Son of Sheryl Lee Ralph, Etienne Maurice, 32, Marries ABC News Journalist in Jamaica after Storm on the Island

Congratulations to Etienne Maurice, 32, who wed his beloved fiancée, ABC News Journalist Stephanie Wash, in a picturesque ceremony on Saturday, July 6. The son of Hollywood icon Sheryl Lee Ralph and Stephanie exchanged vows in sunny Jamaica, and stunning visuals have left fans blown away.

Etienne, who works in the entertainment industry as a filmmaker and actor, and Stephanie, who is an Emmy Award-winning TV producer, were surrounded by their close friends and family, which of course, included the actor’s loving mom.

Of the tropically enchanting event, Sheryl, who shares Etienne and daughter Ivy-Victoria Maurice with her ex-husband Eric Maurice, swooned, “I am so blessed and happy to see my son find and marry such a smart and beautiful partner who has added so much to his life.”

“It fills my heart with an overwhelming joy and happiness. It is as if all the love and good vibes in the world has come together in this spectacular moment, blessing their union with boundless hope and endless possibilities. And grandchildren too!” she added.

The bride and groom’s special day took place mere days after a storm, dubbed Hurricane Beryl, was expected to hit Jamaica. Determined to not let the hurricane mess with their wedding plans, Etienne and Stephanie decided not to postpone their wedding.

Speaking of the incredible support and love the newly-wed couple received from their guests, Sheryl expressed, “I’m still in awe how 300 people from around the globe made it through a hurricane, didn’t give up and they showed up for this spectacular celebration of love.”

Even though initial flights were canceled due to the storm, guests found a way to attend the ceremony, come rain or shine. Some had even arrived just hours before the wedding began at 5 p.m. local time.

Good Hope Estate provided the perfect setting for Etienne and Stephanie’s magical day, fulfilling the bride’s wish for her wedding to have “a tropical, bohemian vibe.” Shikima Hinds, the company responsible for bringing the ceremony to life, made sure the venue was beautifully decorated using Krafted by Design fabrics.

Effortlessly pulled off by talented wedding planner Kimberly Wong, guests were transported to paradise. Among the esteemed guest list were A-listers Victoria Rowell (Stephanie’s aunt), Lynn Whitfield, Brandee Evans, Vanessa Bell Calloway, Vanessa Estelle Williams, and Robi Reed.

Stunning visuals shared by various people, including Etienne and Stephanie, show many picturesque moments from the ceremony. A standout post from the Jamaica Observer shows a video compilation of the day.

Using a play on words with Etienne’s surname, the post is titled “Happily Mauriced,” a catchphrase that was commonly used by the groom as well. The footage begins with Etienne speaking about how blessed the day is and how much of a testament it is to his and Stephanie’s love because it was not stopped by Hurricane Beryl.

It then transitioned to show the beautiful outdoor set-up of the ceremony, with all the guests seated as they eagerly anticipated Stephanie’s arrival down the aisle. Other parts show an endearing moment shared between Etienne and his dad, who fixes the front of his suit.

The string band that played at the ceremony and the guests signing the guest book were also highlighted in the video. Another striking moment in the video shows the mother of the groom looking stunning in her purple gown as she poses on a couch for pictures.

Glimpses of the bridal and groom parties showed the men dapperly dressed in custom-made karibas designed by Naid’s Studios.

Their outfits, as confirmed by Etienne, were inspired by his late grandmother, Ivy Ralph, who, fascinatingly, came up with the outfit in the 70s. “It was only right that I honor my grandmother’s legacy,” explained Etienne of his groomsmen’s ensembles.

Following the groomsmen’s entrance, Etienne was walked down the aisle by both his mom and dad in a Waraire Boswell off-white linen tuxedo, garnished with a flower pinned to the left side of his jacket.

Next, it was Stephanie’s bridesmaids’ time to shine. Each lady donned a beautiful lilac, flowy dress and carried a bouquet of matching flowers, as they sauntered down the steps and made their way down the aisle.

Adding a layer of cuteness to the magical day, an adorable little ring bearer followed by equally adorable flower girls made their way down the aisle, leaving a trail of petals on the lawn as they went.

Making her debut as the main event, Stephanie looked gorgeous in her shimmering Martina Liana Luxe gown, which she paired with a lined veil constructed by Perry Meek and tailored by Kelvin Small. Sue-Ann Gregg did her stunning makeup and her chic bun was styled by Simply Beautiful Jamaica’s Natalia Golding.

