If your "BAE" has earned his title, then why not give him a prize that he will place before anything else? Exactly, we think you get our point.
Sis, Valentine's Day is just days away and it's time to pull out all the stops and get him a gift that will not only make his heart melt, but also make him sweat.
Have no idea of what to get Mr. Right? Then look no further. Since we don't want you to miss out on any of the romantic moments leading up to the big day, we curated the perfect list of gifts that will not only make your bae's heart skip a beat, but may also result in him throbbing with a thank you.
We know, you can thank us later!
For Your Beer-Drinking Sports Watcher: Fizzics' DraftPour
Amazon
No beer-drinking sports fanatic can resist the taste of beer fresh from the tap, but what if we told you that you can get him a gift that will bring that fizzy fresh pour home? Well, with the Fizzics' DraftPour you can. The portable beer tap dramatically improves the quality of any bottled and canned beer. Cheers!
For Your Sweetie Pie: McCrea's Candies
Forget buying chocolates, why not bless your sweetie with McCrea's Candies? Handcrafted in small batches, these luxe caramels are the perfect gift for a man that likes to experiment with the sweeter things in life. There are fifteen flavors including Single Malt Scotch, a flavor rich and spiked with smoky Ardmore Scotch.
For Your Tastemaker Beau: Tastemaker's Complete Cocktail Shaker Infuser Set
Amazon
If you have a tastemaker that loves to entertain, then the easy-to-use Tastemaker Complete Cocktail Shaker Infuser Set may be the perfect gift. The kit includes everything you need to make homemade infused spirits, making it a luxe gift! With a 9 fl oz infuser with a built-in stainless steel mesh filter, perfectly shaped rounded ice ball molds, and 10 Exclusive Drink Recipes, your beau will be more than ecstatic to party the night away with you.
For Your Music Connoisseur: Oomo's 3D 5.1 Surround Sound HiFi Earbuds
Amazon
Your music connoisseur's heart may skip a beat when he uses these Oomo 3D 5.1 Surround Sound HiFi Earbuds, but best believe, these earphones will never miss a beat. Perfect for music, movies, gaming, and travel, these earphones offer 3D Virtual 5.1 Surround Sound, allowing your bae to hear crystal clear bass without unwanted feedback. It sounds like a perfect gift to us!
For Your Flavor Savor Chef: Spice Madam
Crate Joy
Spice up your cooking bae's life with a spice-subscription box from Spice Madam. Each month, a box shows up at your loved one's door offering a culinary journey to a new destination with spices and recipes from around the world.
For The Bedroom Bad Boy: The Rabbit Company's G-Spot Couple's Playtime Set
Amazon
Playtime is in session with the G-Spot Rabbit Couple's Playtime Set, a high-quality adult intimacy kit that comes with pleasure products made to spice up the bedroom. With a little something for you and a little something for him, this gift is made for couple-shared stimulation and satisfaction!
For Your Sophisticated Spa Man: Travertine's Eucalyptus Steam Shower Spray
Amazon
Let your bae turn his bathroom into a spa. Perfect to soothe him after working hard on V-Day, the Travertine Spa Collection of Eucalyptus Steam Shower Sprays are the perfect gift to inspire your man to unwind using its soothing, aromatic, and relaxing scents.
For Your Gadget Guy: Force1's F100 Ghost Drone
images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com
If your guy loves to play with gadgets, then the F100 Ghost will be all the rage. This ultra quiet brushless device can not only capture flight in HD using its detachable 1080p camera, but this GoPro ready drone has incredible maneuverability, 2 speeds, and is perfect for tricks and flips.
For Your Big Tease: Kisses 4 Us' Kiss Cards
Amazon
While we're quite sure you'll be getting lots of kisses this V-Day, why not spice things up with Kisses 4 Us, a game that will benefit the both of you all year long? This soft-touch laminated box is filled with 30 Unique Kiss Cards and it's ready to play right away. Simply choose a kiss card, follow the prompt, and let the smooching begin!
For The Romantic Gentleman: Get Maine Lobster
Amazon
If he's the guy that likes to treat you to an expensive dinner, then reverse the role and prepare him a lobster dinner right in the comfort of your own home. Thanks to Get Maine Lobster, you can have fresh Maine lobster delivered to your door in a variety of ways. From lobster rolls to buttery lobster tails, you don't have to wait for a table, you can serve your man in bed. Just be prepared to be dessert.
Check out xoNecole's other gift guides here.
Featured image by Getty Images.
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Some women have their whole wedding planned out, from the bridal gown and venue to the bridal party and playlist. However, KJ was not one of those people. “I didn’t foresee a wedding in my future,” she reveals. “I was just gonna be the boss chick, rich auntie. I didn’t force love in my life until recently. I never had an idea of what a dream wedding would look like, it was easier for me to elope.”
KJ Smith
Photo by Stanley Babb/ Stanlo Photography
And to many people’s surprise, that was their original plan – until Skyh brought up a valid concern. He was raised by his grandmother and thought she should be at the wedding, and naturally, that led to KJ wanting her grandmother to be there as well – then her mom – and later her sister – and, you’ve gotta invite the besties too, right? From there, the guest list continued to blossom. Much like the updo and pop of color bold red lip, she wore on her special day, which was initially on her Pinterest board as a soft glam look with her hair hanging on her shoulders, KJ is okay with changing her plan if it brings her and her loved ones happiness.
So let’s get into the wedding, which took place in Malibu, CA. The first thing you should know about the celebrity couple is that they’re non-traditional. They know, and they don’t care. So, in true unconventional fashion, they shared the morning of the wedding together.
“I woke up with Skyh, we walked our dog, had black coffee, and said good morning to the people who stayed at the venue with us,” she says.
