AUDREY’S SOCIETY WHIRL: Award-winning Journalist Cynthia Marie Horner Weds Kenneth “Kenthephotographer” Harris

      *They say that if it rains on your wedding day that it’s a sign of good-luck.  Such being the case, a heap of luck will follow award-winning journalist Cynthia Marie Horner and photojournalist Kenneth Harris, as it poured down raining.

      However, the inclement weather did not deter 300 guests from attending the beautiful ceremony that took place at the Robert Treat Hotel in Newark, New Jersey on Saturday, June 13, 2009, followed by a catered reception in an adjourning ballroom.

      As dressed to the nines guests waited for the bride to make her grand entrance, the groom was doing a remake of Jumping Jack Flash from anticipation to the delight of the star-studded crowd -- many of whom were fellow photographers, journalists, and music and entertainment industry people who count on him to provide excellent photographic coverage of their events.  Hence his moniker, “Kenthephotographer,” who looked resplendent in a Calvin Klein tux, Russell Simmons shirt and Italian designer Mercanti Fiorentini shoes.  Ken was tight!

      Then, as lovely bridal music filled the air, Ken’s beautiful bride, Cynthia Marie Horner, was escorted down the isle by her proud father Lawrence Horner Sr., former Mayor of Thousand Oaks, CA.

      The blushing bride looked gorgeous in an exquisite designer’s gown with matching long train that brought tears of joy to her groom’s and many guests’ eyes.  The celestial ceremony -- consisting of private vows recited by the blissful couple -- was performed by Harlem’s Grace Congregational Church Pastor Nigel Pearce who congratulated the perfectly matched couple after having performed a delightful ceremony.

      The happy bride and groom and their high-spirited wedding party joined guests at a cocktail reception sponsored by Nuvo followed by a soul food dinner catered by Two Fish, Five Loaves of Irvington, NJ, featuring non-alcoholic beverages by Sprite Green.

      Soulful entertainment was provided by WBLS’s Dr. Bob Lee, and Fayetteville, NC native Mz. Von performed an incredible twenty minute set accompanied on guitar by Kennedy, formerly of Naughty By Nature.

      During the joyful reception, members of Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc. honored the blushing bride who is the presiding Basileus of the New York City alumnae chapter (that meets at Grace Congregational Church) of Kappa Sigma Chapter by serenading her with a song and presentation of ceremonial yellow roses which were later made into a bouquet that appear in her official wedding portrait.  In addition to presiding over the local chapter, the bride is a member of the International Board of Directors of Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc.

      The bridal party consisted Mother of the Bride Betty Horner and Mother of the Groom Ethel Harris; Brother of the Bride Lawrence Horner Jr.; relatives Brian Harris and Derrick Horner, Esq.; Groomsmen: Sieve Manning, Hal Jackson (radio personality, WBLS) and Gregory Williams (founder of R&B group Switch); Maid of Honor Mrs. Hal Jackson (Debi B from WBLS); and Matron of Honor and Bride’s Sister Kymberly Horner.

      Also Bridesmaids: Michele Roy and Donna Torrence; Flower Girls: Journey Berry (daughter of Jackie and Clay Berry), Toni Grey and Autumn Williams (bride’s goddaughter); Best Man and Groom’s Son Adimu Harris; and Ring Bearers: Floyd Grey and Joel Holloway (who read from First Corinthians during the ceremony).  (Photo Credit: Tyrone Rasheed)

THE BRIDAL PARTY:  L-R:  Adimu Harris, Best Man and Groom's son; Mrs. Hal Jackson (Debi B from WBLS), Matron of Honor; Brian Harris, relative;  Kymberly Horner, Maid of Honor and Sister of Bride; Betty Horner, Mother of the Bride; Kenneth Harris, Groom; Cynthia Horner, Bride; Lawrence Horner Sr., Father of the Bride; Derrick Horner, Esq., relative; Lawrence Horner Jr., Bride's Brother; Steve Manning, Groomsman;  Hal Jackson (radio personality, WBLS), Groomsman; Gregory Williams, founder of R&B group Switch, Groomsman; and Autumn Williams, Bride's Goddaughter.

The newlyweds Cynthia & Ken Harris

Bride's Family Kymberly Horner, Betty Horner, Cynthia Horner, Lawrence Horner Sr., Lawrence Horner Jr.

Cynthia surrounded by her sorority sisters from Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority

Music Producer Swizz Beatz with Hip Hop Weekly's editor-at-large Cynthia Horner Harris and style-creator editor T.J. Rudy at The Urban Music Awards (Photo by Kenthephotographer)

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About Horner

      Media specialist and former Right On! Magazine's Editorial Director, Cynthia Horner was born in Anderson, Indiana, the eldest of three children, and relocated to Southern California where she developed her career as a writer.

