S10E6: He Slid into Her DM's and Now She Owns a Social Media Agency
This wedding has it all. Traditions, family, funny stories, and tons of love.
“The overall objective is for everyone to have fun and enjoy the wedding.” -Qwante
Qwante never misses a chance to surprise Devin and Devin never misses a chance to prank Q.
So, you know this episode is a hoot.
Guest: Devin, Creative Gravity Social Media Agency, and Qwante, No Sauce Que
This week, we’re dishing about…
Allll the stories! These to have STORIES!
Pivoting from a destination wedding to a more local venue
The wedding ceremony ran about an hour late
Favorite moments, traditions, and including their oldest (only at the time) son
... and more!
Meet Devin, Founder and CEO of Creative Gravity!
Founded by Devin Brinkley, MBA, Creative Gravity® Social Media Agency, is a women-led micro social media agency. This agency specializes in providing comprehensive services such as social media marketing, management, and training. By employing authentic and organic strategies, Creative Gravity® enables businesses of all sizes to effectively promote and grow their brands online while reclaiming their social lives. Creative Gravity is a proud advocate for embracing individuality, fostering respect, and championing inclusivity.
With a background in Communications and Business Administration, Devin leads a team of social media experts, empowering women, BIPOC, and LGBTQIA+-owned businesses, assisting them in expanding their brand reach, and fostering genuine connections through social media platforms.
Meet Qwante, Founder and Chef behind No Sauce Que!
We are Q & Devin, owners of NSQ. We are passionate about providing excellent BBQ cuisine to the DMV. When we make our food, our objective is to deliver a powerful punch that has an extremely bold taste, creates sweet memories, and forges a flavor that isn't easily forgotten.
Our overall goal is to create food that makes people smile, laugh, talk --- and enjoy each other’s company. Our food is prepared with NO SAUCE, in order to allow the true flavor of the meats to come out, be enjoyed, and be appreciated.
We proudly won Best BBQ and Best Catering Company in Charles County, Maryland in 2020.
Offering onsite barbecue, catering, and premium delivery services in Maryland, DC, and Virginia.
Background Info
How did you two meet?
Qwante slid into my DM's on Instagram. I didn't call him the first time he gave me his number but a few months later I was interested in seeing what he was all about and asked him to give it to me again.
What was the first thing you noticed about your partner?
He was extremely upfront and funny. During our very first conversation, he told me some very personal details because he wanted to be upfront with me.
Tell us about the proposal!
We went to the Dominican Republic for my parent's 30th vowel renewal. At the last minute, the planned a welcome bonfire for all of their family and friends that came. We gathered on the beach that night and all stood in a circle. Qwante started telling me how much I mean to him and got down on one knee. I repeatedly asked him what he was doing. He opened the ring box which had a light in it (he always thinks of everything) and asked me to marry him in front of all of our closest family and friends. He had shared his plans with my best friend and his mother to make sure they were there to witness it.
Wedding Details and Planning
Wedding date: September 25, 2016
Wedding venue and location: Waverly Mansion in Marriottsville, Maryland
Approx. number of guests who attended your wedding: 60
What were your top 5 favorite moments from your wedding?
1. The first look with my son, Adrian who was 8 at the time .
2. Qwante hired a band and singer to sing the song we picked for me to walk down the aisle. I had no idea!
3. Our first dance. I had to practice A LOT because I have two left feet and no rhythm.
4. Seeing how proud our parents were.
5. Getting ready. It was very chill and Q surprised me AGAIN with a BMW and driver who picked my best friend and I up from the hotel, served us mimosas and drove us to the venue.
What, if anything, would you change about the wedding planning process?
I would have eloped or had the destination wedding that we originally wanted. Ultimately, we chose to get married at home because my parents talked me into to something local so that my grandparents could be there. We ended up inviting a lot of people to appease our parents and looking back, I would've much rather put that money towards our first home.
What, if anything, would you change about your wedding day?
I accidentally left the belt on my dress at the hotel. I ironed it and it ended up on a different hanger that go left behind. It was key to my dress because it was a very simple dress and the belt added a wow factor. I was okay with going on without it but my mom and his aunt insisted we get it since the hotel was not far away. Well, my dad and father-in-law went and got lost. We couldn't get started without them so the wedding started about an hour late. It threw everything off. I wish I would've insisted that we go without it.
Did you participate in any family, cultural, or religious traditions at your wedding?
We jumped the broom which is an African American tradition representing sweeping away the old and welcoming the new, the joining of two families and showing respect to our ancestors.
What was the planning process like? Did you run into any obstacles? How did you overcome them?
It was really hard to narrow down our guest list to 60 people because I have a HUGE family. However, we set a budget and wanted to stick to it so we made it work.
What was the most important decision you made about your wedding?
We picked an all-inclusive venue. They provided the venue, catering, cake, decor, servers, bar, a day of coordinator, and more. It definitely made things a lot easier to work with one company for the bulk of our needs.
What is your favorite thing about your significant other? And, if there *is* a least fave thing, feel free to share that. ;)
If I had to pick ONE favorite it would be Qwante's heart. He is such a giver and does any and everything to make sure that I (and our family) are taken care of and happy. It's the driving force in everything he does and I couldn't love him more for it.
My least favorite is that he snores like a bear...but he could probably say the same about me hahahhaha.
Married Life
What’s the best thing that’s happened in your lives since getting married?
Welcoming our son, Myles into the world. He is the best of both of us.
What is the most surprising difference between being married versus dating and/or living together?
We moved in together after dating just 3 months....so getting married did not change a ton for us.
Have something else to share? A funny story? Something crazy that happened?
I found out AFTER we got married that our venue is haunted and actually holds paranormal tours. What's even crazier is that Q and I left the venue last and it was super late and dark and we both got weird vibes being in that house. Now I know why.
Wedding Vendors
Venue - Historic Waverly Mansion
Caterer - Catering by Uptown www.cateringbyuptown.com https://www.instagram.com/catering_by_uptown/
Hair & MUA - Tiffany Lumpkin https://www.tiffanylumpkin.com https://www.instagram.com/tiffanylumpkin/
Cupcakes - FRESH Bakery http://www.freshbakeryonline.com/ https://www.facebook.com/theFreshBakery
DJ - DJ Mark Dennis http://jamminorgroovin.com/
Videographer - Nathaniel Thomas Media http://www.nathanielthomasmedia.com/ https://www.facebook.com/nathanielthomasmedia
Photographer - InTown Photography Heather G. (she is no longer in business)
Brides Dress - Maggie Sottero https://www.maggiesottero.com https://www.instagram.com/maggiesotterodesigns
Grooms Suit - Ralph Lauren www.ralphlauren.com https://www.instagram.com/ralphlauren/
Rentals - Something Vintage https://www.somethingvintagerentals.com/ https://www.instagram.com/smthingvintage/
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