A Modern Destination Wedding At The Ritz-Cartlton in Fort Lauderdale, Florida

Out one night in Montgomery, Alabama, to celebrate her birthday, Erika Zanders met Edwin Jackson Jr. He—a professional baseball player—was visiting family during the off-season and Erika was stationed there with the Air Force.

Although she moved around a lot (Korea, Arizona and Abu Dhabi), the two stayed in touch and a few years later when Erika moved back to the United States, they officially started dating.

While in Anaheim for a game (at the time Edwin was playing for the Chicago White Sox), Erika began to think a proposal might be on its way. Her parents, who live two hours from the city, were adamant about attending and waiting around to talk to Edwin after the game. Once her parents left, Edwin asked Erika to sit outside.

“I was complaining because it was cold and I had already been sitting outside the whole night at the baseball game,” recalls Erika. “But he insisted, so we did.” Leading her to a secluded spot at the Westin South Coast Plaza, Edwin asked for her hand. “She actually laughed at me because she thought I was joking,” says Edwin, “then cried when she saw the ring.”

To help with wedding planning, the couple turned to Mindy Weiss and team. Wanting a warm-weather destination for the January nuptials and a spot to which family could easily travel, they chose The Ritz-Carlton, Fort Lauderdale. The casual Spanish-themed welcome dinner was a nod to the years Erika had spent in Spain while her military parents were stationed there.

On the wedding day, the couple was surrounded by more than two hundred guests as they exchanged vows. Chairs were arranged in a circle around the platform where Erika and Edwin were married by friend and former ballplayer, Chris Singleton. Sons of Mystro, a hip hop violinist group played songs that Edwin had chosen. The bride and groom wanted to include their son Exavier in the ceremony but as he wasn’t yet walking they had Miami’s MC Customs create a car that could be pulled down the aisle. “He definitely stole the show,” says the proud mom.

Edwin surprised his bride with a live performance from R&B singer Anthony Hamilton—one of her favorite artists. “Just seeing how happy and how much Erika was glowing that day made me feel like the best husband in the world,” says Edwin. “Just to look around the room and see how many family members and friends were happy for us was also an amazing feeling!” Guests packed the dance floor as DJ Irie kept the party going.

The next day, the newlyweds departed for Riviera Maya in Mexico for a relaxing honeymoon. “I feel like we’ve started a new chapter in our lives,” Erika says, “and am excited for what our future holds. Edwin is my best friend, a great husband and a great father.” Adds Edwin: “Erika picks me up if I’m down, loves me for me, understands me better than myself sometimes and makes my life complete!”