KJ Smith and Skyh Black’s Star-Studded Malibu Wedding with Tyler Perry and More (Exclusive Photos)

Actress KJ Smith is officially in black!

The Sisters star, 38, and actor Skyh Black, 35, tied the knot in fabulous fashion at The Malibu Dream Resort on Sunday, September 3. The couple, who share all the beautiful photos from their star-studded affair with PEOPLE, say it was exactly the luxurious and love-filled day they dreamed of.

“It was perfect. The experience. The Black Experience,” the bride says of the day they’ve been planning for over a year, which included 150 of their closest family and friends dressed in black, including Eva Marcille, Loni Love, Lil Rel Howery and Sisters executive produced by Tyler Perry.

Theme

“Our last name is Crni, so we always use it as a play on words,” explains the groom, adding elements of their shared black culture to the event. “We are from the south and we have these traditions that are very near and dear to our hearts, which were shared by our parents, grandparents. Our wedding is a tribute to our ancestors with some elegant moments that we prepared and loved as a couple … And it was better than I imagined.”

KJ Smith and Skyh Black.

Stanley Babb/ Stanley Photography

Smith didn’t always want a big wedding. At first, “I wanted Skyh and I to go and run away to a mountain somewhere. But then, as we started planning it, I got more and more excited about involving friends, family and loved ones,” she says.

Tyler Perry attends the wedding of Skyh Black and KJ Smith.

Stanley Babb/ Stanley Photography

Eva Marcille.

Stanley Babb/ Stanley photo

“It turned into a great wedding ceremony and I’m really happy we decided to do this because we were able to experience it with our family and friends. And we were able to be loved and give love. Our wedding ceremony was a gift to our friends and family.”

KJ Smith and Skyh Black.

Stanley Babb/ Stanley Photography

Style

For the cliffside ceremony, Smith wore a custom Alonuko gown by designer Oluwagbemisola Okunlola, before having to go through three more wardrobe changes during the evening. “We had to have a few looks and we went with all-black designers to highlight how amazing our culture is in fashion.”

KJ Smith.

Stanley Babb/ Stanley Photography

As for Black, he took his fashion choices just as seriously. “There’s little talk about groom fashion,” he says, “and I’m not afraid to say I’m a fashion man.” For his festive look, the former ballet dancer and his creative director Apuje Kalu opted for an expertly tailored all-white shirtless ensemble by the famous designer Brandon Gray of Grayscale.

Sky Black.

Stanley Babb/ Stanley Photography

“Working with them was like a dream team,” adds the groom. “I’m not a tie guy. I went in an unconventional direction. I wanted something that made me feel good.” And he couldn’t be happier complementing his bride. “KJ and I are in sync. She’s my mirror. We have a habit of choosing similar things.”

Skyh Black and KJ Smith.

Stanley Babb/ Stanley Photography

Love story

The couple was on the same page when it came to the location. “Malibu was where we had our first date, the place where we started this journey,” says Smith, who first met Black at the airport after he was recast in Sisters. “She put the iPad in my face and said ‘Hi, who are you, why are you at the show? I write a video blog,'” he recalls.

KJ Smith and Skyh Black.

Stanley Babb/ Stanley Photography

The couple started dating in January 2021 and got engaged that December. Having Perry as a guest at their nuptials was extra special for them, who have now been added to the list of lucky couples who met while working on the mogul’s productions. Black says, “He gave us our first big starts in Hollywood.”

Tyler Perry, KJ Smith and Skyh Black.

Stanley Babb/ Stanley photo

For the ceremony, officiated by Pastor Aventor Gray, the couple exchanged heartfelt handwritten vows and made sure to honor their shared roots. “We jumped the broom, which is my favorite tradition because actually for years and centuries, black people couldn’t get married in America,” says Smith. “So we decided to continue that tradition because of the legacy our ancestors created for us.”

KJ Smith and Skyh Black.

Stanley Babb/ Stanley photo

Black says, “I learned the history of a lot of things related to the wedding because I didn’t know, so when I found out what jumping on a broomstick meant, it resonated with me.”

Fun

But the tradition stopped there, because the couple mostly decided on an unconventional wedding. Instead of a sit-down dinner, they decided to have a party, which started with the couple going out and performing Jay-Z, Kanye West and Beyonce’s “Lift Off.” I wanted to have fun, says Black.

Loni Love and Eva Marcille.

Stanley Babb/ Stanley photo

The Sistas cast.

Stanley Babb/ Stanley photo

Between dancing and performances, guests enjoyed sublime Southern cuisine and beverages by Chef Shanita Castle of Castle’s Catering and Lady on the Rocks. Even a traditional wedding cake wouldn’t do, as the couple opted instead for a mixed berry pie made by chef Natasha Burton of Mixed Fillings.

KJ Smith and Skyh Black.

Stanley Babb/ Stanley Photography

Most importantly, they never left each other. We laughed a lot, cried a lot, had fun stories, danced and held Skyh’s hand all night, says Smith. “My one rule was that we spend it together and with each other. We were in a huge place where you could easily get lost, and I just wanted to be with him all night.”

Black adds, “I wanted to lose myself in my bride because this was the beginning of our legacy and I wanted those memories to last until my last day on earth.”

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Source: HIS Education