Vanessa Williams Shows Off Her Wedding Dress

— -- While choosing her wedding gown, Vanessa Williams knew she wanted to pay homage to her relationship with Jim Skrip, whom she met in Egypt.

So, when she saw the first of two Carmen Marc Valvo gowns that she wore to her Saturday nuptials, she knew she'd found what she was looking for.

“It was magnificent,” she told People of the "silky and streamlined" number. "I felt like an Egyptian goddess, and that was exactly the theme I was going for."

On July 4, Williams and Skrip, both 52, said "I do" in Buffalo, the groom's hometown. It's also the city from which Williams' mother hails — and a place that brought the two together.

“He was wearing a Buffalo Sabres shirt [when I first saw him], and I walked over to him and said, ‘Are you from Buffalo? My mom’s from Buffalo,’ ” she said. “There was an immediate attraction, and after a long, three-hour dinner, we had so much in common. It was obviously meant to be!”

At their wedding, which took place about 10 months after they got engaged, the sight of Williams in her dress wowed her husband.

"Honestly, when I saw Vanessa walking down the aisle, I didn’t even notice her dress. We locked eyes and I got caught up in the moment, full of happiness and joy,” he said. "When I finally noticed the dress, it was perfect for Vanessa: sleek, simple and sexy. She then had another surprise for me: she did a quick change into another beautiful gown ... She was stunning!”