Quentin Brunson and Ashleigh Mann.Photo: Felisha Carrasco and Christian Galvan
Quentin Brunson and Ashleigh Mannsaid yes to forever during anAdele concert special. Now, the singer’s music has played an important role on another big day: their wedding.
It was an emotional surprise few people in the room knew about: just the happy couple, her mom and, of course, the band.
“Now, literally even thinking about it brings tears to my eyes,” Ashleigh, 34, tells PEOPLE. “I cannot hear that song without crying.”
Quentin Brunson and Ashleigh Mann.Felisha Carrasco and Christian Galvan
Theconcert special was filmed in Los Angelesand aired on CBS last November ahead of the release of Adele’s fourth studio album,30. One moment that almost nobody saw coming — including Ashleigh — was when Quentin proposed.
“I need every person to be really quiet, all right?” Adele remarked to the star-studded crowd, which includedLizzo,Melissa McCarthyandDrake.
“Now I’m having a hard time concentrating. You’re proposing to me, first of all, this is already a Christmas miracle. Second of all, why is Lizzo here?” she recalls thinking.
With so much going on, it wasn’t until after she said yes that Ashleigh even saw Adele — who then congratulated them before launching into the special rendition of “Make You Feel My Love.”
“Thank God she said yes,” the singer joked at the time. “‘Cause I didn’t know who I was going to have to sing this song to next.”
Quentin Brunson, Ashleigh Mann and Adele.Cliff Lipson/CBS
Ashleigh, avegan chef and content creator, met Quentin, a 32-year-oldactor and music producer, almost a decade ago.
“A friend of his from college was my next door neighbor here in L.A., literally when I first moved out here,” she says.
The pair quickly started “seeing each other a little bit,” but Quentin says it didn’t get serious until “about a year or two in.”
“I was ducking and dodging every now and then,” he admits, adding that even throughout “times of hardship or different arguments,” they “kept coming back together.”
Quentin Brunson.Felisha Carrasco and Christian Galvan
Getting engaged was a journey that took seven years for the couple.
“I literally thought that we would just go to the courthouse one day,” says Ashleigh. “I honestly had foregone all ideas of actual traditional proposing.”
“It could have been at the grocery store for me,” she adds. “I would’ve taken anything, anywhere.”
Of course, little did she know that Quentin had something up his sleeve.
“I was just sitting on the couch, scrolling through the internet and I saw a post about looking for someone who wanted to propose to their girlfriend in a huge romantic way,” he recalls.
And although he was asked at one point about Ashleigh’s top artists —Adele, naturally, was one — he had no idea about the concert until a few days before it happened. “I thought it was going to be a Lakers game,” he says.
Ashleigh Mann.Felisha Carrasco and Christian Galvan
Luckily, while he was secretly planning on popping the question, Ashleigh was focused on a huge catering event.
So, when Quentin convinced her to leave work early for a “surprise date” at Griffith Park, she “had zero clue” what was going on. Even the fact that Quentin wasn’t eating anything at their picnic didn’t tip her off.
When a car showed up for them, Ashleigh recalls thinking, “My God, this is the best date ever.'”
Then, it was time to put on the blindfold.
By the time Quentin uncovered her eyes onstage, Ashleigh had spent about 20 minutes in total darkness — and even took a quick nap — so initially she couldn’t see anything.
“When I started, I had to keep telling her just to trust me,” Quentin says.
A few weeks after the emotional experience, the couple got to relive it again when the special aired on television.
“I cried so hard,” says Ashleigh.
And it wasn’t long before the couple were inundated with well-wishes from loved ones, people they hadn’t heard from in years, strangers, and evenWayne Brady.
Although wedding planning was stressful at times, other details just fell into place: like their Oct. 10 wedding date.
“Everyone kept talking about the proposal and how over the top it was. And of course to me, it’s a 10 out of 10,” she says. “We also got engaged in October. We got engaged 10/24. So it all made sense.”
Plus, tying the knot on a federal holiday meant “everyone already had work off.”
Quentin Brunson and Ashleigh Mann.Quentin Brunson and Ashleigh Mann.Quentin Brunson and Ashleigh Mann.PHOTO: Felisha Carrasco and Christian GalvanQuentin Brunson and Ashleigh Mann.PHOTO: Felisha Carrasco and Christian Galvan
Quentin Brunson and Ashleigh Mann.Quentin Brunson and Ashleigh Mann.
Quentin Brunson and Ashleigh Mann.
Quentin Brunson and Ashleigh Mann.PHOTO: Felisha Carrasco and Christian GalvanQuentin Brunson and Ashleigh Mann.PHOTO: Felisha Carrasco and Christian Galvan
For her special day, the bride woretwo customizedJustin Alexandercreations: a gorgeous crepe dress with low back and monarch lace edge veil, as well as asparkly gownwith crystal spaghetti straps and draped off-the-shoulder crystals.
“She will be wearing one design for the ceremony, and another showstopper for the reception,” he adds. “Both designs were modified slightly to create a personal, customized bridal looks for our dream bride!”
To make things even more special, Ashleigh says that during her fitting, “Make You Feel My Love” came on while she was changing into her ceremony dress. “Everything is just always meant to be,” she adds.
The service itself was a family affair, with Quentin’s father serving as their officiant — “I never saw it any other way,” says the happy groom — and Ashleigh’s brothers walked her down the aisle.
Throughout the entire celebration, they were also filming for their reality show in the works, which has been a passion project of Quentin’s.
And while their nuptials may not have been as star-studded as their engagement, Ashleigh has no doubt their wedding will take the cake.
“That was a 30 second moment,” she says.
This time, “you’re getting all of us,” she adds. “Everything says Ash and Q.”
source: people.com
