Danielle Brooks Wore Christian Siriano and Alonuko for Her Glamorous Winter Wedding
“What was supposed to be just another game night turned into night I will remember forever,” Danielle Brooks remembers. The actor, who is known for her role in the Netflix series Orange Is the New Black and received a Tony nomination for her portrayal of Sofia in The Color Purple on Broadway, had decided to throw a party with a friend who worked at a gym at the time. “It felt like a good idea for us two single ladies to invite over some good-looking prospects she had met while working there to play some Mafia and Taboo,” she remembers. Dennis Gelin was invited by a friend of a friend who also worked at the gym. “He rolled in mad late, like two to three hours late,” Danielle says. “When all of us heard the door ring, the group decided to play a trick and grill the next person who walked in the door. I opened the door and everyone gave him the death stare. As the host, it felt a bit harsh for someone I didn’t know to get playfully grilled, so I decided to quickly greet him with a smile and asked to take his coat. He smiled back.”
As everyone was starting to leave for the night, Dennis really made an impression when he asked if he could take out Danielle’s trash. “I was so taken aback because there had been at least 10 guys in the room, and no one had thought enough to ask such a thoughtful question,” Danielle says. “I perked up and said ‘Why yes, thank you.’ And then we proceeded to talk. He kept complimenting me on my dimples and how beautiful I was. I was drawn in by his smile and beautiful rich skin. I remember asking him, ‘Do you have kids, are you married, do you have a job?’ ”
He answered all of her questions. “It was like music to my ears,” she says. “A brother with a clean slate, has his own, and is thoughtful. Jackpot. I quickly slid him my phone to exchange numbers. As he was getting ready to take out the trash, he asked me where the trash room was. It was the easiest room to find, but I just had to spend more time with him, so I decided to show him the way.”
When Dennis left, he told Danielle he was headed to the Poconos to do renovations on his family’s guest home in the morning. “I made sure to tell him to be safe as he was driving there that night,” Danielle remembers. “And then, while getting ready for bed, I heard my phone ring. I was confused on why anyone would be calling me around 1 a.m.”
“On my drive, all I could think about was Danielle’s Southern voice and brilliant smile,” Dennis admits. “I eagerly looked forward to our next encounter. During my journey, an act of divine intervention took place as I accidentally butt-dialed her. I was at the time and still am to this day, so glad that it happened because we talked for hours and an instant bond between us formed. The rest of my journey was like floating on cloud nine.”
The next afternoon, there was a knock at Danielle’s door. She opened it to discover a man holding a massive bouquet standing on her front steps. “My heart started to flutter,” she says. “I could feel it. At that moment, I said to myself, ‘If this card says ‘From Dennis’ I have found my husband.’ Sure enough, I opened the card, and it said, ‘To Danielle, Thank you for an amazing night. See you soon. Dennis.’ This man had gone above and beyond. He had flowers delivered to my house, and we hadn’t known each other for more than 24 hours. In that moment, I knew this was a man who was going to always love and appreciate me. I had found someone who wasn’t going to take me for granted, someone who knew my worth.”
Dennis proposed two and a half years after they started dating—just before Danielle’s parents’ thirty-fifth wedding anniversary—and the two started planning their wedding a year later. The couple, who live in Brooklyn, chose Miami for their wedding location because they knew it would be warm as well as relatively easy for those traveling internationally to attend.
Overall, the planning process went smoothly until about a month out. “Everything was going pretty well until Omicron hit the country,” Danielle says. “It was a bit too late in the process to turn back, so we added extra precautions with required PCR tests and rapid tests the day of the wedding. I have to say our wedding planner, D’Concierge, Darryl Moore was out of this world amazing. He never panicked and kept us levelheaded during the ups and downs.” Birch Event Design oversaw the florals and decor.
Even though there were changes in regards to the weekend’s logistics, the bride’s creative vision for her wardrobe was unwavering. “I always knew I was going to have two dresses,” she says. “We thought it would be best to do a first look reveal so that we could go ahead with bridal party pictures and not hold up our guests after the ceremony. I decided to wear Christian Siriano for the reveal. We have been friends ever since my career first began.” The designer ended up creating a three-in-one dress for his longtime friend that went from princess gown, to body-con dress, to a pants look that would finish off the night on the dance floor.
“It was also important to me to highlight a Black designer,” Danielle says. “I feel like when it comes to the wedding process, Black creatives aren’t highlighted enough. Alonuko gave me the dress of my dreams. She flew all the way from London to make sure it arrived. I knew I wanted her one-of-a-kind, flesh-toned mesh with custom embroidery and a big huge skirt. Wearing her dress made me want to get married every day, I loved it so much.” Danielle’s stylist, Kelly Augustine, gifted her with a pair of Chanel earrings the morning of the wedding that paired perfectly with her dresses, and her shoes were by Nina. Dennis and his groomsmen all wore custom suits by Garcon Couture, while the bridesmaids wore dresses by Pantora Bridal.
