On Sunday, March 24th, 2024, the MunaLuchi team headed to downtown North Carolina for the 2nd Annual Mahogany Brown Bridal Extravaganza at The Hotel Concord.
With bridal fashion, wedding vendors, and heartfelt giving, the charity event was a resounding success. Created in partnership with The Alex Lemonade Stand Beckwith-Wiedemann Syndrome fund, all proceeds went to support the foundation.
This cause is close to the heart of Muna Coterie member, Whitney Stephenson, the host and owner of Mahogany Brown Bridal, whose son Phoenix was born with Beckwith-Wiedemann Syndrome.
Speaking with Whitney onsite, she shared, “When Phoenix was born he was in the hospital for his whole first year. The support that I got from the Beckwith-Wiedemann Syndrome fund helped us through that rough time. Giving back to these non-profits and these places is beneficial for me because I get to help people in a similar situation that I used to be in. It means a lot.”
Whitney’s passion for giving back to her community inspired wedding vendors near and far to participate in this year’s Bridal Extravaganza.
Exhibiting Muna Coterie designers included Page XVII, elleNelle, Kosibah, and Lee Jerome by Whitney Stephenson. New faces from the area included vintage-inspired gowns by Dani Simone Couture, timeless designs by Edith Élan, plus-size gowns by J.A.D.E.S. Galleria, and more.
Groomswear also had its moment with The Tuxedo Lady showcasing their latest designs onsite. However, the main event was by far bridal fashion!
*Keep scrolling for our full list of vendors at the end of this post.
Beautiful models of different shades, shapes, and sizes strutted down the aisles of exhibiting vendor tables exuding confidence. Sultry and powerful, each woman was styled in Black-owned or minority-owned brands.
Showcasing BIPOC brands is a key part of Whitney’s mission at her downtown Concord boutique (Mahogany Brown Bridal), which solely showcases Black designers and minority-owned brands. The Mahogany Brown Bridal Extravaganza continues to push these often-overlooked designers into the spotlight.
Whitney revealed, “I had brides who came in here today saying they never knew that there were minority designers like this.”
Unfortunately, this is a common experience for designers and vendors of color.
So many brilliant designers and wedding vendors from marginalized communities are creating AMAZING work that is going unrecognized in the wedding industry.
Therefore, participating and sponsoring events like the Mahogany Brown Bridal Extravaganza are integral to changing this narrative. It’s also a great opportunity for vendors to gain more exposure and broaden their networks.
“There are businesses that got to meet each other and start collaborating today who wouldn’t have known each other if they weren’t here,” Whitney explained.
Looking to the future, Whitney wants to keep scaling.
“We’re definitely doing this yearly,” she shared. “It’s going to continue to grow. I would love to have this event in different locations and possibly hit all the major cities.”
Partnerships with fellow Black-owned businesses, like MunaLuchi, continue to propel Mahogany Brown Bridal’s mission forward.
“I LOVE MunaLuchi!” Whitney exclaimed. “The partnership, the relationship… just the bond that I have built with the MunaLuchi brand in general has been amazing. And it’s all happened in such a short period. I really value the relationship and try to tell everyone about it.”
As one of our Muna Coterie members, it was an honor and privilege to support Whitney’s 2nd Annual Mahogany Brown Bridal Extravaganza onsite. Working with Charlotte Photo Booth Rental, we added some ‘Muna flare’ with an immersive magazine photo booth. The unique activation had guests (and the Muna Team!) lining up to snap a photo for a perfect keepsake moment.
Ultimately, we can’t wait to watch Whitney’s company, Mahogany Brown Bridal, continue to grow and see how she will inspire others to make the bridal industry a more equal and inclusive space.
Keep scrolling below to check out more fabulous wedding vendors and fashion designers who showcased their work at this year’s Mahogany Brown Bridal Extravaganza!
Click here to read more about Whitney’s journey in MunaLuchi’s exclusive Behind The Brand interview (featured in Issue 30!).
- Date of event: Sunday, March 24 · 12 – 4 pm EDT
- Location: The Hotel Concord Event Venue, Union Street North, Concord, NC, USA
Today was amazing, we got a lot of feedback from vendors and brides. They loved it. They had a good time, they loved the interaction, the intimacy of it. They loved that the designers were here. The food was good too.
– Whitney Stephenson of Mahogany Brown Bridal
Wedding planners + decor…
Coterie wedding planner, Affluent Affairs, was onsite with florists, makeup artists, hairstylists, photographers, caterers, artisans, and other vendors from surrounding areas.
