Canaan Baptist Church

Gaines Wedding

Ceremony

Fraternal Order of Eagles

Cocktail Hour

Reception

Two lives, two hearts, joined together in friendship, united forever in love. It is with joy that you join us to share in our celebration of love as we are joined together in holy matrimony!

Our Wedding

On&nbsp;August&nbsp;26th&nbsp;2017,&nbsp;Deidre&nbsp;Richardson&nbsp;(one&nbsp;of&nbsp;our&nbsp;Best&nbsp;Women),&nbsp;called&nbsp;me&nbsp;to&nbsp;place&nbsp;an&nbsp;order&nbsp;for&nbsp;some&nbsp;Hennessey&nbsp;cookies&nbsp;and&nbsp;cupcakes&nbsp;that&nbsp;I&nbsp;had&nbsp;made.&nbsp;She&nbsp;wanted&nbsp;them&nbsp;for&nbsp;her&nbsp;brother's&nbsp;birthday.&nbsp;At&nbsp;the&nbsp;time&nbsp;Dee&nbsp;and&nbsp;I&nbsp;were&nbsp;living&nbsp;in&nbsp;the&nbsp;same&nbsp;apartment&nbsp;building,&nbsp;so&nbsp;I&nbsp;delivered&nbsp;the&nbsp;treats&nbsp;to&nbsp;her&nbsp;where&nbsp;the&nbsp;birthday&nbsp;boy&nbsp;was&nbsp;waiting.&nbsp;He&nbsp;had&nbsp;clearly&nbsp;started&nbsp;celebrating&nbsp;early&nbsp;that&nbsp;day,&nbsp;so&nbsp;being&nbsp;shy&nbsp;was&nbsp;definitely&nbsp;not&nbsp;an&nbsp;option&nbsp;for&nbsp;him.&nbsp;He&nbsp;was&nbsp;funny&nbsp;and&nbsp;very&nbsp;flirty.&nbsp;I&nbsp;had&nbsp;already&nbsp;heard&nbsp;about&nbsp;him,&nbsp;more&nbsp;than&nbsp;I&nbsp;probably&nbsp;should&nbsp;have,&nbsp;and&nbsp;nothing&nbsp;about&nbsp;it&nbsp;sparked&nbsp;my&nbsp;interest.&nbsp;So&nbsp;with&nbsp;every&nbsp;advance&nbsp;he&nbsp;made&nbsp;my&nbsp;reply&nbsp;was&nbsp;"NO!",&nbsp;"no&nbsp;thank&nbsp;you!",&nbsp;or&nbsp;"I'm&nbsp;good!"&nbsp;But&nbsp;he&nbsp;refused&nbsp;to&nbsp;take&nbsp;no&nbsp;for&nbsp;an&nbsp;answer&nbsp;and&nbsp;before&nbsp;we&nbsp;parted&nbsp;ways&nbsp;he&nbsp;assured&nbsp;me&nbsp;I&nbsp;would&nbsp;be&nbsp;his.&nbsp;All&nbsp;I&nbsp;could&nbsp;do&nbsp;was&nbsp;laugh,&nbsp;because&nbsp;this&nbsp;guy&nbsp;didn't&nbsp;even&nbsp;know&nbsp;me.&nbsp;&nbsp;I&nbsp;even&nbsp;said,&nbsp;I&nbsp;would&nbsp;NEVER!&nbsp;(who&nbsp;knew&nbsp;later&nbsp;on&nbsp;I&nbsp;would&nbsp;be&nbsp;eating&nbsp;those&nbsp;words,&nbsp;lol) Every&nbsp;day&nbsp;after&nbsp;our&nbsp;first&nbsp;meeting&nbsp;Eric&nbsp;would&nbsp;inbox&nbsp;me&nbsp;a&nbsp;Good&nbsp;Morning&nbsp;message&nbsp;on&nbsp;Facebook&nbsp;calling&nbsp;me&nbsp;his&nbsp;girlfriend&nbsp;and&nbsp;then&nbsp;his&nbsp;wife.&nbsp;I&nbsp;still&nbsp;just&nbsp;found&nbsp;him&nbsp;to&nbsp;be&nbsp;funny,&nbsp;weird,&nbsp;but&nbsp;very&nbsp;funny.&nbsp;&nbsp;We&nbsp;stayed&nbsp;in&nbsp;contact&nbsp;every&nbsp;day&nbsp;with&nbsp;simple&nbsp;good&nbsp;morning&nbsp;messages&nbsp;and&nbsp;asking&nbsp;about&nbsp;each&nbsp;other's&nbsp;day.