Trick Pony’s Ira Dean Marries Jennifer Parisi at Johnny Cash’s Former Cinnamon Hill Jamaica Estate on Feb. 10.Photo:Sabina Procacci Photography
Sabina Procacci Photography
Ira Dean is married!
The 54-year-old singer-songwriter, one of the founding members of former country music group Trick Pony, tied the knot with philanthropist and advocate Jennifer Parisi on Feb. 10 in Jamaica.
Trick Pony’s Ira Dean Marries Jennifer Parisi at Johnny Cash’s Former Cinnamon Hill Jamaica Estate on Feb. 10.Sabina Procacci Photography
“I’ve been extremely close with the Cash Family since I moved to Nashville in 1990,” Dean tells PEOPLE. “They were like a second family to me, and I spent a few Christmases with Johnny and June at their home in Jamaica. Some of my favorite memories with them were in that house, so when I popped the question to Jennifer, I knew the only place I wanted to get married was at Cinnamon Hill.”
Dean and Parisi — who first met in 2019 — hosted a small, three-day celebration with 80 loved ones, kicking things off with a festive welcome dinner at the Three Palms Restaurant on the eve of their wedding.
“We wanted to keep our celebration intimate, but wanted it to be relaxed and fun and allow our guests to have some time for themselves to unwind,” Parisi, 48, notes.
John Carter Cash, Jamey Johnson, Brittney Eakins.Sabina Procacci Photography
Celebrity guests included comedian and actor Jim Breuer, singer Jamey Johnson, former WWE wrestler Diamond Dallas Page and singer Gary Allan.John Carter Cash— the only child of Johnny and June — also attended with his wife Ana, and officiated the couple’s ceremony.
The pair incorporated several unique traditions into their ceremony including a sand ceremony with their children — Dean’s daughter Maya, 28, and Parisi’s daughter Serena, 24, and son Sonny, 22 — to symbolically blend their family.
“We spend a lot of time at the beach and on the water and, after all, we were in Jamaica so we thought it was the perfect sentiment,” Parisi explains.
She and Dean also did the ancient Celtic ritual of handfasting. “It was literally ‘tying the knot,’ " Dean says.
The bride woreKyha Studios' Kasia setfeaturing a white duchess satin structured corset and a fitted trumpet skirt. “I loved the chic and classic feel of the look. It reminded me of Old Hollywood and I fell in love with it the moment I put it on,” Parisi tells PEOPLE.
She accessorized with Aquazzura shoes, a Van Cleef & Arpels bracelet and a borrowed item from her mother, a 12.5-carat diamond choker necklace. After the ceremony, Parisi changed into another Kyha look — theYoung Heartsminidress, a strapless design embellished with lineal silver sequins — paired with Golden Goose sneakers.
Music, not surprisingly, was an important element of the wedding. Parisi walked down the aisle to Kina Grannis' “I Can’t Help Falling in Love,” and she and Dean’s recessional song was Johnny and June’s 1967 hit “Jackson.”
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Dean also couldn’t resist a performance of his own. He sang “Everything,” off his upcoming album “I Got Roads” which he wrote for Parisi when they got engaged in April 2023
Later in the evening, formerSaturday Night Live starJim Breuer “stole the show” after he took the stage and sang AC-DC’s “You Shook Me All Night Long”
Guests enjoyed a plated dinner with a menu featuring island squash bisque, caesar salad, grilled chicken with a jerk orange-honey vinaigrette, filet of snapper with an Indian-spiced coconut curry sauce, basmati rice with peas and pimento, and sautéed vegetables.
Dessert was Key lime cheesecake with a strawberry coulis and slices of the couple’s three-tier vanilla buttercream wedding cake featuring fresh strawberries and a strawberry filling.
As she looks back on the experience, Parisi tells PEOPLE her and Dean’s wedding was “a dream come true.”
“I spent years on my own, mostly because I never thought I would find someone that could love me the way [Dean] does,” she says. “He genuinely loves me with everything he has. His soul is filled with kindness and loyalty and he makes me laugh every single day. I couldn’t be prouder to call him my husband.”
“I’m living proof that even guys like me can have a happily-ever-after ending,” he adds. “God had great timing bringing her into my life when he did.”
source: people.com