Event decor sponsor, 3g Event Design, displayed an elegant table setting display featuring gold details and tropical-inspired florals.
Florals…
Floral sponsor Cut at an Angle adorned the Hotel Concord mantel with luscious florals in moody plum and violet hues mixed with pale pinks and lavender.
Glitz + glam…
The Artsy Girl displayed her fabulous earrings which featured pearl hoops, teardrop styles, and more. Check out her earrings featured in Mahogany Brown Bridal’s exclusive Muna Coterie Collaboration-styled shoot seen in Issue 30 here.
Jillian of Prettynpressed showed off her custom luxury press on nails. Coining the phrase, “Press it don’t stress it!” her custom press ons are not only glam but also durable and reusable. They are the perfect option for brides who want to easily switch up their nails from wedding to honeymoon, and beyond!
Tammy Bennet from Mary Kay chatted with brides-to-be about all things makeup for their milestone moments.
Catering + Cakes…
After grabbing a complimentary cocktail from Cellar Door downstairs, attendees headed upstairs to indulge in food prepared by Chef Reyaña and her team from Your Braisen Chef, LLC.
Highlights included jerk chicken salad on fresh croissants paired with gooey good-old-fashioned mac n cheese.
The husband and wife team of Sweet It Is showed off their beautiful cake designs and gave out samples of their best flavors to satisfy guests’ sweet tooth.
Keepsakes…
Specializing in custom glass creations, Salt Isle Glass showcased stain glass as a unique keepsake option for brides to consider for their wedding day.
After “I do”…
With the help of realtors from The Sears Group, couples learned how they can “Say Yes to The Address” and find their forever home.
The Hyrdraspa is another option for couples looking for a day of rejuvenation or relaxation leading up to their wedding day or after saying “I do.”
Snap a photo…
Models and guests were encouraged to step into one of two photo booths onsite including Capsule Booth and Charlotte Photo Booth Rental.
More bridal fashion…
We couldn’t get enough of the bridal fashion gracing the halls of the Hotel Concord. Scroll below for more bridal inspiration. Inquiries for all featured gowns and designers at this year’s bridal extravaganza should be directed to Mahogany Brown Bridal.
Click here to send a message or schedule a consultation.
Production Team:
- Host: Mahogany Brown Bridal
- Venue: The Hotel Concord
- Floral Sponsor: Cut at an Angle
- Decor Sponsor: 3g Event Design
- Photographers: Photography by J Lewis | M. Todd Photography | Jo Hay Images, LLC
Exhibiting Designers:
*These designers were onsite at the event!
- Dani Simone Couture*
- Edith Élan*
- Page XVII*
- Lee Jerome*
- Tuxedo Lady*
- elleNelle
- Bridal Babes
- Luxe Collection
- Pantora Bridal
- Odylyne The Ceremony
- Kosibah
- Keo Bridal
- J.A.D.E.S. Galleria
Exhibiting Wedding Vendors + Sponsors:
- Media Sponsor: MunaLuchi Bride
- Magazine Photo Booth: Charlotte Photo Booth Rental
- Travel Sponsor: Linda Dancer Honeymoons Inc
- Wine Sponsor: Cellar Door
- DJ: Soulful Sounds
- Wedding Planner (Muna Coterie Member): Affluent Affairs
- Catering Sponsor: Chef Reyana
- Realtor: The Sears Group
- Photo Studio + Event Space: The Lenz Studio
- Videography: Rainsworld
- Stained Glass: Salt Isle Glass
- Photobooth: Capsule Booth
- Photography: Jo Hayes & Jeremy Lewis
- Cigars: The Cigar Loft
- MUA: Zeluxe Beauty
- MUA: Latrice Halter of Esteem Faces
- Makeup Brand: Mary Kay
- Hairstylist: Legacy Lux Hair
- Stylist: Krianne Geter Thomasson of Krianne Geniece LLC
- Bridal Accessory Jewelry: The Artsy Girl
- Photo Mirror Booth: Charlotte Mirror Image
- Favors & Gifts: Silvia’s Craft Room
- Cakes: Sweet It Is
- Candles: Her Authentic Self
- Wedding Officiant: Darnell Badger of Intimate Moments Weddings
- Jewelry: Ellis Jewelers
- Luxury Press On Nails: Prettynpressed
- Non-Toxic Nail Salon: Free Coat Nails
- Spa: Hyrdraspa
