Blog Post

A Dream Come True

November 18, 2020

Mannette and Andre's journey from high school sweethearts to husband and wife

The Clarice’s Bridal staff loves when a bride knows what she wants! Mannette had been planning her wedding for a long time, and we are happy to have helped make those plans a reality.

Mannette and Andre’s love story began almost nine years ago when the pair were just teenagers. High school sweethearts, Mannette met her husband in her sophomore year. The couple shared their high school years until Andre left the area to attend university, at which point they continued their relationship over the distance. When asked if she knew at that young age that she would end up with Andre, Mannette said, “I think it was after we went long-distance. After a while, you know, it just stuck!” The following years brought them even closer together. Mannette explained why they make such a great couple, “We are definitely [an] opposites attract [case], but we have strong points that bring us together.”

After years together, Andre proposed to Mannette while on a vacation in Santa Monica. During their romantic getaway in July of 2019, the couple walked along the beach. This walk proved life changing, and the pair returned from their vacation officially engaged! After such a long romance, their marriage was inevitable! “I had a feeling it was coming,” Mannette recalled.

With a ring on her finger, Mannette was ready to plan. “I had already been planning my wedding at the hospital [where I work],” she explained. “. . . I love this type of stuff!” The pair did not want to stretch the engagement much more than a year, so they began work right away. They booked a date at the Shrewsbury City Center. Mannette said, “I wanted something where we could bring our own food and drinks because my cousin is a caterer. . . We also got to decorate it [how we wanted].” She received a lot of aid from family during the planning process, as Mannette’s family enjoys putting together events. Although family was helpful, Andre was less so. Mannette chuckled, “He wasn’t helpful at all! He’s not the panning type. . . I took him to a cake tasting, and he didn’t cake taste. He just ate cake!” He was willing to give Mannette her dream wedding, however, and it was full of glitter! “I didn’t really have a theme, but you could say our style was shiny. I like a lot of glitter!”

With that same spirit, Mannette searched for the perfect wedding gown. She attended appointments at three shops and had luck at Clarice’s. “I didn’t really like anything at the first two places,” Mannette recalled. “When I waked in, I just knew Clarice’s was going to be the place.” She wanted detail and sparkle, and she found it! “I thought everything was going to be expensive because of the [fancy] way Clarice’s looks, but I was actually able to find a lot of things I liked. . . I tried on like forty dresses and had a hard time narrowing down!” With a second appointment to get family feedback, Mannette officially chose her gown from her many liked styles!

After a year of planning, the big day came! Mannette and Andre were married on August 1, 2020, at the Shrewsbury City Center. It was a celebration of a love a long-time coming. Mannette said of the day, “My favorite part was coming out and seeing him. I actually didn’t see him at all the day before, so that was my favorite part!” Mannette finally got her dream wedding of glitz, glamour, and—most of all—Andre. From teens to adults, Mannette and Andre grew up together. They now start their married life and look forward to their lifetime of love.