POV and bridalhood tale in our latest edition of The BB Bridal Files below.
Kennedi LéShea: I have been personally following you from even before you began sharing your bridal journey and then I saw you got engaged and I was like, “Oh my gosh, I’m so excited for her!” I’ve always loved your style. That’s how I found you first. So, I was just silently peeping and following, silently just waiting for the time to come for your wedding.
Devana Turner: Well, thank you so much for thinking about me. Cause I’ve also been a Black Bride stan! So, when you reached out, I was like, “Pinch me! Oh my goodness. I’m dreaming!” So, thank you so much.
KL: First, of course, we have to start off with the love story, because obviously it’s Black Bride. So, we have to know how your love story came to be. Tell us how you met your husband, the dating process, and all that.
DT: Honestly, I feel like our love story is the epitome of the invisible string theory. Gimere and I are very different, but similar.
We both were raised by single moms. His mom had him at 16. My mom had me at 39. So, he had a very young mom and I had an older mom. And our entire lives, the majority of our lives, we lived maybe 30 minutes apart from each other and didn’t know it! We never met. Never knew of him as a child. We even ended up going to the same university but never even met on campus. Fast forward, he did a study abroad in Thailand the semester before I did an internship in Thailand. Then, the job that he accepted full time was with LinkedIn. And I had offers from LinkedIn and from Google, and I accepted my LinkedIn offer. We would have been in the same city, same company, and I would have been onboarding into the same one. My last college roommate at the time ended up dating his best friend, so we ended up mutually knowing each other through that and followed each other on social media but that was it. We still never met. So, it wasn’t until the pandemic happened, and I remember… I put something on my IG story and it was a picture of a glass and it had water in it and I captioned it, “Is this water or is it wine?”
And he replied, “It’s this wine, this year, this origin.” And I was like, “Dude, please. It’s just water.” But it sparked a conversation about wine and our love for wine. And then he let me know that he was moving back from the Bay Area to Durham to stay with his mom. And I, at the time, was working at Google remotely because I didn’t get to move to the Bay because of the pandemic. And so even though we should have been in the house with a mask on somewhere, he moved back. We ended up going on our first date. And after our first date, immediately after our first date, I texted one of my good friends and I was like, “That’s my husband.”
KL: Well, your story definitely sounds like the Invisible String Theory for sure. Very Invisible String Theory-coded. I love it. So, so unique. You mentioned that you guys started talking about engagement a couple months after being together. Tell me your engagement story. How did that come about? The ring? Did you tell him what you wanted? Did he just guess and get lucky?
DT: We were going on our first joint family holiday trip. We went on a cruise. I found out his original plan was to propose in Dubai because we had planned a trip there, but his sister told him reminded him we were going to be on a joint family trip and he would have the rare opportunity to propose in front of all of our family. So, he opted to propose on the cruise.
He knew how important it was to me for our family to be there. I was truly so surprised.
KL: I love that you had, like you said, that “traditional” engagement, because most engagements have become so extravagant and over the top, so, hearing that is a reminder that the simple, sweet and tender can still win in this social media stunting age.
One thing that I loved most about your bridal content is that you remained very true to yourself and your presence in terms of career on social media – you didn’t lose yourself. Obviously you posted and documented your bridal journey for your audience, but it didn’t become you – you didn’t let that happen. And I feel like that decision you made even translates deeper into the nuance of how I believe a lot of times as women, we’re taught to dream of our weddings and not our lives that we want to live. We’re not always raised to be considerate of dreaming of the totality of our lives and not just the single moment of our wedding day. So, why was that important for you to maintain? And what inspiring words and words of encouragement would you give women who are in the thick of planning their wedding, but want to maintain that sense of identity and not become victim to the process?
DT: Honestly, first I want to say that you validated me in ways that you don’t even realize. Because I had so many moments where I felt like I was losing myself [in the process]. And I get so icked out by that. I get so icked out by that because throughout my bridal journey, I really wanted to maintain myself. I have this thought that I’ve known myself for 29 years. I’ve known this man for five. I’m not going to throw away all of who I am just to become a wife. So many people, you know, would look at that differently. You know what I mean? And there were sacrifices that I absolutely made that people didn’t realize because at the time, I was a baby influencer who wanted her dream wedding. So, I picked up a full-time job doing content so that, you know, brand partnerships were paying for the wedding. For that year of planning, I really sacrificed part of my creativity to fund the wedding.
Which is why I think that any woman who wants to get married should ask themselves first, “Why?”. And understand who they are at their core.
I know for me, I am someone who’s very independent. I had a home before him. I had a career before him. I had inspiration before him. I’m so grateful to have a partner who is very aligned with being my partner and supporting me and knowing that.
I have a partner who will not allow me to forget who I am. Even when I had moments where I wanted to make being a bride and having a wedding my entire life and personality, I had a partner who would reel me in and be like, ‘Get a life.’