&nbsp;We&nbsp;were&nbsp;both&nbsp;in&nbsp;very&nbsp;complicated&nbsp;situations&nbsp;and&nbsp;it&nbsp;just&nbsp;felt&nbsp;good&nbsp;to&nbsp;have&nbsp;a&nbsp;friend&nbsp;to&nbsp;talk&nbsp;to.&nbsp;Someone&nbsp;that&nbsp;understood&nbsp;exactly&nbsp;what&nbsp;you&nbsp;were&nbsp;feeling.&nbsp;Someone&nbsp;who&nbsp;could&nbsp;make&nbsp;you&nbsp;laugh&nbsp;when&nbsp;you&nbsp;needed&nbsp;it.&nbsp;Someone&nbsp;who&nbsp;lifted&nbsp;the&nbsp;weight&nbsp;off&nbsp;your&nbsp;shoulders,&nbsp;even&nbsp;if&nbsp;it&nbsp;was&nbsp;only&nbsp;for&nbsp;a&nbsp;second.&nbsp; On&nbsp;December&nbsp;15th,&nbsp;2017,&nbsp;the&nbsp;sister's&nbsp;of&nbsp;Sache'&nbsp;had&nbsp;a&nbsp;Christmas&nbsp;sweater&nbsp;party,&nbsp;that&nbsp;Eric&nbsp;and&nbsp;I&nbsp;both&nbsp;attended.&nbsp;And&nbsp;despite&nbsp;everything&nbsp;that&nbsp;was&nbsp;going&nbsp;on&nbsp;around&nbsp;us,&nbsp;we&nbsp;were&nbsp;able&nbsp;to&nbsp;have&nbsp;a&nbsp;real&nbsp;conversation.&nbsp;This&nbsp;was&nbsp;the&nbsp;Eric&nbsp;that&nbsp;I&nbsp;became&nbsp;interested&nbsp;in&nbsp;getting&nbsp;to&nbsp;know&nbsp;a&nbsp;little&nbsp;better.&nbsp;So&nbsp;that's&nbsp;what&nbsp;I&nbsp;did.&nbsp;Each&nbsp;day&nbsp;I&nbsp;learned&nbsp;a&nbsp;&nbsp;little&nbsp;more,&nbsp;each&nbsp;week&nbsp;we&nbsp;spent&nbsp;a&nbsp;little&nbsp;more&nbsp;time&nbsp;together,&nbsp;and&nbsp;each&nbsp;month&nbsp;we&nbsp;got&nbsp;a&nbsp;little&nbsp;bit&nbsp;closer.&nbsp;&nbsp;And&nbsp;I'm&nbsp;happy&nbsp;to&nbsp;admit&nbsp;that&nbsp;the&nbsp;guy&nbsp;I&nbsp;heard&nbsp;about&nbsp;vs&nbsp;the&nbsp;guy&nbsp;that&nbsp;I've&nbsp;grown&nbsp;to&nbsp;love&nbsp;and&nbsp;know,&nbsp;are&nbsp;2&nbsp;totally&nbsp;different&nbsp;people.&nbsp;Now&nbsp;we&nbsp;don't&nbsp;know&nbsp;when&nbsp;we&nbsp;became&nbsp;girlfriend&nbsp;and&nbsp;boyfriend,&nbsp;but&nbsp;on&nbsp;October&nbsp;2,&nbsp;2019&nbsp;while&nbsp;on&nbsp;our&nbsp;cruise,&nbsp;is&nbsp;when&nbsp;I&nbsp;became&nbsp;his&nbsp;fiance'.&nbsp;No&nbsp;big&nbsp;spectacle&nbsp;was&nbsp;made,&nbsp;just&nbsp;something&nbsp;simple&nbsp;and&nbsp;straight&nbsp;to&nbsp;the&nbsp;point.&nbsp;That&nbsp;was&nbsp;all&nbsp;I&nbsp;wanted&nbsp;and&nbsp;needed.&nbsp;It&nbsp;wasn't&nbsp;the&nbsp;size&nbsp;of&nbsp;the&nbsp;announcement&nbsp;that&nbsp;mattered,&nbsp;but&nbsp;the&nbsp;size&nbsp;of&nbsp;the&nbsp;commitment!&nbsp;And&nbsp;now&nbsp;on&nbsp;August&nbsp;12th,&nbsp;2022,&nbsp;together&nbsp;with&nbsp;our&nbsp;friends&nbsp;and&nbsp;family&nbsp;we'll&nbsp;stand&nbsp;side&nbsp;by&nbsp;side&nbsp;and&nbsp;celebrate&nbsp;our&nbsp;union&nbsp;as&nbsp;husband&nbsp;and&nbsp;wife!

