Much has been said about Whitney Houston and Bobby Brown’s marriage, and their highs and lows. Despite the depths of their low moments—which included drug use, domestic violence, and infidelity—at their peak, Whitney and Brown were ubiquitous, although Whitney was the more mainstream star (Don’t Be Cruel,Brown’s biggest solo album, was released in 1988). The bad boy from New Edition who nabbed America’s darling reflected the dynamism and range of Black American pop culture’s titans. In truth, they had more in common than their fan bases recognized or acknowledged at the time. “[It was] too much to try to live up to. Too much to try to be, you know? And I wanted out at some point,” Whitney expressed to Oprah Winfrey in a 2009 interview explaining their initial bond. “He allowed me to be me. He was fun. Passionate. Loving. It was crazy. We were crazy love.” Their 800-guest wedding was an extravagant affair that took the cover of Jet magazine at the time: Whitney in a custom $40,000 French lace gown with matching headpiece and veil, and a wedding party adorned in purple regalia. In true Whitney fashion, it was both overwhelming and still a picture-perfect capsule moment.