      By the age of 11, she had become the editor of her elementary school newspaper; while attending Newbury Park High School in Newbury Park, California, she became a professional journalist, writing stories about her community and high school for the local newspapers, and was granted early admission to Seaver College of Pepperdine University at Malibu where she received scholarships from Scripps-Howard Publishers, and the Seaver College Department of Communications.

      Upon graduation from Pepperdine University she made magazine history by becoming the youngest editor of a nationally published magazine, Right On! Over the years, as a celebrity journalist she has interviewed virtually every African-American entertainer, including such luminaries as Michael Jackson, The Jacksons, Janet Jackson, Prince (musician), Brandy (entertainer), Queen Latifah, and thousands of others.  She was one of few members of the press personally invited by the Jacksons to attend Michael Jackson’s funeral services and sit near the family.

      She is recipient of the Journalist of the Year Award from the International Association of African-American Music, and has received countless awards and citations for her contributions to the music industry.

      Horner, who currently resides in Middlesex County, New Jersey, has contributed over two decades of service to the political community.  Her father, Lawrence E. Horner, was the first African-American Mayor of Thousand Oaks, California, and is still the highest-ranking African-American in the Conejo Valley's political community.

      Horner has participated in many voter education initiatives, provides mentorship and companionship to senior citizens, and is an advocate for children's literacy campaigns.  A frequent guest speaker at elementary, junior high schools and high schools in the New York City school systems, her goal is to continue to have a positive impact on the lives of children throughout the world.

      As a role model for young people from all walks of life, Horner's ability to spark children's interest in the areas of reading and writing have had an indelible impact on the learning processes of impressionable generations.

      Currently, Horner frequently makes appearances on talk shows, including the E Channel, BET, and MTV, and is the co-author of several books, including the New York Times best seller, The Magic Of Michael Jackson. Currently, she serves as Vice President of the Kappa Sigma Chapter of Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc., one of the four prestigious sororities that fall under the auspices of the Divine Nine African-American Greek organizations.

      Horner was honored as Sigma of the Year by her organization in 2001, and received the Sigma Image Award by the Sigma Gamma Rho's Northeast Region in 2002.  She was also honored as Soror of the Year in May 2004 by the National Pan Hellenic Council of Greater New York City for her extensive community service and commitment to the Council.

      Recently, Horner formed her own entertainment company, Cynthia Horner's Independent Production Services (Cinnamon CHIPS), which is a media relations company under which she spearheads public relations projects, particularly in the non-profit sector, literary projects for herself and others, artist development, marketing and writing/editing projects for teen and adult music and general interest publications.  In addition, she is the co-founder of another public relations corporation, Switchhouse Press with partner Gregory Williams.

      No stranger to the academic world, Horner has tutored young students for a number of years, has taught public relations at New York's The Learning Annex, lent assistance to the English Department for Long Island University, Brooklyn Campus, and has taught journalism at Essex County College in West Caldwell, New Jersey.

      In addition she continues to provide expertise in the young adult entertainment field, which includes editorial responsibilities at Word Up! Publications, she has contributed pieces to the New York Beacon Newspaper, National Enquirer, The Star, The Amsterdam News and various other media outlets.

      The new Mrs. Harris is currently working on the editorial staff of Hip Hop Weekly magazine, a new glossy celebrity weekly from the founders of the pioneering hip hop magazine, The Source, Dave Mays and Raymond "Benzino" Scott, which is published nationally every two weeks. The magazine covers celebrity news, music, film, TV, fashion and sports from the perspective of the tens of millions of young Americans who identify with hip hop culture.

      As editor-at-large, Horner and style/creative editor TJ Rudy were on-hand to accept the award for “Best Magazine” at the Urban Music Awards at New York's Hammerstein Ballroom beating out The Source, Vibe and XXL – all long-time urban mainstays.  The magazine publishers Dave Mays and Ray Benzino were ecstatic as the award comes just two years after Hip Hop Weekly was named one of the "15 Hottest Magazine Launches" in 2007 by prestigious media industry authority "MIN."  This new and coveted recognition marks Hip Hop Weekly's emergence in 2009 as the leader of the "next generation" in print media for a consumer market that has broadened and matured as hip hop has become a mainstream, worldwide culture.

Audrey J. Bernard is an established chronicler of Black society and Urban happenings based in the New York City area.