“First comes love; then comes marriage “…. goes the popular saying. However, often times, true friendship leads to love and then, marriage and eternal commitment follow. Malije and Onyeka found their love in a “friendly” place and are sealing that friendship forever. Their engagement session was shot by the talented Cathi Milanes of Milanes Photography and their wedding is being planned by the fab Eliana of ellyB Events.
The Bride: Malije Onwueme
The Groom: Aloysuis Onyeka Obodoako
The Location: Piedmont Park & Atlantic Station, Atlanta, GA
The Wedding Date: 09.01.2012
The Meeting …. “I would love to say it was love at first sight, but unfortunately it was not. On a trip to New York, I attended a wedding with a good friend. At the reception, we sat at a table with two gentlemen that sat in front of us at the church. I was not in the mood to make conversation; so when they started asking us questions, we made it a point to give the most random answers we could think of hoping that they would lose interest and stop. After a good laugh annoying them, we broke down and had real conversation to find out that they were actually very nice guys. We got to know their names as Onyeka and his cousin Chika. We all had a great time at the wedding; and at the end of the evening, we all exchanged contact information and promised to keep in touch. Thanks to Facebook, we did manage to keep in touch and remained good acquaintances which led to a good friendship between Onyeka and I. After years of great friendship, fate and life brought us closer, we stopped fighting our hearts, and have never looked back.”
The Proposal …. “On February 27th, 2011, after returning from an amazing vacation in Mexico, we decided to end the vacation by attending Easter Mass in the Bronx near Malije’s house. As we left the church, I told her to stop and at that time I reached into my pocket and pulled out a ring. I started telling her the story of how we met in church. I told her about the role God has played in us meeting and how he has brought us this far in our relationship. I then asked her for her hand in marriage. In shock, she begged me not to kneel down because of the crowd leaving the church. After a few tears, she said “YES!””
The Theme …. “The theme of our engagement shoot is “elegant simplicity.” We want to show our out-of-town guests what this beautiful city has to offer and at the same time let our personalities shine through. At the beginning of the shoot, it was challenging to “open up” with cameras in your face. We eventually got the hang of it and got lost in each other at times that we did not even notice anyone shooting.”
Incorporating Culture …. “We are both Nigerian. Onyeka is From Imo State and I am from Delta State. Onyeka had the rare opportunity to visit my village to complete our marriage rite ceremony. We plan on having a traditional igbo celebration for our guests on August 31st, 2012 for those who could not be there in Nigeria. It is going to be an amazing experience.”
{You Make Loving You So Easy}
He says …. “I love her sense of humor and whit and her passion for those she loves.” She says …. “His perseverance to never give up on anything he believes in, especially in us.”Congrats Malije and Onyeka and thanks for sharing your story with us! Click any thumbnail below to view the entire gallery.
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Thank you so much for the feature guys! My couple is awesome!!
Yes, they are! And so are you. We’re sure their wedding will be a smash:)
Great pictures of a beautiful couple! Congrats on your upcoming marriage.