“They were first getting married in North Carolina" - How bathroom bill forced Russell Wilson and Ciara to change their wedding venue in 2016
Russell Wilson and Ciara had their dream wedding in Cheshire, England, nestled between vast forestland. After the ceremony, the couple shared stunning photos of themselves, still happily married after six years. Interestingly, neither Wilson nor Ciara had England as their first choice.
The couple were supposed to tie the knot in North Carolina but ended up switching continents altogether. In fact, England wasn't even their second choice. Russell Wilson and Ciara even considered Paris before settling for Cheshire.
During an old interview, the couple's wedding planner Mindy Weiss ended up sharing a few details behind their not-so-random venue change.
"“They were first getting married in North Carolina, but they called it off due to the transgender bathroom laws," Weiss told the Knott.
The bathroom laws refer to restrictions on transgender individuals and their ability to select a bathroom they can use.
Later, it was Weiss who helped them plan the perfect destination wedding. Both Wilson and Ciara wanted to be away and ended up choosing a castle far far away.
"We found a castle that was an hour out of Liverpool and they had about 110 guests,” says Weiss. “I used a florist out of London".
They did have a chapel in the castle, but Ciara's dress was too big for the small structure. Hence, the beautiful pictures from the green lawns.
Russell Wilson and Ciara's wedding was the most-awaited affair that year
The time leading up to the wedding was equally important for Ciara and the Denver Broncos quarterback. Ciara and Russell Wilson chose not to have sex before getting married, contrary to what most couples would do.
Apparently, it was the QB who suggested the idea. In a 2017 interview with Cosmopolitan South Africa (via People), Ciara revealed Wilson's reasoning behind the same:
"I have to give credit to my husband for sharing those views. It's awesome how it all worked out. We women think with our hearts and with our minds. When we see a guy, we envision what he's like and whether this could be something special."
The Better Thangs singer added men saw women from an 'exterior' point of view, and one should not feel like they have to give their body away. Furthermore, they also focused on their friendship over everything else:
“I really believe that when you focus on a friendship, you have the opportunity to build a strong foundation for a relationship — and once you know you’re really great friends and you’re what we call ‘equally yoked,’ where you share the same values or the same outlook on life, it kind of sets the tone".
Ciara and Wilson also have three children together: Future Zahir Wilburn, Sienna Princess Wilson, and Win Harrison Wilson.