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When: 18th July, 1992
Where: The grounds of Whitney Houston’s estate, New Jersey
Choir girl turned pop diva Whitney Houston first clapped eyes on a gyrating Bobby Brown onstage at the American Soul Train Music Awards in 1989. Obviously feeling the need to dance/feel the heat with somebody, the squeaky clean star invited the bad boy of R&B to her 26th birthday and the rest was history. As Brown would say at the time "I may be a B-boy and she's America's sweetheart, but it's love,"
Just a couple of years later on a hot summer’s day, the pair said ‘I do’ on Houston’s lawn in a giant gazebo adorned with purple flowers, the bride’s favourite colour. Gospel singer BeBe Winans (you may remember him from this excellent 90s throwback) sang during the proceedings and white doves were released afterwards.
The bride wore: An elaborate custom-made ivory satin, sheer-sleeved dress by NY designer Marc Bouwer. The dress came with a floor-length silk veil, matching bead and sequin cloche hat, and was reported to have cost $40,000. The groom matched with a white suit.
The guests: There were 800 guests and everyone was instructed to wear purple. Famous guests included Patti LaBelle, Gladys Knight and lo and behold, Donald Trump.
**The party: **Guests danced all night in a purple-themed ballroom tent sipping Dom Perignon and enjoying an 18 tier wedding cake. The newlyweds then jetted off the next day for a honeymoon touring the mediterranean on a 140 foot yacht.
Happily ever after? Although Houston and Brown were together for 14 years and had a daughter together, the marriage was plagued throughout by reports of drug addiction, infidelity and domestic abuse. Dubbed one of the most tumultuous marriages in music history, the tragic demise of both talented stars was scrutinised by the media and soon after starring in an infamous reality TV Show Being Bobby Brown in 2005, the pair parted ways for good. Houston passed away in 2012. The cause of death was accidental drowning and "effects of atherosclerotic heart disease and cocaine use". Just hours later, Brown broke down on stage at a concert saying to the crowd “I love you, Whitney." Tragically, the couple’s only daughter Bobbi Kristina also died as a result of immersion in water and drug intoxication just three years later.
(REFINERY 29 UK)
