Gabourey Sidibe And Fiancé Show Off Their Love And Unconventional Wedding Style In Stunning Shoot [Photo + Video]

The wedding bells are getting louder for Gabourey Sidibe.

via: Essence

Actress and director Gabourey Sidibe covered Brides‘ digital Style issue with her fiancé Brandon Frankel, opening up about plans for their nuptials, which they say will happen in spring 2023.

The couple, engaged in October 2020 after meeting on dating app Raya, initially wanted to keep things so low-key that they were considering not having a wedding at all.

“The entire time we have been engaged, I’ve always been like, ‘No, we shouldn’t have a wedding,’” Sidibe said in the cover story. “Maybe we’ll throw a barbecue, get married in the bathroom, and then we’ll come out and tell everyone we’re married.”

After having a change of heart, she knows wants to have some type of upbeat, one-of-a-kind event to celebrate their love.

“It cannot be a traditional wedding. Really, it can’t be,” she said. “I don’t want anything done the ‘traditional’ way. Our relationship is very much on our terms and I want it to be fun, like a true party.”

And in keeping with the anything but traditional theme, the bride-to-be sees herself shirking a white gown for bold colors and prints, the usual curls and updos for Senegalese twists or cornrows.

“Honestly, whatever I wear on the wedding day will probably be African print. It might have a little white, so it looks like a wedding dress, but it’s definitely going to be colorful,” she said.

And nothing adds color to a celebration that culture. The actress plans to integrate her Senegalese roots with Frankel’s Jewish background, likely through a speciality menu.

“Including my culture [in the wedding] is important to me for sure. I’ve been feeding him some Senegalese food in the last few years—especially in the pandemic,” she said. “It will be a nice mix of African and Jewish touches. I want his background to absolutely be there because this is a partnership.”

However things pan out, this opportunity to feel like a bride a year early was something she treasured.

“This was a lot more fun than I was expecting! She’s a Bride, a Cover Girl and a very Loved Woman. Lucky me,” Sidibe wrote on Instagram. “Thank you @brides for having me and my groom, my partner, my love @brandontour who looks so handsome in his suits!!!!! We appreciate the rehearsal for our actual wedding!”