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Bride: Joy Bryant, 34
Groom: Dave Pope, 37
Occupations: Bryant, actress/model; Pope, stuntman
Homebase: Los Angeles
Wedding Date: June 28, 2008
Wedding Location: The Hamptons, New York
Love on the Set: Actress Joy Bryant landed more than just a gig when she accepted the part of Bianca in the comedy “Welcome Home, Roscoe Jenkins.” The Bronx-born beauty ended up meeting her future husband, stuntman Dave Pope, on the set. “I knew he was special from our first meeting,” gushes the former Yale University student. While she admits that sparks did fly initially, what most impressed her about Dave was the easy-breezy nature of their friendship. “Finding that person you don’t have to front with is not easy. With Dave I could just be me. It felt different than anything else I had ever experienced.”
Backyard Bliss: On June 28, 2008, before 100 close friends and family members, Joy and Dave became husband and wife. The low-key couple opted for a relaxed ceremony and reception in the backyard of a friend’s home. After being engaged for over a year, the leggy bride-to-be was forced by a good friend to stop procrastinating and get to planning. Joy dropped her dreams of tying the knot on the top of Kilimanjaro and asked her artistic friends to lend a creative hand. After three weeks and a lot of chipping in, her bohemian wedding day became a reality. Located in New York’s posh suburb of The Hamptons, their wedding location was secured a mere week and a half before the big day.
Effortless Style: A budding style icon, Joy decided on a blush pink flowing strapless number from Missoni. The high-end Italian label was more than happy to dress Joy for her big walk down the aisle. Her jeweled thong sandals (also from Missoni) fulfilled the “something blue” aspect of the carefree ensemble. Dave was dapper in a gray lightweight Calvin Klein suit, and the duo changed for the reception into more casual looks from the same designers. Her clean and classy hair and makeup were achieved by beauty industry hot shots Amoy and Justin Henry, respectively. “I tend to go for the natural side of things,” says Joy.
Distance Makes the Heart Grow Fonder: Marriage hasn’t necessarily been a walk in the park for these lovebirds. Since jumping the broom nearly one year ago, their careers have forced them to spend a significant amount of time apart. In fact, just two days after their wedding day, the pair was forced to separate. Joy was off to Vancouver for a film project and Dave trekked to Morocco to shoot a movie. Instead of decorating and sorting through honeymoon pics, the couple was working on opposite sides of the globe for three consecutive months. It was challenging but love conquered all. “We actually haven’t spent a full year together; it’s a major thing. But when you’re in it, you make it happen.”
Bridal Budget Bite: Joy suggests that brides-to-be maintain financial willpower when planning their nuptials. “Set and keep budgets. Be sure to give yourself a little cushion so you can plan for unforeseen things,” advises the newlywed. The frugal fashionista adds, “limited resources can breed creativity.” For example, she admits not having a huge budget for flowers but she knew that “quality was more important than quantity.” The result? Her boho-chic bouquet looked as if it was scooped up from a wild garden.