And the bride wore Halston. So too did the groom, the wedding party, and even the procession. Looking back in his 2023 memoir, Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin), Stone recalled the fitting with delight. “You know, darling, you’ll look fabulous,” Halston promised.
Gold became the evening’s unifying motif. Stone strode onto the Garden stage in a shimmering gold jumpsuit, its zipper left provocatively open to mid-chest beneath a sweeping floor-length cape fastened at the neck and cinched with a sculptural gilt buckle—all cut from Halston’s custom “3-D sequined” chiffon. Silva matched him in the very same fabric, her halter gown draped in liquid folds that pooled dramatically behind her, while crystals scattered through her waist-length hair caught the arena lights with every turn. Elsa Peretti jewelry—a sculptural cuff, delicate bracelets, and rings—provided the only punctuation.
Kathy Silva prepares for her wedding, wearing the Halston-designed bridal dress.
Photo: Getty Images
Ahead of them, 12 statuesque Black models glided across the stage in a procession of black Halston jersey gowns—no two alike. Some were Grecian and one-shouldered, others long, fluid columns, each accessorized with gleaming sculptural cuffs and armlets that caught the light against the matte black fabric. It was less a bridal party than a fashion tableau. When Richard Avedon photographed the newlyweds, Vogue writer Leo Lerman captured the effect in six unforgettable words: “flabbergastingly Halstoned in golden 3-D sequins.” (Halston was reportedly paid $10,000 for at least 30 looks).
Following Eddie Kendricks’s opening set and a brief intermission, the lights came up on what the New York Times aptly described as “a production number all the way.” The procession of Black models emerged first, followed by the wedding party, as Stone and Silva took their places behind matching microphone stands, facing not only nearly 23,000 concertgoers but also a phalanx of television cameras and photographers gathered just below the stage. Stone never removed his signature aviator sunglasses. As Sly and the Family Stone eased into the opening strains of “Family Affair,” fans surged into the aisles and climbed onto their seats, prompting Stone’s mother, K.C. Stewart, to step to the microphone with a gentle but necessary reminder: “This is a sacred ceremony.” His niece Lisa then sang a spiritual before Bishop B. R. Stewart began the service.