KL: That was such a beautiful answer. I think you hit the nail on the head when you said you need to ask yourself why you’re getting married. It’s an important conversation that I think women must start having with ourselves before we even have it with anybody a partner. Which brings me to my next question: Of course, it’s important to realize that we are the choosers, but in choosing, you got to make sure you’re choosing right. So, what were the non-negotiables you would say that made you pick your husband and made you realize that he was safe to choose?
DT: Okay, there were a few things. One, we went on like our second vacation and we had the worst fight ever. And I was like, “I’ll leave. I ain’t dealing with this.” Because I am a quitter. I am. That’s the truth. I don’t need to suffer. And I was ready. We were coming back from Greece in Portugal, which is where we ended up getting married. And that layover there saved us. During that layover, I remember we just went around exploring the city and listening to good music. And I remember him saying, “Would you be down to try couples therapy?” And I was like, “You’re really asking me that?” And it made me realize that I was with someone who was able to put their ego aside to be better for the both of us.
And that moment, coupled with him being a big family person and always looking to make my life easier, that’s how I knew. Those were things I needed to see from him and I saw them.
KL: Those are all such important things that you should look out for in a partner. You’ve been super candid about documenting your journey from planning, to fashion, to style, and we know that influencing and sharing is obviously a part of your job, but we as digital consumers are not entitled to your personal life. So, why was it important for you to document your bridal journey for the world to see?
DT: Well, for one, Black women traditionally have hips, curves, dips, you know, we, we hold more weight typically and it’s really important for me as a part of my platform to show women who are my size that you can put it on too!
When I started my journey, I was touching the plus size. But in the bridal world, I’m considered a true plus size. I might wear 12 traditionally, but in the bridal world, I’m wearing a size 16. And these are some of the things that no one tells you. So, I remember when I was first starting to try on dresses, it was really important for me to take my audience and the audience that I would garner during that time along for the ride.
It was important for me to not only take people along that journey and show them that you can find dresses that aren’t frumpy, but that are flattering and getting to educate people on their shape and frame. You don’t have to settle. You don’t have to choose something that doesn’t truly flatter you. And you don’t even have to go the custom route to feel special and beautiful.
KL: I love that. And that reflected in your content as well. I think it’s also important because I feel like there’s started to become a wave of midsize girlies in the style and fashion sector, influencing and shaping the fashion media landscape in general. But it’s still a very small niche and it’s not represented as much as petite women or even true plus size women. And, like you said, most Black women, even if you’re petite, you have curves. And that’s not always considered, especially in bridal.
What was the overall aesthetic look you were going for with your bridal fashion? Your look was stunning; so very classic, and serving very grandeur. It was giving all the things.
DT: When I think about my bridal looks and actual wedding, it is kind of two different visions, which is weird.
We wanted lots of florals. We wanted it to feel almost like you had stepped into Alice in Wonderland. Our backdrop was this really large organza flower and then they intertwined more flowers into it.
As far as my wedding dress, I feel like I found it before I ever tried it on. I had a vision board. I had a vision board and I put my dress I actually ended up choosing on the vision board. On the dress, it has flowers and a kind of heart shape and just it looked like art to me. So, I kind of pulled inspiration from the dress for that garden feel in the wedding. I really wanted to feel like a princess.
Growing up with a single mom and not many male figures in my life, I didn’t really idolize marriage. But once it became real, it was like, I just want to be like a princess, you know what I mean? Without the tiara though. I’m not going to put a tiara on.
KL: Yesss. Your dress was one of my favorite dresses I’ve seen in a long time. It fit you so well. And I feel like a lot of times, it’s hard these days to come across a dress that actually feels and looks true and authentic to the bride. Brides always say, “I want to look timeless.” And I’m like, “But you have to determine what ‘time’ even is to you!” You know what I mean? Because “timeless” to them could be— a reference to 1942 Billie Holiday on stage in Prada, or timeless to you could be J Lo in 2001 in “Love Don’t Cost A Thing” with the baby hairs and hoop earrings! You have to figure out what ‘timeless’ is for you. ‘Timeless’ is like such a generalization that can be so boxed in and limiting. And so when I saw your dress, I think that’s what I loved about it most; because it felt so true to you.
DT: Do you know what’s crazy? I was intimidated by big dresses and poofy dresses because I think, you know, there’s this fear of, like, it making you look larger – it’s some type of body dysmorphia coming into play again. But they did their thing. We made some changes and alterations and moderations and we got it together.
After trying on the dress, we pinned on an overskirt and we put on gloves and I was like, “Yeah, this is it. It’s giving Princess Tiana/The Princess & The Frog vibes and it’s giving sexy Jessica Rabbit.” And I had my three best friends with me who were also my bridesmaids to be there when I tried on the dress. I had my style-conscious friend who is going to be brutally honest with me about it fashion wise, I had another friend who’s also brutally honest, but, like… literally a ball of emotion. And I know if I see tears coming her way, that’s the one. Then, I had my friend who is just my feel-good friend and she was also my maid of honor who it doesn’t matter what situation it is, she’s going to make me feel good. And I loved having just them there with me. I feel like brides feel a lot of pressure to include everyone in everything for the wedding day, but during my bridal process, I really chose myself when it came to who I included. And I’m glad I did.
