Stephanie Denise and Renny Smith apparently looked at that idea and said, “What’s the rush?”
After an incredible 53 years together, the longtime couple finally got married during the New York Knicks’ championship parade. That’s right. While Knicks fans were celebrating a title decades in the making, Stephanie and Renny were celebrating a wedding that somehow took even longer.
Talk about commitment. The timing couldn’t have been more perfect. After all, both the Knicks and this couple had spent years hearing the same question.
A couple at Thursday's Knicks parade said they "married the championship" after the Knicks ended their 53-year title drought.
Editor's Note: An earlier version of this post was inaccurate. It said the couple was getting married after a 53-year engagement. That post was removed as… pic.twitter.com/I8XAbnoCNh— Spectrum News NY1 (@NY1) June 19, 2026
“So… when is it finally going to happen?”
Well, eeverybody finally got their answer.
The Knicks finally got their championship hardware, Stephanie finally got her ring, and Renny finally completed what may be the longest engagement process in modern history.
A New York City newlywed wore a homemade Knicks-inspired wedding dress to get unofficially married at the team's championship parade.
The couple plans to officially exchange their vows by the end of the year.pic.twitter.com/cDiTmeJu8I
— Front Office Sports (@FOS) June 18, 2026
“We married the championship after 53 years — after 53 years of being engaged,” Denise, 61, from Central Islip, and Smith, 65, of Brooklyn, cheered while dressed for their I Do’s downtown.
“I came up with the concept of celebrating the Knicks with our symbolic wedding during the NBA Finals,” Denise explained.
“The Knicks put New York City back on the map this year,” Smith, an executive director of a grassroots advocacy firm, said. “Stephanie came up with the idea and ran it by me. I said, ‘Yes, let’s do it.’
“We love the Knicks and we love one another,” he continued, revealing their plans to officially swap vows before the end of the year, “God willing.”
The newlyweds tied the knot surrounded by thousands of screaming Knicks fans during the massive championship celebration. Most couples dream of a beach wedding or a fancy ballroom. Stephanie and Renny chose a sea of orange-and-blue jerseys and complete parade chaos.
The blushing “bride,” a fashion designer, dazzled in handcrafted, custom wedding attire.
The gown, adorned with royal sequins, featured a mid-thigh slit, an ornate orange and white striped detail along its rollup sleeves and strings of pearls cascading across its back.
Denise finished the look with a flower-crown veil, lace gloves, an eye-catching pair of team-stamped sneakers and a bouquet comprised of orange and blue blooms.
Her beau stunned in a royal blue gown, adorned with royal sequins, featuring a mid-thigh slit, an ornate orange and white striped detail along its sleeves and strings of pearls cascading across its back.
Congratulations to the happy couple. Better late than never seems to be working out just fine.
