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Classic Cheesecakes & Cakes was featured in the 2012 issue of INSIDE weddings magazine in the article starting on page 160, “The Princess Bride” which featured the wedding of Porsha Williams and Kordell Stewart on May 21, 2011 in Atlanta, Georgia.

“The first time Kordell Stewart locked eyes with Porsha Williams across a crowded room, he knew instantly that she would be his wife. “When you come across someone that brings life into you, it’s God- sent,” says Stewart. “I prayed for a wife with all of her qualities and she was sent to me.” Porsha also acknowledges that their meeting may have been predestined. “I really didn’t feel up for going out and I almost stayed home,” the bride confesses of the night she met Kordell. To her surprise, she would later learn that her groom nearly missed the celebration, too. “It was cold and rainy and I was going to stay in,” Kordell says. However, as luck – or something grander – would have it, the two met, exchanged numbers, and soon after were on their way to walking down the aisle.

For the bride, it was of high importance to find a wedding venue that embodied luxury, class, and romance. Therefore, the couple selected a hotel in the vibrant Buckhead neighborhood of Atlanta that reflected all three qualities – and then some. “It was such a regal location, fit for a royal wedding,” notes Porsha. “Everything about the space was elegant and romantic.” The grand, spacious ballroom with tall ceilings and dramatic chandeliers added to the allure. “It was the perfect place to have a dream wedding,” she effuses.

The bride’s love of sparkle, glitz, and glamour guided the couple to a royal theme. A color palette fit for a princess included pastel pinks, purples, and an abundance of cream. “I am a girly girl,” Porsha remarks. And while one might assume that such an unabashedly romantic affair would have been solely steered by the bride, that wasn’t the case. “Except for the dress – which Mrs. Stewart kept a surprise until the day of the wedding – I was involved in all aspects of the wedding planning,” says Kordell. However, the former NFL player and current ESPN correspondent offers wise words to fellow grooms: “Since the plan is to do it once, make sure to allow your wife to get what she wants.”

And so, after months of careful planning, the stage was set. Carrying a bouquet of white blooms, Porsha drifted down the aisle to her prince charming. The bride wore a strapless white mermaid-style gown featuring a ruffled bottom and jewel- encrusted bodice. A strand of pearls encircled her neck, and a glittering tiara with a jewel-dotted veil added to the drama. No detail was overlooked. The famous red soles of the bride’ssparkling silver heels complemented the floor-length ruby gowns worn by her elegant bridesmaids. Kordell’s reaction to seeing his bride for the first time was easily summed up in one three-letter word: “Wow.”

Porsha was equally taken with her groom, who was dapperly attired in a grey tuxedo trimmed with thick black ribbon. “Our eyes met as I was walking down the aisle, and I couldn’t believe how happy we each were to be marrying the loves of our lives,” she recalls. Kordell concurs, “I will never forget the moment when I saw my wife coming down the aisle, looked into her eyes, and felt the excitement of finally being one.”

The reflective crystal-clear altar at which Porsha met her groom was equally breathtaking, creating an enchanting surface on which to say “I do.” Each of four pillars was wrapped in milky roses, with greenery and ferns adding a lush touch. A shimmery aisle runner led to the altar where a small table was cloaked in silver fabric and topped with unity candles. A luminescent chandelier hung above, adding a magical effect to the alfresco evening nuptials.

A storybook reception followed indoors, where tables were draped with regal rose-tufted linens and encircled with curvaceous chairs featuring lavender crushed velvet. Bountiful arrangements of violets, stargazer lilies, orchids, and roses spilled from gleaming fluted vases of crystal and silver. The same flowers were tightly packed in lower arrangements that added visual interest and    depth.    Cr ystal    candlesticks    and    rhinestone napkin rings amped up the opulence factor.
Soaring chandeliers dotted the room, and luminous    strands    of    faceted    cr ystals    dangled from ceiling to floor. Pinkish-purple lighting bathed the room in a rosy glow, and the happy couple’s initials were projected onto the dance floor. Behind the band, a wall shimmered with light. The couple swayed dreamily to Anthony Hamilton’s “The Point of It All” for their first dance as husband and wife.

Highlighting the groom’s New Orleans upbringing (where great pride is taken in serving an abundance of flavorful food), the couple lavished their guests with a multi- course seated dinner of Southern-influenced dishes. The first course featured a mesclun mixed salad served in cups of butter-leaf lettuce; strawberry and feta cheese with red onions and cucumbers; and crispy crab cakes accompanied by charred corn relish and garlic pepper aioli. For the second course, guests chose from grilled beef tenderloin in a malbec reduction alongside bacon and leek risotto, or a porcini-crusted halibut paired with roasted vegetables, asparagus, and a chive beurre blanc. For dessert, pecan praline cheesecake and flourless chocolate cake were enjoyed. “The food is what everyone was talking about afterwards,” Korbell raves.

Providing the final sweet finish, a seven-layer wedding cake of buttercream and strawberry flavors was offered atop a mirrored table with twinkling votives. In true royal fashion, several cake layers featured platinum accents, and one layer even featured a unique mirrored mosaic. In harmony with the invitation suite and dance floor, the couple’s initial’s topped the confection.

The bride later changed into a second strapless white dress that featured a sweetheart neckline and slimmer silhouette that allowed for dancing into the night. While Porsha wouldn’t change a thing about their incredible day, the groom would make one minor tweak: “If we could have partied until 6AM, that would have been even better than 3AM.”

– KELLY LEE

Special thanks to Unique Design Studio for the photography of this wedding.

Classic Cheesecakes & Cakes was featured in the special Weddings addition of Southern Living magazine! Photo credits: Jeremy Harwell (pg 51) and Iain Bagwell (cover photo)