Ashley and Karl's Picturesque Rooftop Wedding in Atlanta -Munaluchi Bride

Ashley and Karl are a Match.com success story, immediately falling for each other. So confident in their compatibility that shortly after they began dating they both removed their profiles. Their beautiful rooftop wedding in Atlanta was complete with loving family and friends, stunning skyline views, and a helicopter exit by the bride and groom.

Read all about Ashley & Karl’s love story, romantic surprise proposal, and experiences in their scenic rooftop wedding in Atlanta – featuring the fashion design work of MunaLuchi Coterie member and celebrity designer Miguel Wilson. View the entire vendor list below.

Bride & Groom: Ashley & Karl
Occupations: Senior Video Editor & IT Project Manager
Wedding date: 10-15-16
Wedding location: Ventanas in Atlanta, GA

Tell us how you met and all about the proposal.
People are usually shocked to find out we are a Match.com success story! We often get told we should reach out to Match and ask them to put us in a commercial. Shortly after we started dating, Karl gently hinted that I should take down my profile, which I happily obliged.
The proposal took place after 48 hours worth of flights and layovers, I returned home from vacationing in Bali and received a text from my neighbor asking me to attend a networking event she was hosting at the Sun Dial Restaurant in Atlanta. Although I was extremely tired and jet-lagged, I said yes and invited one of my best friends, Sharina. Right before Sharina came to pick me up, I fell asleep and almost didn’t wake up in time for the event. I jolted awake and got ready with only 5 minutes to spare before she pulled into my driveway to pick me up. Together, we drove to the Sun Dial. She kept nervously fumbling with her phone, and had I not been so exhausted, I probably would have suspected something was up! We headed all the way to the top of the Westin and walked to the Sun Dial Restaurant. As we approached the “networking event” I started noticing familiar faces. It didn’t sink in right away what I was seeing. I thought, “Why are so many of my friends here? Why are they all in a circle?” I was in a daze. And then I saw Karl. On one knee. In the middle of that giant circle. It was an overwhelmingly special moment. I awkwardly stumbled backwards into the kitchen in shock. But then I came to my senses and rushed towards him and awkwardly got down on the floor with him to accept his proposal. Oh — and would you believe he even had my best friends from Chicago and Houston fly down for this too? They, along with my father, all popped out of the shadows, making this the biggest surprise of my life!

What was wedding shopping like for you? I had never really envisioned going wedding dress shopping with a ton of people or making a huge deal out of it. Instead I went with one person – Sharina! I thought it would be nice to go with the same person who led me to my proposal. Wedding dress shopping was a breeze because I knew exactly what style I wanted. We went to 3 different stores, but we saved the best for last – Brides by Demetrios. It was in this store that I found exactly what I had envisioned. I knew it was the one when I first laid eyes on it, before I even tried it on. When I actually did slip into it, both Sharina and I nodded in unison. It was classy, sexy, elegant, and lightweight. I fell in love with the long lacy sleeves, sparkly embellishments, and sassy backless style. I never saw myself in a big, fluffy dress. I wanted something sleek and chic. This was it. I paid for it that same day and never looked back.

Did you incorporate any culture into your wedding? I’m the product of an interracial marriage – my mother is South Indian and my father is mixed with African American and Jamaican. My husband is half Nigerian. So diversity is extremely important to both my husband and me. We wanted to honor our diverse backgrounds by having a multicultural wedding. Instead of traditional American bridesmaid dresses, I selected beautifully designed aqua mint saris that my mom picked up for us while she was in India. She also purchased an array of stunning Indian jewelry that looked breathtakingly gorgeous on all the girls. When my aunties helped them put everything on, they transformed into dazzling Indian princesses. Although I was wearing a wedding gown, I chose to wear an Indian headpiece that tied all of our looks together. Halfway through the reception, my husband and I both did a wardrobe change and I slipped into a bright red sari that I wore for the remainder of the night. It felt so good being able to honor my mother in that way.

Bridesmaids/Groomsmen gifts: Bridesmaids: Sarees, Indian Jewelry, Chloe + Christian Lip Colors by Scoobie West, and a “Will You Be My Bridesmaid” gift package that included various items in our wedding colors (aqua mint and gold). Groomsmen: Very stylish socks by Happy Socks and tie clips. Karl also contributed to their tuxedo rentals.
Favorite item on the menu: We both loved the sweet potato souffle!
First dance song: “Thinking Out Loud” by Ed Sheeran (and we did a dance routine choreographed by our lovely friend, Shara Jackson).

What is your best memory from your wedding? There are too many to pick just one! Top 5 favorite memories are:
1. Conquering our nervousness and successfully performing our choreographed first dance (that we learned just 2 weeks before our wedding!).
2. Reciting our vows – I almost died of laughter when Karl pulled out a long scroll where his vows were written.
3. The wedding party walking out to the theme song for Game of Thrones.
4. 2 words: THE BAND!
5. Exiting by helicopter and seeing all our friends and family down below bidding us farewell with glow sticks.

What is the best wedding advice you can give to engaged couples? Planning a wedding should be fun and something that you BOTH should do together. Karl and I wouldn’t change a single thing about our wedding. It went so smoothly, and I believe a big reason for that is because we both were so heavily involved. Karl didn’t just put all the planning on me. He was just as excited, if not more, to help make this the best night of our lives. Scoobie West, our amazing wedding planner, did a great job including the two of us in all decisions and made sure that our wedding was a reflection of both our styles – not just the bride’s! Remember that you’re going to be life partners. The more you operate like a team, the better equipped you will be to handle all challenges in life.