Waiting to give his beloved daughter’s hand away in marriage, Stephanie’s dad, Ricky Wash, stood at the bottom of the stairs. When Stephanie made her way to him, the father-daughter duo began descending the aisle.

Stephanie met her husband at the altar with the accompaniment of Jesse Powell’s “You,” and she disclosed the track’s significance to a media outlet.

“Etienne and I had a conversation about wedding songs on our second date, as we stood [in] line at Disneyland. I always knew I wanted to get married to ‘You’ by Jesse Powell. It was the song that Etienne played during our engagement, and it was fitting and beautiful to walk down the aisle to,” Stephanie shared.

Stephanie and Etienne exchanged rings designed by Jackie the Jeweler, who also made the bride’s engagement ring. While Stephanie received a stunning gold eternity band with emerald cut diamonds, Etienne opted for a hammered gold band, embedded with Stephanie’s fingerprints.

After exchanging tearjerking vows at the altar, the happy couple solidified their nuptials by jumping the broom, decorated with cowry shells and flowers. Explaining the tradition, Stephanie divulged, “My African-American heritage is very important to me. We knew we had to jump the broom to celebrate both of ours.”

The fabulous affair included a lively reception after the ceremony where guests danced the night away and enjoyed some delectable Jamaican cuisine. An iconic performance by Marcia Griffith, who sang “Electric Boogie,” ensued and reggae artists Naomi Cowan and Tesselated also performed.

Additional touching moments include Stephanie and Ricky’s dance to Stevie Wonder’s “Isn’t She Lovely,” and Sheryl and Etienne’s dance to “Everything” by Mary J. Blige.

The mouthwatering menu included grilled beef tenderloin, braised oxtail, pimento Scotch bonnet curry-crusted snapper, vegan rasta pasta with callaloo and ackee, 5-spiced escallion jerk chicken, coconut jasmine rice, fried plantain, buttered roast breadfruit, peas and pecan sweet potato soufflé.

Sweet treats included as part of the cuisine were icy desserts from ChillPops, coffee from Deaf Can Coffee, a traditional black cake, and a vanilla cake from Selena Cakes. The cakes were adorned with sugar-made birds of paradise.

Gushing over their amazing wedding, which ended at 3 a.m. with DJ Yannick Jones closing out the party, the couple expressed, “We couldn’t be more grateful we were able to have the wedding we dreamed of on the island of Jamaica, despite the complications we faced due to Hurricane Beryl.”

Etienne and Stephanie are not the only ones swooning over their nuptials, as fans have been adding a flurry of comments about the wedding online.

Commenting underneath a post that Sheryl shared of her son’s big day, Victoria praised, “Sheryl, you were the epitome of a glamorous, proud #mother in your diaphanous violet frock! And yes, girl, we knew it was magic from the beginning!”

A fan swooned, “This is SOOO BEAUTIFUL! Congratulations 🎉 Family!” “I truly loved this. I pray for a long fulfilling blissful union for them ❤️,” gushed another.

An attendee noted, “@thesherylleeralph my heart shares your joy. What an exceptionally beautiful wedding in your gorgeous Jamaica. It was a special honor to witness and feel the LOVE. Congratulations @walkgoodetienne @washnews 💜👑👑💜.”

Adding to the mix of reactions the couple received, Etienne commented, “Also I ask that you all be respectful. The Kariba suit that was worn by my groomsmen was a design created by my late grandmother Ivy Ralph OD. This style of dress was made popular in the 1970s. God bless the people and land of Jamaica. Walk Good!!!! #happilymauriced.”

Alongside their own carousel of images of their big day, Etienne and Stephanie, who graciously thanked their wedding planner, designers, and everyone who made their day possible, also made it a point to shine a light on Hurricane Beryl.

“We feel so much joy in our hearts, but can’t forget those affected by Hurricane Beryl. You can donate with the link in our bio,” the duo wrote at the end of their caption. Three days before their wedding took place, CNN announced that Hurricane Beryl was expected to spread across Jamaica over a few hours.

That same day, July 3, Sheryl took to X to post a video updating people about the hurricane from her home in Jamaica. “Well, from the looks of the sky, it looks like Beryl is gonna be here much sooner than the news keeps saying, so it’s very calm here in Jamaica, the sky is so beautifully clear,” she stated.

After going on to explain the weather conditions that prompted her to have to bring her outdoor furniture inside, Sheryl Lee Ralph ended the video by saying, “I just wanted to say to everybody, ‘Please stay inside, there’s a curfew starting at 6 a.m […] stay off the road in Kingston. I hope you’ve put oil in your lamp and are taking extra care […] Beryl is a four, wow. God bless you, goodnight. Power up”