Florida Man Allegedly Assaults Bride And Guests At Wedding Reception
Your wedding day is supposed to be the most memorable day of your life for obvious reasons. For most, it’s supposed to be because it’s the happiest day of your life. For others, it may be a memorable moment. For one couple in Largo, it was because of a specific guest. This wedding will never be forgotten because this Florida man assaulted the bride and other wedding guests during a wedding ceremony.
Story Behind Florida Man Allegedly Assaulting Bride
February 24th was supposed to be the happiest day of Anita Brooks’ life. Still, her brother had different plans. Rontae Stokes started by getting into a verbal altercation with Brooks during the wedding ceremony held at The Event Hall. According to a felony complaint obtained by The Smoking Gun, the 45-year-old Florida man “battered the bride and created a disturbance at the reception” that led to Stokes being escorted off the premises. This however did not stop Stokes from continuing his violent rampage. On the way out, the ex-con also allegedly struck his 65-year-old mother, a niece, his brother-in-law, and a bridesmaid.
When asked about the altercation by police, Stokes admitted that alcohol may have played a role. That did not stop him from being booked into the county jail last Sunday. He now faces five battery counts, which are now considered felonies due to a felony battery conviction from his past. He was also charged with misdemeanor criminal mischief for allegedly throwing a ceramic lawn chair into a glass door.
Source: The Smoking Gun
Ditching Tradition: A Look At 'Anti-Wedding' Trends
Ditching White Gowns
While most conventional wedding dresses feature white dresses with trains, a new trend has hit the scene. Many soon-to-be brides are opting for dresses with pops of color or even daring to wear the color black. Google Trends had high searches for “black wedding dress” over the past 12 months, CNN reported. In fall 2021 specifically, “black wedding dress” was searched more times than “white wedding dress” on Google. Another traditional gown switch-up is not wearing a gown at all and wearing a suit, or a romper.
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Swapping Veils For Dramatic Capes
More brides are saying goodbye to veils and going to wedding capes. Some brides just don’t find veils to be a comfortable accessory. It can easily be removed without destroying your hair and is perfect for chilly weather. We can’t forget to mention that it adds a majestic timeless feel.
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Quiet Receptions
Keeping it casual is a very bold and anti-wedding move. You can just gather your friends after an elopement and head to a restaurant to celebrate. The key to this is to make restaurant accommodations in advance and to make sure the food tastes good. You don’t want your family and friends to leave disappointed.
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Non-Wedding Activities
You may have been seeing this a lot more at weddings. People are ditching the first dance, cake-cutting, and speeches. Some people are taking a didn’t approach to the typical wedding program and stepping outside of the box. If you’re more into the idea of having board games, forming your own newlywed band performance, or non-conventional forms of activities, you should go for it.
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Minimal Decor
One anti-wedding trend that could save you some coin is scaling back on decorations. There’s always the pressure of making your wedding Instagram-worthy. But with anti-weddings, this isn’t the case. Think low-key set-up with cozy seating with an at-home feel. Some people even go as far as not having chairs at their outdoor ceremony, trading them in for blankets.
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The Chosen Ones Guest List
Keeping your guest list small is another anti-wedding trend to look into. Think about it, the more people mean a bigger venue, more food, higher costs, and higher expectations. A smaller wedding and reception makes it more intimate. It also gives you more options when it comes to budget.
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The Aisle Walk
Some people may dream of recreating the scene from Father of the Bride, but not the anti-bride. Anti-weddings often consist of walking down the aisle solo, with your pet, your mom, both parents, your soon-to-be Mr. or Mrs., or anyone other than your father. The big moment where you truly shine on your wedding day is your processional or the start of the ceremony. It’s the first time your guests and maybe even your soon-to-be spouse, will see you in your big-day attire. So, why not do it the way that you want?
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