Ada and Tari have been loving and cherishing each other for 10 years, and what better way to celebrate their love than with a gorgeous anniversary session.
They share, “The shoot was to honor 8.5 years of marriage and 10 years of togetherness. We love being outside, so we decided to do ‘a living room in hobbit land.’ Ada’s favorite movie genre is historical fantasy (think Lord of the Rings and, well, Hobbit)! We are obsessed with nature and hobbit-like trees. There is something about the foundation of a solid tree that endures, is tenacious, and perseveres.”
The foundation of the Teme’s lasting love is similar to that of a tree- grounded, yet constantly growing. Keep scrolling to read about their journey of love and see their lovely anniversary session photos below.
When did you get married and where?
We got married in Indianapolis, Indiana, on August 3rd and 4th, 2012. The first event was our traditional wedding and the wedding on the 4th is what we, Nigerians, call the white wedding.
What was your wedding like?
Ahhhhhhh, our wedding was dreamy! It was not only a celebration of our love, but of our culture and family. It truly was a reflection of everything we hold dear: Our faith, our family, and fun. There was literally some kind of daily event from Thursday to Sunday including, a family soccer game, spa dates, cuban cigar family night. . . it was just bliss.
As you celebrate your anniversary, what do you remember most about your wedding day?
Ada: A few moments stand out for me. I am an only girl, so it was important to me that my weddings be just as special for my mommy and daddy, as they would be for me. So I planned that my getting ready experience on August 4th will be with just my mama and me. The moment she put me in my dress and buttoned all what seemed like 1 mile worth of buttons, it hit me that I was truly a big girl now.
Another special moment was showing my mommy and daddy my wedding bouquet, as I had secretly attached photos of my late maternal and paternal grandmothers to it — It was a beautiful moment full of happy tears.
At one point during our wedding ceremony, as we knelt under the chuppah, our pastor, the Rt. Rev. Amos Fagbamiye, asked our parents to stretch out their hands and lay them on us. In our faith and culture, a parent’s blessing over a child is both significant, as it is profound. We are fortunate to have amazing parents and this gesture was not merely to fullfil custom, but one of honor and one we would never forget.
After the blessing, Bishop Fagbamiye combined our parents’ hands with ours. Then he pulled out the end of his stole and tied it around all our hands in a knot, to signify unity. This single act was by far the most meaningful part of our wedding. Of course, dancing with my daddy and my first dance with my hubby were sublime.
Tari: For me, a lot of the wedding was a blur, but a few moments stick out. The moment I saw Ada walking down the aisle was amazing. Another moment that brought lots of laughs was our nephew, Kayin, deciding to throw his ring bearer pillow up in the air, as he ran down the aisle and straight to the back of the church. He was over our wedding, lol. My brother-in-law, Ada’s brother, ended up being our ring bearer. Dancing with my mom was special; it was the first time I realized my mom dances way better than I do. Our first dance was timeless.
Was there anything you would have done differently for your wedding?
If we could do it over again, we would definitely have a much smaller wedding–just family and friendmilys (friends that are like family).
What are your favorite things to do as a couple?
We love being outside; going on long walks and hiking is really our thing. Thanks to Covid, we can add Netflixing to the mix.
Who cooks?
We both do. It really just depends on who finishes work first.
Do you have any children or pets?
We are trusting God for children very soon. For now, we have a petchild, Cleopatra. Cleo is a domestic short-hair cat-human and is incredibly mischievous. Pre-covid, whenever we had family and friends over, one of the first things we tell them is do not leave anything valuable on any table because she would throw it down, play with it, break or tear it, and put it in her water pail.
The second thing is, guard your plate with purpose, especially if meat or seafood is on the menu because if you turn around for half a second, your protein will be in her stomach. Cleo is 15 going on 3; her cries sound like a newborn human baby, so we will be ready when our children come.
When it comes to Career, what do both of you do and how do you make time for each other?
Ada: I am an attorney in the Food and Drug law space. Every week, we have “us” time. We put away electronics and just talk and laugh, sometimes it’s over dinner, a walk, ice-cream, whatever. Even when we travel and are apart from each other, we make a point to do this.
Tari: I am a Product Manager in the Tech. Industry. It is important for me that I communicate and connect with my wife on a daily and weekly basis. We recently implemented a technology curfew between us, so a few minutes before lights out, we put the phones away to talk and pray.
What would you say are the most important elements for a successful marriage?
For us, it’s our faith in Christ, communication, honesty, accountability, and friendship. We are genuinely each other’s best friends.
How do you keep the spark in your marriage?
We laugh a lot. We have similar sensibilities. Being both Nigerian, we have moments of nostalgia that are pure humor. We surprise each other with little gifts from time to time. We have this tradition for Valentine’s day where we make each other’s gifts, it’s really special and refreshing.
Tell us about the shoot. What inspired it?
Tari: Ada puts so much effort into Cherish August, and is always planning and designing events for everyone, so I wanted something to celebrate her and us. Cherish August, the name of Ada’s event design boutique, was named after the love we share, in the month that we fell in love and got married.
The shoot was to honor 8.5 years of marriage and 10 years of togetherness. We love being outside, so we decided to do “a living room in hobbit land.” Ada’s favorite movie genre is historical fantasy (think Lord of the Rings and, well, Hobbit,) so she calls every movie in this genre, hobbit. We sent Reem Photography some examples of what we had in mind and Kareem immediately suggested Tree Tops Park in Davie, Florida.
When Ada was packing, what literally seemed like our entire living room, I was annoyed because I had to carry it all and put it in the car. I clearly did not see the vision at that moment, just the amount of work I had to do. But when we got to the park and she directed the shoot, I finally got it. Kareem is a really cool, funny, and talented guy, and he captured our essence in an unforgettable way.
I wanted to look even more handsome as the day she walked down the aisle to me, so I chose a suit from Nordstrom and a Blazer from Jcrew for the shoot. Okay, fine, Ada picked it out for me.
Ada: For me, it was important that the natural elements of the environment translate to the shoot and to my look. This is reflected in the styling of my hair and my attire. I wanted a semblance of home on me, so I wore clothing from Nigerian designers: Tolu Bally (@2207bytbally) and Wunmi Oduola (@omawunmaxofficial). I did my own hair and makeup.
What do you love most about one another?
Tari: Ada has the gift of people. The way she connects with just about any and everyone is really amazing. Her creativity, tenacity, and resilience are inspiring.
Ada: Tari is incredibly smart and super funnnnnnyyyyyyy– he is always making me laugh. I love the way he communicates; I really believe our love journey has been strengthened because of this gift. I always say to him that I hope we choose each other in every lifetime. My husband is confidently selfless in his love and care for me, and I am truly one lucky girl.
What advice can you give for newlyweds?
Fight for each other!
Vendors
- Decor: Cherish August
- Photography: Photos by Reem @Reemphotography
- Husband’s attire: Nordstrom & J.Crew
- Dresses: Tolu Bally @2207bytbally & Wunmi Oduola @omawunmaxofficial
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