Now, it was time for hair and makeup. While she was getting glammed up, she had Black-owned McBride Sisters wine and champagne (which ties into The Black Experience theme) on deck with her mom and friends, had her besties help rework her vows, retried on every outfit (sis is very Type-A), took photos, and ended the early-celebration with prayer and meditation. It seems very non-Bridezilla, I said.
“Yeah, I was the most unbothered bride ever. Everyone was just so supportive. As entertainers, we go on red carpets all the time. We actually have a production company,” she explains. “The get-ready process was like a day at work, but with people we love the most. Being entertainers, we didn’t feel stressed at all, but my excitement was so high.”
Things moved quickly, and before she knew it, it was time to line up to walk down the aisle.
“Yeah, I was the most unbothered bride ever. Everyone was just so supportive. As entertainers, we go on red carpets all the time. We actually have a production company. The get-ready process was like a day at work, but with people we love the most. Being entertainers, we didn’t feel stressed at all, but my excitement was so high.”
KJ Smith and her bridal party
Photo by Stanley Babb/ Stanlo Photography
Since everything started with their grandmothers, the couple wanted to ensure they honored them and planned to keep an element of their wedding traditional. Although we’ve all seen the reception videos and photos online, you may have noticed visuals from the wedding itself are harder to find.
“We planned for it to be traditional, but we’re not like that, so we tried to create those moments. We jumped the broom and had a salt ceremony (where the bride and groom individually pour salt into a glass container, symbolizing their lives becoming one.) But honestly, still, nothing was traditional about it.”
She goes on to explain that her mom caught the holy ghost coming down the aisle, her glam team was on deck, and she became so nervous with excitement that she had an anxiety attack – something she struggled with for years, she explains tearfully. Her friends had to literally cheer her down the aisle because of how overwhelmed she felt until she eventually calmed down.
“Skyh was standing there with his hand on his heart; we have our own little language, and I could feel the support,” she shares.
It was surprising to hear all these emotional moments happened before the party we saw online. That is until she once again got into the backstory.
“As a Black woman actress, for so long, it was popular to be mysterious and secretive, but that’s not who I am or what I like. Plus, we both wanted to create an experience for everyone there. We are the people who always host family and friends,” she says. “Like for me, the first order of business was getting sandals for the women so they can dance all night long. We had oxtail, D'ussé, and a coffee and sativa lounge – which is part of Skyh and I’s lifestyle and routine. We wanted to bring them into our world.”
Skyh Black (L) and KJ Smith (R)
Photo by Stanley Babb/ Stanlo Photography
She went on to discuss the dance routine she did for her husband at the reception, which has taken over the internet. Apparently, that’s another thing that didn’t go according to plan. According to KJ, she had promised a performance at their joint bachelor/ bachelorette party, but her outfit got stolen from her car. So, Skyh ended up performing for her – complete with a strip tease. Still, she never forgot her promise to dance for him.
So, she hired her friend as a choreographer, learned the routine, made friends and family watch it endless times, and attended Beyoncé’s Renaissance show a few days before for a confidence boost. It ended up being a show to remember. But that wasn’t all the night offered. Lil Mo performed, and the guests received special goody bags featuring their favorite Black-owned products like journals, hair care, and more.
“We made sure everyone was taken care of all night. That kind of stuff makes us happy. I wanted everyone there to experience the joy and love I have for myself, my partner, and for them. I wanted them to feel full and whole, and they had the time of their lives,” she says.
But naturally, the internet is going to internet, and while there were countless people praising the event and applauding the newlyweds, some thought it was too over the top. I was curious to know her thoughts on some of the criticism.
“It’s cool. We did what we wanted to do. I’ve decided to share my world with people. Just how I went on social media platforms and found inspiration, I want people to do the same,” she explains. “I don’t think it's fair to my supporters not to give that out. There’s so much I wanna share with brides, specifically Black brides. I love that people are adding it to their Pinterest boards."
"I wanted everyone there to experience the joy and love I have for myself, my partner, and for them. I wanted them to feel full and whole, and they had the time of their lives."
KJ Smith
Photo by Stanley Babb/ Stanlo Photography
“I’m happy with it because we did what we wanted to do. They can do what they wanna do. Don’t be cruel, though, because you will get blocked,” she said, laughing.
The more I spoke with her, the more her sense of freedom shined through. People are always going to have their opinions, but at the end of the day, it’s you who has to live your life, and it seems like the couple realizes that and embraces that power. She also stressed the importance of not living for others and the lessons life has taught her.
“I’ve been to countless weddings, and I’ve been in countless weddings. I’m a generally older bride. So when women in my demographic get married, and you and your husband are busy working people like us, you deserve to have the one you want to have,” she shares.
“This is what we wanted to do. Our loved ones love and support us. We did so much to honor them, but we also wanted to start our own tradition, legacy, and creation. I'm not going to be pulled back into ideas of the past when I’m trying to create a future with my partner. “
If you’d like to see more of the couple, you probably won’t have to wait long. Although no content is planned yet, she admits to being an oversharer. “Me being open and transparent about my experiences lets people know it’s okay to have flaws; it makes you human, and for many years, I didn’t believe that was okay. I had pressure to be perfect, and I’d crumble every time,” she explains to xoNecole.
Now, she owns her flaws and uses them as a superpower to connect with her community and feel and express her love.
“Some people give us [Skyh and KJ] a hard time because they say we just seem too perfect. I’m like, why is that a bad thing? I love the people I love. From my man to my mama, to my friends - unabashedly. We move through time and space how we want to move. If we did it another way, we’d let ourselves and our union down.”
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Feature image by Stanley Babb/ Stanlo Photography