Unexpected Love

Our Story

Photos

Tonya is her first born daughter and oldest child of 4, Mother of Kevin Jr. (Groomsman), grandmother of Tyra & Traya (Bridesmaids) & Jerome (Groomsman), great grandmother of  Ava (Flower Girl)

Demetria Hodges 

Tonya (Bride) is his first and only child, grandfather of Tyra & Traya (Bridesmaids) & Jerome  (Groomsman), great grandfather of Ava (Flower Girl)

Michael Ward

Eric (Groom) is her one and only son, Grandmother to Samyra (Bridesmaid), Tavon (Groomsman), Erica (Jr.  Bridesmaid), Eric (Ring Bearer), & Edyn (Flower Girl)

Vickie Gaines

Arlene Parker

Joe Parker (Deceased)

granddaughter of the bride and groom, daughter to Tyra (Bridesmaid), nickname(s): Muffin and Bean

Ava Pipkin

little cousin/niece of the bride
only daughter to LaTasha (Best Woman)
godsister to Tyra (bridesmaid)
nickname: Sassy

Triniti Pipkin

youngest and only daughter to Corteze  (Best Groomswoman) and Joshua (Groomsman), goddaughter to Deidre (Best Woman)

Ja'Siyah Johnson

6 of the Gaines 8
Eric's middle daughter
also the youngest daughter of Antoinette (bridesmaid)
nickname: princess

Erica Gaines

cousin/sister to the bride, 4th oldest member of The Fab Five, mother to Triniti/Sassy (Flower Girl), godmother to Tyra (Bridesmaid), owner of True Necessity 

LaTasha Pipkin 

the reason Bride & Groom met, mother of 3, godmother to Traya (Bridesmaid) & Ja'siyah (Jr. Bridesmaid), Sister/Treasuer of Sache', owner of Sin'Sations Creations

Deidre Richardson

cousin of the bride, President, Founder, and oldest sister of Sache', mother of 3, mother to Starr (Bridesmaid), godmother to Erica (Jr. Bridesmaid)

Cheryl Cooper

cousin to the bride, oldest daughter to Cheryl (Bridesmaid), sister of Sache'

Starr Cooper

4 of the Gaines 8, Oldest daughter to Eric (Groom), nickname: Toots

Samyra Gaines

1 of the Gaines 8, Tonya's (Bride) oldest daughter, goddaughter to LaTasha (Best Woman), mother to Ava (Flower Girl), nickname: TJ 

Tyra Pipkin

cousin/niece to Tonya (Bride), first and only child to Dawn (Bridesmaid)

Cyniah Ruff 

cousin/sister to Tonya (Bride), mother to Cyniah (Bridesmaid), 
Middle member of The Fab Five

Dawn Pipkin

mother of 6, mother of Erica (Jr. Bridesmaid) and Eric (Ring Bearer), sister of Sache'

Antoinette Bonilla

cousin/sister to Tonya (Bride), mother of 4, grandmother of 4
2nd to the Oldest member of The Fab Five

Tracey Deburnure

2 of Gaines 8, youngest daughter and middle child to Tonya (Bride), Sister to Tyra (Bridesmaid) & Jerome (Groomsman), goddaughter to Deidre (Best Woman), Aunt to Ava (Flower Girl), nickname: Buttercup

