Wedded Bliss: Nichole Yvette Jenkins-Shepard & Lance Martin Hay Sr.

Nichole is director of human resources at The Siren Hotel in Detroit and Lance is a journeyman millwright for DTE. The couple lives in Woodhaven and honeymooned in California, cruising along the Pacific coast in a convertible Mustang. Here, they share details from their classic wedding day.

Date: July 20, 2019

Ceremony and reception: Portofino Restaurant & Banquet in Wyandotte

First dance: “Why I Love You” by MAJOR.

Photographer: Rick Dews Pictures

The proposal

“It was so unexpected. We were shopping and we stopped off at Fred Meyer Jewelers in December 2017. Lance asked me what I liked and, of course, I love diamonds. I picked a beautiful ring figuring that he was making notes for future reference, but he asked me right then to marry him! I say ‘yes’ and he proceeded to settle the transaction.”

The dress

“I wore an ivory- and champagne-colored gown from David’s Bridal. The bodice was strapless and adorned with stunning, floral metallic lace appliques that also cascaded down the skirt for a dramatic look. I accentuated my waistline with a beautiful and dainty beaded satin sash that added just the right amount of charm.”

The cake

“After dinner, we cut a delicious three-tiered cake, each layer accented with tan ribbons. The top tier was a lemon cake with a lemon mousse filling, the middle was a marble cake with chocolate mousse and the bottom layer was a decadent red velvet with raspberry mousse filling.”

Something special

“My eldest sister passed away on Sept. 12, 2018 unexpectedly at the age of 50, and the day before her death, we spoke about me running off and eloping since I’ve been married before. She encouraged me to have a wedding and wanted to help me plan it. I did all of this for Colette Dionne Jenkins Lackey. She only wanted the best for me, and I wanted to show her my gratitude by fulfilling her wishes. Her daughter was my junior bride, and a frame with her name set at my head table to recognize her absence.”

BLAC wants to help celebrate your nuptials. If you’ve gotten married recently and would like to be considered for our monthly matrimony feature, email a few of your best wedding photos to info@BLACdetroit.com. Put “WEDDING” in the subject line. Be sure to include your phone number. BLAC reserves the right to publish or omit photos.