KL: I love that you had your three best friends there and you thought about how you picked them out and why they were there in terms of what they can bring to the table to that experience for you. What style advice would you give brides looking to curate the wedding look of their dreams?
DT: I would say the biggest tip is know your body type. And I say that because sometimes we’ll have all these different types of dresses and weddings on our Pinterest board. And it can be really discouraging to try to emulate that when our anatomy is what it is, you know? So, I would encourage brides to really understand their body type and then also follow women who have their body type that have a style that you like. It’ll help get them more familiar with what might look good on them and what silhouettes look good on them.
And also, understand that the dress that you buy is not the final look. The accessories and styling are what make it. I know for my dress, my favorite part was the shoes and the earrings! And they really pulled the look together. So, I would just encourage brides to understand their personal style before they go shopping and understand what works for them and what’s best for them.
KL: I love that. And I feel like that’s kind of like your brand ethos, if I could say that as a consumer of your content, that it’s just really about staying true to yourself and what that looks like and how that shows up in your everyday life in terms of style and beauty and fashion.
Okay, to close this out, let’s do a Fast Five. These are going to be five, fast-round questions about bridal fashion. First up, what is the most overrated bridal fashion necessity?
DT: A veil. I had my veil on maybe for the ceremony and then I took it off and like I kept having to fix it. It’s definitely overrated.
KL: What, in your opinion, was your most underrated bridal look? Which, if I could just jump in and say, your blue look?! I don’t think the girls talked about it enough! I was obsessed!
DT: You said it! I think that’s another thing. Like, you know, so many people, they might do welcome parties and things like that and have everyone wear white, but I wanted Gimere and I to stand out! So, I agree, I think that look was definitely underrated. It was so fun coordinating with him and he had on sneakers which is so him and it was just fun.
KL: And another side note, your husband’s ceremony tux and your bridal party looked sooo good!
DT: Didn’t they?! I said that my girls looked like the muses from Hercules!
KL: Totally was what it was giving! They all looked gorgeous. Because that’s another thing, too; Brides don’t always consider what looks best on their bridesmaids and if they’re comfortable with what they’re wearing. Instead, they’re just thinking about the look. And all of your girls looked great. They looked confident and comfortable.
DT: It was really important to me. I was very intentional about them to the point where I went to Portugal to test their hairstyle. Instead of doing a trial for my own hair, I did a trial for their hair because I wanted to make sure they looked good. It was very important to me.
KL: So good. Okay. Who was your ultimate beauty inspiration for your beauty look?
DT: I had a beauty inspiration folder. I found this woman named Shannon Thornton and I felt like her makeup was very bridal-ready. It was sultry but feminine at the same time.
KL: Describe your bridal look in three words.
DT: Timeless. Bespoke. Dreamy.
KL: Okay, last question: who’s on your top style inspo list?
DT: Oh my god this is hard!!! Okay, I’ll say Law Roach’s work and eye as a stylist. His mind. Jénee Taylor. My best friend, Iendi Brown. She’s one of those people who is an influencer without being an influencer. She’s someone who influences me more than anybody.
KL: Love this list. And I’ve loved talking with you.
DT: Thank you so much! I loved this conversation!
Devana and her husband Gimere were married September 1st, 2025 in front of their family and friends in a gorgeous ceremony in Portugal! We wish the two a lifetime of happiness together!
Written by Writer, Kennedi LéShea.
CREDITS:
Ceremony Dress: @elyseebridaldesign x @sengcoutureofficial
Reception Dress: @sophiatolli x @sengcoutureofficial
Welcome Party Dress (Blue): @hardingegeorgia
Welcome Party Purse: @hi.boolao
Welcome Party Jewelry: @baublebar
Makeup: @frankyraw
Hair: @dl_bridal
Nails: @staypolished__
Extension: @perfectionsbypaije
Reception Jewelry: @swarovski
Ceremony Jewelry: @alexisbittar
Gloves: @cornelia_james
Shoes: @betseyjohnson
Barber: @steve_the_barber
Grooms Tux & Styling: @saintamourcollections
Event Design, Production and Creative Direction: @muzaweddings
Rentals: @aura.rentals
Venue: @cameliagardens
Florist: @kckliko
Caterer: @baldio.food @joaodbaiao
Videographer: @hugosousafilms
Photographer: @joshuawoodlandphoto & assistant @thevernacularphotography
Content Creators: @say.yes.agency
Cake Design: @migalha_doce
DJ & Sound: @your_jukebox
