Bridal Bliss: Alexis And Derrick Brought A Touch Of Italy To Beverly Hills

“She was everything I felt I lacked and an additive to everything I am and will become,” Derrick says of when he realized Alexis was the one. “And in that moment, I realized I wasn’t just seeing Alexis – I was seeing myself differently, too.”

“As cliché as it sounds, I felt something the first night we met,” Alexis says. “There was this familiarity and ease and a feeling I’ve only ever had when God is telling me, ‘Pay attention. This is for you.’ It was like my spirit recognized him before my mind did.”

Alexis did her first look with her father, whom she’d also enjoy a father-daughter dance with during the reception. Her mother, who passed in 2021, was there in spirit.

“I originally wanted an Italian wedding, but the thought of asking our families to fly across the world quickly humbled that dream,” says the bride. “So instead, we went looking for a venue that felt like Italy without the jet lag. For me, the moment I stepped onto the grounds of Greystone Mansion; the stone steps, the formal garden, the courtyard, I just knew. It had all the romance of Italy with the gift of having everyone we love right there with us. Italy tucked right into California. I had no notes. This was our place where I was supposed to marry my best friend.”

Violinists on hand played R&B classics to prepare for the beginning of the ceremony.

Derrick was pumped when it was time to make his entrance and head to the altar. The moment they’d been waiting for was about to begin!

Alexis was a dream as she made her way to the altar with her father. “Seeing Alexis that day. I’ve never seen her so beautiful,” Derrick notes. “It was like my first time seeing Mt. Kilimanjaro on our trip to Kenya. You hear about it, you read about it, but when you’re on a plane and see a whole mountain reaching above the clouds, it’s like, is that real? And that’s how I was experiencing Alexis’s beauty that day.”

“I saw the Roc Nation Brunch and thought it would be fly to have our wedding feel the same,” Derrick says. “I wanted it to feel like a true who’s who of all the people in our lives; family, friends, mentors, everybody we love under one roof. And that’s exactly what it became.”

A smooch to seal the deal!

The couple honored the tradition of jumping the broom, and certainly caught air while doing it as the ceremony concluded.

“Always have your wife’s back. You two are one,” is the advice that Derrick received that he’s taking heed to the most. “That does not mean your wife is always correct, but sometimes she can see something you don’t see, or you may see something she doesn’t see. But when you are in the middle of the storm or issue, you may need to wait until things calm down to express an opposing view. My dad taught me years ago not to be quick to anger and to be open to a different perspective. We have to be each other’s support system first, then our logical counsel.”

“Alexis could be wrong, and I’ll do my best to mitigate it, because I know when the night is over we can pour up a nice glass of wine and I can say, ‘Now babe, you know you ain’t have to do all that…,’” he adds. “However, it’s frequently me saying, ‘Shoot, I ain’t even think about that… you right, you right. Come give me a kiss [laughs].’”

The advice that Alexis is keeping close to her heart is simple but profound: “Keep God at the center and remain a team always.”

When asked what he’s looking forward to most about married life, Derrick says it’s creating a home that’s welcoming to all in their circle. “You land in LA, you stop at Lex & D’s; leftovers in the fridge, food on the grill, and snacks in the pantry. Lex did something new with the house, I got the game on in the background, and you never know who might be in the guest room: a sibling, a cousin, a line brother, a line sister. I look forward to making our own authentically African American home.”

“What I look forward to most is simply getting to live life with him and everything that entails,” Alexis says. “The big moments, the quiet ones, the surprises, the challenges, the mundane Tuesdays or grocery runs… all of it feels different when it’s with someone who makes you feel safe, seen, and deeply loved.”

“My grandfather had a stroke a few months back, and he couldn’t make it to see this moment in person, only digitally,” says Derrick of an unforgettable moment on their wedding day. “My Aunt and her husband flew down to Sheldon, South Carolina, popped open the laptop, and put us on Zoom so all four of them were able to watch not only the wedding but the moments leading up to it. I’m the first grandchild to get married. And when he said he saw the people in the audience and said, ‘Wow, that’s some crowd,’ my heart burst with joy and I turned into a puddle. I had no tears left over for the wedding.”

“Lex is big on Italian design, and we knew the fig trees would add the perfect touch. But it was really the mansion courtyard that sealed it. There’s a certain energy you can only get at Greystone. It’s grand, it’s timeless, and it feels like a moment the second you walk in. The whole vision ended up being Italian elegance meets the Roc Nation Brunch, held at SpelHouse Homecoming. We brought Harlem to Hollywood.”

With DJ Benjamin Walker playing the hits, Alexis and Derrick made quite the entrance to their reception.

They turned down the energy, just a tad, to enjoy their first dance. As you can see, all their guests were locked in for the moment.

“My mother is very much like Alexis; both have the spirit of ‘Let’s get things done,’ which might be reason number 1,731 of why I love my wife. With that determination, my mother doesn’t get many moments to be celebrated. That dance with her was my thank you to her for all that she has done for our family, both close and extended. My earliest memories with my mother are with Michael Jackson music playing. He is the GOAT. So “Lady of My Life” was our song. What was cool is that my DJ was able to blend it and put ‘PYT’ at the end, because she will always be a PYT from Harlem.”

Almost as lovely as the decor was this tiered beauty of a dessert for the couple by Hansen Cakes Bakery.

Alexis and Derrick changed into second looks to cut their cake. She continued her strapless streak, this time opting for an embellished, sparkling gown with a sexy split, while he changed into a white tuxedo jacket with a black bowtie.

Alexis, a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., shared a moment, a special stroll, with her fellow AKAs.

As for Derrick, a proud member of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc., he and his fellow Que dogs did a signature hop during the reception, and it was certainly a sight to behold.

As you can see, they had a ball on their big day.

Pour it up, pour it up! The couple poured champagne and shared a kiss as cameras flashed.

The couple weren’t alone in the fun they had, as evidenced by all the joy witnessed from their guests on the dance floor.

“I’m excited for every chapter we get to write together,” Alexis says of her hopes for the married life. “When you find someone who makes the ordinary feel special, you look forward to everything ahead, even the parts you can’t predict. I can’t wait for all the moments we haven’t lived yet.”