Local-girl-turned-reality-star, Erica Rose, gained notoriety while vying for the heart of Prince Lorenzo Borgheseon Season 9 of ABC’s The Bachelor.
Renee Simlak, Cory Shivar and Jeannette Pawula all attended the nuptials.
The story of Erica and Charles starts at Memorial High School when they met at Erica’s junior prom. Charles attended as her best friend’s date! After graduation, they each moved away, Charles to Miami and Erica to LA. Seventeen years passed, but when Erica moved back to Houston fate reunited them when Charles attended a Kentucky Derby charity event hosted by Erica’s parents, Dr. Franklin and Cindi Rose. Charles’ proposal to Erica was a private affair, just the two of them. Later, Charles made it official and even more meaningful by proposing to Erica’s daughter, Holland, at her first birthday party at the Houston Zoo.
That same day, they announced their engagement to friends.
The wedding was an elaborate day-long celebration featuring a motif based on Charles and Erica’s super-couple nickname “Cherica.” Décor was embellished with cherry blossoms and roses at every turn. As guests entered the temple Congregation EmanuEl in Houston they were greeted with rosé champagne and Instagram-worthy photo ops against a lavish floral wall of hundreds of white roses, emblazoned with the “Cherica” logo in roses of pink and red, created by Lexis Florist. Bridesmaids all wore various shades of red, complementing the cerise theme.
At the altar, the couple was joined by the bride’s one year-old daughter and they recited their own vows, demonstrating their commitment. No eye was dry when Charles said, “There is still a part of me that can’t believe I get to marry you.” Two receptions followed. At the temple, guests noshed on a full buffet dinner with passed foods, sushi boats, kosher food stations, and wedding cake. An old-fashioned typewriter was on-hand and a very talented poet created personalized take aways for each guest.
Next, the party moved downtown to the Majestic Metro, a converted art deco style movie house in the heart of Houston. Windows that once featured movie posters of Hollywood royalty now featured pictures of the bride, her beau and family. While the DJ rocked non-stop, guests enjoyed each other’s caricatures, wedding poems, and step and repeat photos. The night was finished with an Astros themed groom’s cake.
Charles’ mother gifted the couple with the ultimate tropical honeymoon, a stay at the Belize Ocean Club Adventure Resort where they hiked the Mayan ruins. “I was scared because it was really high and steep” admits Erica “but I was proud to make it all the way to the top!” The couple resides in Houston, TX.
Erica’s Advice:
“You do not need a year to plan a wedding! We did it all in two and a half months. And we still had a joint bachelorette party, couples shower, bridal shower and lingerie shower. We loved doing it exactly how we did. It was a bit of a whirlwind but it was awesome!”