Traya Pipkin

cousin/sister of the bride, mother of 2, oldest member of The Fab Five

Pamela Wills

mother of 2, mother to Ja'Siyah (Jr. Bridesmaid), Vice President and sister of Sache', cousin to Jerome (Groomsman), owner of Bak't by Teze

Corteze Matthews

7 of the Gaines 8, youngest son to Eric and Antoinette (Bridesmaid)
nickname: Prince Eazy

Eric Bonilla

Zannie McNeil

Only&nbsp;brother&nbsp;to&nbsp;Tonya&nbsp;(Bride),&nbsp;Godfather&nbsp;to&nbsp;Traya&nbsp;(Bridesmaid),&nbsp;Uncle&nbsp;To&nbsp;Tyra,&nbsp;Traya&nbsp;(Bridesmaids),&nbsp;&&nbsp;Jerome&nbsp;(Groomsman),&nbsp;Great&nbsp;Uncle&nbsp;to&nbsp;Ava&nbsp;(Flower&nbsp;Girl)

Kevin Harmon Jr

Andrew Thomas

Nicholas Boone

Anthony Denby

3 of Gaines 8, youngest and only son of the bride, cousin to Corteze (groomswoman)
nickname: poodie

Jerome Johnson Jr

Tavon Robinson

Samuel Allen

Cecil Coston Jr.

President of ThoBac Ridaz,
Father of Ja'Siyah (Jr. Bridesmaid) 

Joshua Johnson

Kareem Bradley

I Do Crew

Q + A

Sheraton Wilmington South Hotel

In Wilmington (Riverfront)Make yourself at home in one of the 120 guestrooms, featuring kitchenettes with full-sized refrigerators/freezers and stovetops. 50-inch flat-screen televisions with cable programming provide entertainment, while complimentary wireless Internet access keeps you connected. Conveniences include phones, as well as desks and microwaves.With a stay at Homewood Suites by Hilton Wilmington Downtown in Wilmington (Riverfront), you'll be within a 15-minute drive of Christiana Mall and Brandywine Valley.  This hotel is 15.4 mi (24.7 km) from Longwood Gardens and 15.7 mi (25.3 km) from University of Delaware.Distances are displayed to the nearest 0.1 mile and kilometer.  Brandywine Valley - 0.1 km / 0.1 mi  Chase Center on the Riverfront - 0.4 km / 0.3 mi  Delaware Center for the Contemporary Arts - 1.1 km / 0.7 mi  Delaware Theatre Company - 1.2 km / 0.8 mi  Delaware Theater Company - 1.2 km / 0.8 mi  Daniel S. Frawley Stadium - 1.7 km / 1 mi  Grand Opera House - 2 km / 1.3 mi  Delaware State University Wilmington - 2.1 km / 1.3 mi  The Playhouse on Rodney Square - 2.3 km / 1.4 mi  Christina Park - 2.7 km / 1.7 mi  H. Fletcher Brown Park - 2.8 km / 1.7 mi  Old Swedes Church - 2.9 km / 1.8 mi  Fort Christina Park - 3 km / 1.8 mi  Kalmar Nyckel Museum and Shipyard - 3 km / 1.9 mi  Brandywine Zoo - 3.2 km / 2 mi  The preferred airport for Homewood Suites by Hilton Wilmington Downtown is Philadelphia International Airport (PHL) - 35.1 km / 21.8 mi Take advantage of recreation opportunities such as a 24-hour fitness center, or other amenities including complimentary wireless Internet access and gift shops/newsstands. Getting to nearby attractions is a breeze with the complimentary area shuttle that operates within 3 miles.Featured amenities include a 24-hour business center, dry cleaning/laundry services, and a 24-hour front desk. A train station pick-up service is provided at no charge, and free self parking is available onsite.Grab a bite from the grocery/convenience store serving guests of Homewood Suites by Hilton Wilmington Downtown. A complimentary self-serve breakfast is served on weekdays from 6:00 AM to 9:30 AM and on weekends from 7:00 AM to 10:00 AM.

Eric & Tonya

Eric & Tonya

Things to Do

Things to Do coming soon!