Tallen & Ericka Shields
Bride
Ericka Jaynee-Maria Hudson, 27
Groom
Tallen Nicholas Shields, 27
Parents of the Bride
Janice Dixon & Willie Hudson
Parents of the Groom
Patrise and the late Theron Shields
Hometown of the Bride
Columbia, SC
Hometown of the Groom
Cleveland, OH
Wedding Date
9/11/2010
Wedding Location
Holiday Inn City Center, Charlotte, NC
Occupation of the Bride
Home Preservation Underwriter
Occupation of the Groom
Real Estate Advisor
Alma Mater of the Bride
NC A&T State University
Alma Mater of the Groom
NC A&T State University
How they met:
“We met in March 2002 during my freshman year of college,” states Ericka. ‘We both attended NC A&T State University and would always see each other in passing.‘Back then, the social network of the campus was Black Planet and we would chat frequently. The funny thing is, when we actually would see each other we just walked past like strangers!‘One day, I assume, Tallen got tired of beating around the bush. As I was walking up the steps to enter my dorm, he yelled out “Hey, aren’t you the girl from Black Planet?”‘Anyone who knows me knows that I get embarrassed SUPER easily. I literally ran up the stairs into my dorm. I emailed him as soon as I got in my room and it’s been on ever since.‘We officially became a couple in January 2003.
The moment they realized they wanted to be a couple for life:
‘The moment for us was when Tallen was injured in a fire and suffered third-degree burns. I remember like it was yesterday getting that call from one of my girlfriends.‘I was hysterical. My mom literally had to smack me out of my craziness.‘Needless to say, I cared for him throughout that whole process and nearing the end of his hospital stay, he actually asked me to marry him. We were young of course, but it meant SO much!
The Proposal:
‘The REAL proposal was so unexpected. It occurred on September 1, 2009. The topic of marriage wasn’t being discussed often so I had no clue.‘The day started off as any other workday. We talked briefly before departing for work. Tallen mentioned going out to dinner that evening to one of our favorite Japanese restaurants after he got out of class. I agreed and we went on about our day.‘By the time his class was over I was pretty tired, so the thought of going out for dinner was not happening. I suggested we just grabbed some fast food but he was adamant about going to a “sit down” restaurant. We ended up at City Tavern,‘The conversation quickly took a turn from our normal discussions of our daily activities to us spending the rest of our lives together and our future. During this discussion, I began looking in my bag for my compact. When I looked up, my beautiful ring was facing me on the center of the table!It was even more special to know Tallen had taken the time to ask my parents for my hand in marriage!
The Wedding:
‘My wedding was perfect! The day started off a little rocky when the weather took a turn from the beautiful sunny September weather to a dreary rainy day. My vision of having an evening reception on the roof in uptown Charlotte was quickly being washed away. My wedding planner and her team, however, made it possible for my vision to come to life indoors and it was awesome!‘I was about to get my make up done when I received a call from my maid of honor. She was downstairs with my wedding planner asking if I could come down. I was in a pretty bad mood after having stared outside all afternoon hoping for the skies to clear up. I went downstairs thinking “What else could it be!”‘The wedding planner had asked the hotel to pull together the backup room and quickly helped me see her vision… rather, my vision.‘She walked me through everything and never once seemed aggravated when I expressed how much I disliked the idea of getting married inside. She promised me, it would be beautiful and that it still tied in to my vision. The trust that I had established in our relationship allowed me to have an open mind and allow her make the final decision. She never steered me wrong, and this time certainly was no different.‘My personality shined throughout the entire day.‘My girls wore black dresses which to me are timeless, while the guys had fuchsia vests to incorporate our colors.‘Everyone had looked at me like I was crazy when I said I didn’t want flowers at the reception. I wanted lots of candles, glass, and feathers. I was going for a vintage meets modern feel with lots of glitz and glamour. I was really pleased with the outcome.‘We made it very clear that our reception would be a PARTY, and that it was! We’re all big dancers and the DJ kept the party going. It was the perfect ending to such a beautiful day.
The Honeymoon:
‘We honeymooned in Cancun, Mexico for a week. We ate, ate, and ATE! Beautiful beaches, lots of tanning and enjoying each other’s company!
Their Plans:
‘Our future plans include, traveling, learning more each day about one another, and possibly a kid or two.
Advice to Others:
‘Don’t compromise your vision and keep one another first. Everything will fall in to place.'