Our Wedding Ceremony — Etienne and Ebony

On a beautiful Sunday afternoon, April 3, 2016, we got married at Pawleys Plantation Golf and Country Club on Pawleys Island , South Carolina.

We were absolutely blessed to have family and friends travel to Pawleys Island, South Carolina, from near and far, to help us celebrate our special day.

We chose a theme and colors that combined both of our unique styles and cultures - a southern rustic flair with a shabby chic urban touch.

Our pastor, Bishop Alfred A. Owens, Jr. of Greater Mount Calvary Holy Church in Washington, D.C., traveled down to South Carolina to officiate our wedding ceremony.

Our parents walked down the isle to an instrumental version of Stevie Wonder's Ribbon in the Sky. They were followed by Bishop A. Owens, Etienne, and our two best men, as they all processed to a violin and piano cover of Ed Sheeran's Thinking Out Loud.

The rest of the wedding party, including the matron of honor, maid of honor, ring boy and flower girl, followed during a piano and cello cover of Christina Perri's A Thousand Years.

And finally, Ebony was escorted down the aisle by her father to a solo saxophone performance of Hillsong's powerful song, Oceans, performed live by Etienne's uncle, Jean Toussaint, an international jazz musician. At the altar, Ebony's father gave her away to Etienne. We then exchanged our personal, handwritten vows.

After exchanging vows, we performed the unity cross ceremony to celebrate two becoming one, joined in love, as a violin and guitar cover of John Legend's All of Me played in the background. Along with Bishop Owens, we locked the two crosses together with three pegs representing the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

We shared our first kiss as husband and wife after Etienne's Aunt Neomie and Cousin Jenee sang an acappella version of The Lord's Prayer.

Bishop Owens announced us to our family and friends for the first time as Mr. & Mrs. Toussaint, and we made our way down the isle together to Natalie Cole's Everlasting Love.