‘
Cynthia Bailey and Mike Hill’s pandemic wedding went off without a hitch, but the planning process was anything but chill.
In this exclusive Real Housewives Of Atlanta sneak peek, the couple goes venue hunting with Cynthia’s sister Mal, and the bride and groom encounter some friction as they decide how their big day will pan out in the midst of a global pandemic.
Since becoming engaged last year, Cynthia and Mike were intent on keeping their numerically perfect wedding date, 10/10/20. Mal suggests that if the venue were to close down events due to large gathering restrictions, they could adjust by having a small ceremony at Lake Bailey. Though she agrees with keeping their date (clearly indicated by her custom “10.10.20” bamboo earrings) Cynthia isn’t feeling a small wedding vibe.
Frustrations rise as Mike pressures Cynthia into committing to their wedding date regardless of how many people are able to attend. Cynthia isn’t thrilled about the possibility of having to downsize their guest list, and feels frustrated as Mal appears to side with Mike. Watch the clip below:
ESSENCE spoke exclusively with Cynthia ahead of the RHOA season 13 premiere, where she opened up about what it was like to get married during COVID-19 pandemic.
“Thank God no one tested positive for COVID as a result of being at our wedding,” she said in retrospect. “We were really happy about that. That really kind of took over all the usual bells and whistles of a wedding.”
Cynthia also told ESSENCE what it was like shopping for a wedding dress when most bridal boutiques were forced to close their doors. “I had an amazing black female designer [Nneka C. Alexander of Brides by Nona] reach out to me when she heard about my wedding and assisted me with both of my dresses,” she said. “That was a blessing because I was so stressed out with even trying to figure out if we were going to go through with the wedding. I did not have time to focus on wedding dresses. The only thing that I knew going into it was that I didn’t want a white dress. I’m not a traditional person.”
“The Real Housewives of Atlanta” airs Sundays at 8pm ET/PT on Bravo.