James Ewing and April Ryan, White House wedding

Veteran White House Reporter April Ryan Finds ‘Forever Love Story,’ Marriage After Divorce


White House Correspondent April Ryan got hitched to her fiancé, James Ewing, a retired Naval officer of 25 years, at Gramercy Mansion in Baltimore on Oct. 14. The 56-year-old D.C. Bureau Chief for TheGrio found love again after vowing that she might not ever remarry. The author and mother of two daughters, Ryan and Grace, tied the knot at Gramercy Mansion’s The Carriage House. The political analyst planned for the romantic garden-themed event to cater to the “guest experience,” according to People. Although, she admitted she was relaxed for most of the planning process. Ryan said, “I wanted guests to be comfortable the entire time. There was a great emphasis on guest experience, and I, alongside my wedding planner, wanted to be immersed in the planning process. I’ve been relaxed throughout the process and wanted the ceremony and weekend to be more intimate and smaller.” The veteran White House reporter, now the longest-serving Black woman in the press corps, opted for blush, white, ivory, and gold for the wedding’s color palette. Ryan and Ewing also filled the venue with floras like hydrangeas, garden roses, soft greenery, cherry blossoms, and more. The lovebirds, who together created Jare Candles, gave guests one of their candles as a party favor. Ryan called her union with her fiancé her “second-chance love story” and “forever love story.” The second-time bride said she was OK with spending the rest of her life alone after divorcing her first husband. About her new husband, the blushing bride said, “I’m divorced and didn’t plan on getting married again. I even vowed never to do it again. I never thought someone would sweep me off my feet and make me realize I shouldn’t put myself on a shelf. There is more to give and more to do.” Ryan received well wishes from former President Barack Obama and President Joe Biden, Emmy Award-winning actress Sheryl Lee Ralph, Gov. Wes Moore, and former National Security Advisor Susan Rice were among the guests in attendance. 

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