Delle Donne hopes upcoming wedding can help others

Former WNBA MVP Elena Delle Donne hopes her upcoming marriage Amanda Clifton on November 3 can help normalize gay marriage while benefiting a number of charities as well.  

From the floral arrangements that will be donated to nearby senior centers and women’s shelters to the wedding registry that will benefit Delle Donne’s foundation, the pair will be helping others. Delle Donne’s foundation supports the Special Olympics and victims of Lyme disease.

‘The wedding isn’t just about us and our day,’ the six-foot-five Delle Donne said. ‘It can also impact others and make them happy.’

Amanda Clifton (left) and WNBA superstar Elena Delle Donne (right) will be married on November 3 in a ceremony on Long Island 

Besides the physical donations, Delle Donne and Clifton hopes the ceremony can have a cultural impact. 

‘That is the reason why I’m doing The Knot,’ Delle Donne said. ‘I don’t want people to have to have these huge coming outs anymore. It should just be the norm… I hope in people’s minds they just see it as two beautiful brides and move on. You don’t see enough of two brides or two grooms.’

The pair was selected by The Knot as the website’s Dream Couple this year. Details of the wedding are scarce although the couple did reveal they were getting married on Long Island. ‘That’s all we can tell you, the rest is all secret,’ Delle Donne said, laughing. ‘There are secrets that can’t be released.’

One thing that Delle Donne, 26, and Clifton did share was that their dogs, Wrigley and Rasta, won’t be part of the wedding. The two were set to be involved, but Rasta tore her ACL and had surgery earlier this month, so she’s sidelined for the nuptials.

‘We didn’t think it would be smart to involve her and make her ride out to Long Island,’ Delle Donne said.

Elena Delle Donne (11) and France's Marielle Amant, right, reach out for the ball during a women's semifinal round basketball game at the 2016 Summer Olympics

Elena Delle Donne (11) and France’s Marielle Amant, right, reach out for the ball during a women’s semifinal round basketball game at the 2016 Summer Olympics

Delle Donne (left) and Clifton (right) met when the former was playing for the Chicago Sky

Delle Donne (left) and Clifton (right) met when the former was playing for the Chicago Sky

While the dogs won’t be in attendance, Delle Donne has been trying to get Pink to come. Clifton is a diehard fan of the singer and Delle Donne thinks it would be the ultimate gift to her fiance.

‘If Pink is on TV she is sitting and waiting for Pink to come on,’ Delle Donne said. ‘It would be such a great gift to my beautiful wife to have Pink there.’

Clifton (seen here on Delle Donne's shoulders) wrote a birthday message to her fiance on September 5: 'Happy birthday to my best friend and love of my life'

Clifton (seen here on Delle Donne’s shoulders) wrote a birthday message to her fiance on September 5: ‘Happy birthday to my best friend and love of my life’

The two brides met in Chicago when Delle Donne was playing there and Clifton has run Delle Donne’s basketball academy. It’s helped with the wedding planning since Delle Donne was in-season playing for the Mystics for the summer when most of the wedding planning was done.

‘We have very similar tastes so it works out pretty easily,’ Clifton said.

The couple announced their wedding in Vogue in 2016 and have been working with professional wedding planner Jove Meyer, according to ESPN.  

Clifton handles most of the details, but Delle Donne – a Delaware product and four-time WNBA All-Star – eventually weighs in on each decision. 

‘I’m pretty simple like that,’ Delle Donne told ESPN. ‘She’s the one who thinks everything through.’

The couple ruled out walking down the aisle simultaneously, so there will be a coin toss to decide who goes first. Both women will be escorted by their fathers and will be wearing a white wedding gown, according to ESPN. 

Delle Donne and Clifton designed their own wedding rings, which incorporate their birthstones.

Delle Donne participates in a clinic at Hendley Elementary school on October 17

Delle Donne participates in a clinic at Hendley Elementary school on October 17

Read more at DailyMail.co.uk