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Life is good for political commentator Symone D. Sanders. Earlier this year, the former White House spokesperson landed her very own show on MSNBC. Now, the star is celebrating a new milestone as a lucky bride.
On July 15, Sanders walked down the aisle in Washington D.C. during a surprise wedding ceremony with her fiancé Shawn Townsend. According to PEOPLE, the pair held their nuptials at the Larz Anderson House on Embassy Row. Surrounded by a few close friends and family, attendees stared at Sanders in awe as she shined in a sparkly white gown that dazzled as she walked toward the groom.
During their vows, Townsend called the former Senior Advisor his “ride or die.”
“It’s the moments behind closed doors that we’ve shared. Whether it’s me complaining about Real Housewives, a political debate or photobombing my Zoom calls. It is all time well spent together,” he added.
Sanders vowed to “always be there” for her new husband.
“To put it simply you’re the best man I know,” she said. “I’m very grateful just for everything that you are. You have always just been the most thorough person. You are so kind. You are so loving.”
Pastor Dededrick O. Rivers of Ward Memorial AME Church, a close friend and advisor of the couple, officiated their floral-themed wedding.
The wedding festivities aren’t over just yet for Mr. and Mrs. Townsend. In the fall, the married couple plan to honeymoon in the Mediterranean for two weeks.
Symone D. Sanders and Shawn Townsend’s love story
According to The Root, Townsend and Sanders’s love story began after they were introduced by former South Carolina legislator and political analyst Bakari Sellers in 2019. Two years later, the pair got engaged on Easter Sunday.
Outside of their beautiful romance, both Sanders and Townsend are political power players in the nation’s capital.
Sanders worked closely alongside Senator Bernie Sanders during his run for the Oval Office in 2016. Her steadfast politics caught the eye of CNN, where she landed a job as a contributor before joining President Biden’s race for the White House in 2020. Sanders served as Kamala Harris’s chief spokesperson for the White House shortly before exiting the role in December 2021.
Townsend formerly served as the director of the D.C. Mayor’s Office of Nightlife and Culture.
