Maisa Hallum is now married to his fiancée, Marcus Smart. In front of 300 of their closest relatives and friends, the Memphis Grizzlies player and his longtime girlfriend exchanged vows on September 16 at The Resort at Pelican Hill in Newport Coast, California. Attendees included Daniel Theis of the Indiana Pacers, Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown of the Boston Celtics, Grant Williams of the Dallas Mavericks, and Gary Payton II of the Golden State Warriors. In a special interview with PEOPLE, Hallum states, “Our wedding was truly a fairytale.” “Every little thing came together to create a unique experience, and spending time with our loved ones was the icing on the cake.” “What should I sаy?” The 29-year-old Smart continues, “Everyone’s dream comes true, and today was the most extraordinary day ever.”
The pair tells PEOPLE that they chose to exchange “I do” on the Newport Coast because it had special meaning for them. “It’s just perfect—the grounds are gorgeous and the ocean views are unrivaled,” says Hallum. Over the course of the weekend, the event had a black-and-white color scheme, with gold and neutral accents applied to each element. “Encircling ourselves with friends and family and spending time with them is important to us,” says Hallum. “We extended it to a three-day extravaganza because we knew one day wouldn’t be enough to live in the moment and see everyone, and it allowed us to be present and truly share the love with everyone who attended.” Smart said, “I am ecstatic to be married to the love of my life and to spend the entire weekend in celebration with our cherished family and friends,” before to the couple’s wedding, which Erica Estrada Design Smart organized.
According to Hallum, their weekend-long celebration of marriage began on Friday night with a “wedding warmup.” Hallum kicked off the celebrations wearing shoes by Rene Caovilla and a party dress by The Attico. Intelligent wore a tuxedo by Alexander McQueen, a Christian Dior button-up shirt, and Christian Louboutin shoes. Following their handwritten vows exchanged at the altar on Saturday afternoon, the bride walked down the aisle to the accompaniment of a wedding string quartet performing Ed Sheeran’s song “Perfect.” Regan oversaw the ceremony as a representative of Great Officiants. Hallum wore a transparent Galia Lahav gown named “The White Dress in Cоrоna Del Mar” to the event, accessorized with Christian Louboutin heels. “My attention was initially drawn to the dress because of its uniqueness and whimsical nature.” “I could not have asked for a more ideal gown—it was a custom-made, fully sheer floral lace gown that was extremely intimate,” the bride-to-be remarks. For their tuxedos, the bride and betrothed wore gowns from Cindy Cohen’s Moda Glam Boutique and The Black Tux, respectively.
Rapper YG and Grammy-winning vocalist Eric Bellinger performed at a boisterous afterparty that Smart and Hallum kindly organized following the event. Later that night, the couple danced for the first time to “Best Part” by Daniel Caesar and H.E.R. Whereas Hallum wore an Ines Di Santo after-party dress and Miu Miu shoes, Smart accessorized her custom Giorgio Armani attire with Christian Louboutin shoes and Louis Vuitton spectacles.
Throughout the celebration, the pair served a plated feаst of gnocchi cacio e pepe, filet mignon with potatoes and asparagus, lobster risotto, and herb-roasted chicken. The entrée consisted of a seven-tiered red velvet cake made by Grace and Honey. The pair also included a free cannabis bud bar and soft serve station “for guests who so desired,” according to Hallum, along with a hokah and candy wall. Raising Cane’s were also provided as an after-event, post-event snack. In addition to the live acts, guests could enjoy an ice luge, an oil painting station, and a photo studio. Hallum adds, “We also had belly dancers celebrating my Middle Eastern culture.”
To cap off the weekend, the newlyweds had a goodbye pool party on Sunday as a way to thank their guests. After the weekend celebrations, Smart said they will continue the celebrations with a honeymoon in Bora Bora before he heads to training camp for the upcoming NBA season. I respect his sincerity, tenacity, and compassion. Indeed, he is unlike any other male! Hallum adds, “We approach everything as a unified unit,” in reference to her spouse. Maisa, my closest friend, is thoughtful, encouraging, and kind. “I can converse with her about any subject,” Smart says of his wife, adding that “becoming husband and wife means becoming one.”
The NBA player and Hallum were originally connected in 2017 when they were pictured together at a public event. They have remained largely silent about their romance ever since. Conversely, Smart thought there was an exemption to his suggestion. On December 25, 2022, he posted a video of himself proposing, with some help from Will Smith. The NBA legend performed a pre-recorded statement by Smith in the Instagram video.
“I just wаnted to take a moment to wish you an extraordinarily joyous Christmas,” Smith said. “I understand that you may not have gotten the things you were hoping for. I promise you that you will not leave this Christmas season empty-handed. “That’s my whole message… my message from Antarctica.” When the video ended, Smart knelt behind Hallum, who agreed to his suggestion. In the same post, he also shared a picture of Hallum and him wearing matching pajamas, with his fiancée holding up her engagement ring.
He said, “(Whew!)” in jest on Instagram before thanking Smith for the help. “Many thanks, @willsmith, for the setup help!” In an interview with NBC Boston that was streamed live on X (now Twitter), Smart gave an explanation of his decision to have Smith help him with his proposition. “She really likes Will Smith,” he said. “He’s one of her favorite actors.” He also said how much he appreciated the Me𝚗 in Black actor for giving up their time to make the video. “I felt it was excellent… “Will didn’t have to do that,” he retorted. “I am very grateful that his time was taken away from his schedule.”