Yahoo Lifestyle NFL Player Julian Blackmon Marries Tyra Gilmore in Utah Ceremony with Special Nods to Their Cultures (Exclusive)
The couple blended elements from their Samoan, Mexican and Navajo heritages for the July 12 nuptials and reception
Julian Blackmon and Tyra Gilmore have tied the knot!
The Indianapolis Colts safety, 25, and model-dancer said “I do” on Friday, July 12, in a ceremony brimming with special cultural touches and backdropped by a beautiful mountain setting.
The colorful celebration, which incorporated elements from the couple’s heritage (Blackmon is half Samoan and Gilmore is Navajo and Mexican), was held at La Caille in Sandy, Utah in front of 350 guests — including several of the NFL player’s teammates.
The couple made sure their cultures played a special role in the ceremony, reception, music and menu. “We wanted to share our cultures with everyone and truly showcase our love [for] each other,” the couple exclusively tells PEOPLE.
For her walk down the aisle, the model wore a gown she designed herself — “straight from my mind to my body” — and got dressed during a special dance party with Blackmon’s daughter Zella, who also served as the ceremony’s “flower fairy.”
Customized at Versailles Atelier and altered at Pink Seams, the off-the-shoulder gown featured lace sleeves and a thigh-high slit, and Gilmore accessorized with butterflies on a sparkling barrette and her gladiator-style sandals.
The professional dancer and model walked down the aisle to Roberta Flack’s “The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face,” while Blackmon, who wore an intricate tan and cream suit, entered to “Waiting in Vain” by Jordan Ward.
For their vows, the couple went handwritten and opted for an intimate exchange following their first look — just the two of them. For their “I do,” Gilmore’s maternal grandfather was the officiant.
The reception was also a family affair, kicking off with a Navajo song and prayer from Gilmore’s paternal grandfather. Along with his sisters-in-law, Blackmon’s “bonus mom” also performed, gracing the celebration with two traditional Samoan dances.
The bride and groom also got in on the action, with Blackmon and his groomsmen performing the Siva Tau, a Samoan war dance, and Gilmore performing the Taualuga in a traditional Samoan dress. Then, after Gilmore did a quick outfit change into a pearl party dress, the couple hit the dance floor together to “First Time” by Teeks.
Following a dinner of salad and either pork, salmon or stuffed red peppers, guests were greeted with a special (and unique!) treat. In place of a towering cake, the newlyweds offered a dessert table brimming with Mexican and Samoan desserts.
Options included caramel flan, chili-spiked Mexican wedding cookies and Samoan coconut rolls called Pani Popo — plus a chocolate fondue fountain. A late night snack was also offered, with guests munching on Polynesian pork sliders and a fire-roasted suckling pig.
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The Utah ceremony, planned by Kate Elizabeth Events with florals by Janie’s Florals, marked the perfect union for the couple, who first crossed paths at a bar, and then connected over social media.
After one date, both the NFL player and model knew they were a perfect match. Getting married, they tell PEOPLE, “was a way to completely become one unit.” It also marks their commitment to “share one purpose and one heart” and their choice to “live our lives together forever."
Now, they are looking to the future. “We are most excited about creating a life together,” the pair says, “building a family, supporting each other in dreams and aspirations.”
And the mountainside ceremony was the perfect way to jumpstart their journey as a married couple.
“We were able to be in every moment of our wedding. I feel like a lot of couples can't feel present on their wedding days — it can get so overwhelming — but we made it a goal to be present for each moment of our day,” they say. “It really was the perfect day.”
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