While many individuals may know actor J. Alphonse from his star-making turn within the Starz hit P-Valley, his wife, Nafeesha, got to know him long before the celebrity. She met him in 2016. Back then he was a burgeoning actor on the stage in Oakland, who also, on the exact opposite side of the country, beat on buckets as a drummer in subway stations in NYC to make ends meet. She didn’t write him off as he balanced those jobs to make a living.
“She told me and I feel her, that if that never modified she could be with me to at the present time,” he shared in a brief speech at their wedding reception, which took place Friday, October 7, 2022 in Los Angeles. They said “I do” in front of about 150 family and friends on the Vibiana, a cathedral-turned-event-hall within the downtown LA area. Additionally they exchanged vows in front of some famous friends, including actor Lance Gross and wife Rebecca, The Chi star Miriam A. Hyman and her partner, FX’s Kindred actress Sheria Irving, Jerry O’Connell and wife Rebecca Romijn, and were entertained with a performance by crooner Adrien Marcel. The fête was planned by Yunmi Park, with a delicious menu (we’re talking salmon and leek, curry cauliflower, braised chicken and even chicken tenders and fries for the youngsters) by chef and husband-and-wife team Neal Fraser and Amy Knoll Fraser, who also own the venue.
It was quite the extravagant party, a well-earned one for each the bride and groom. It was also one which perhaps they couldn’t have imagined when a pre-fame J asked for her hand in marriage in 2019, right before the world shut down. And while wedding plans were halted, the couple, still living long distance while he performed on Broadway in NYC when COVID first exploded, finally had the possibility to spend a variety of time together. They got their first shared space in Los Angeles in 2020 and were inseparable.
“We just frolicked and had a terrific time and just fell increasingly in love with one another,” he tells ESSENCE. Additionally they invited along their kids for the quarantine fun (he has a son from a previous relationship, she a daughter). “We spent some quality time with our youngsters and towards the tip of the pandemic, I told her, I said, ‘Listen, I’m not attempting to wait. We got to have this wedding, but I’m not attempting to wait to have it. So can we just go right down to this little spot, get married, go ahead and get my ring on my finger?’ She already had one. I wanted one on mine. So we made that occur and commenced to take into consideration a date for the actual wedding.”
After pushing dates multiple times, the pair landed on October 7, 2022. As they returned to planning, they found themselves separated for 10 months as he went to work on the second season of P-Valley in Atlanta. But they were soon reunited, bond stronger than ever, and went into overdrive to plan the sumptuous nuptials that just took place.
Special touches included J returning to his drum-playing roots, performing something special for Nafeesha on the identical buckets he utilized in Recent York City subways. Additionally they put the highlight on other couples present at the marriage to see who was married the longest before receiving advice from them. Along with that, they’d a now trendy cannabis bar at their event, featuring pre-rolls of The Phonzie that J created with Black-owned brand Ball Family Farms. He’s a brand ambassador for the corporate and offered the strain as a marriage favor to guests. He’s been a cannabis lover since he was young. And while Nafeesha is not, she wanted to provide him the possibility to showcase something he’s captivated with.
“I don’t smoke,” she says. “But since it means a lot to him it means a lot to me too.”
Those touches helped their big day turn into a memorable one for all who had the blessing of being present for it. As for what the longer term holds, the Nicholsons are looking forward to continuing to support one another’s next big endeavors, including J stepping into directing and producing, and Nafeesha launching her first company next yr. They need to get a pad in LA with a backyard, a pool and a spot for his or her kids, now 11 and 16, to hang around. Possibly they’ll even welcome a dog! But their biggest hope for the near future? As J says, “For us simply to proceed to grow and love on one another.”
Take a take a look at all the attractive images from their big day below, captured by photographer Montana Dennis!
Vendors
Venue: @vibianaevents
Planner: @_yunmipark
Bridal hair: @marjthestylist with hair provided by @knappyhair
Makeup and grooming on bride and groom: @jazzemakeup
Hair on bridal party: @beautifulhairsalonlakewood
Groom’s custom suit: @mr.simpsonjr
Florals: @theemptyvase
Photographer: @montanadennis
Videography: @loydvisuals
Cannabis for bud toast: @ballfamilyfarms
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