Real {Liberian} Wedding in North Carolina: Cathy + Zam

Have you ever looked at a couple and felt that they were so totally in sync with each other that they start to look alike, or is it just me? Cathy and Zam, whose beautiful engagement session we shared with you, are such a couple. Head over to their e-session to read about how they met and how Zam proposed to his love.  Not only was their wedding obviously bursting at its seams with love, it was also full of fun, laughter and our favorite, culture.

Have fun with these gorgeous images from one of our faves, M. Clay Photography. Be sure to check out his site and  blog.

The Bride: Cathy Lombel-Morlu
The Groom: Zam Ladson
The Careers: Bride – Licensed Professional Counselor; Groom – Service Manager
The Wedding Date: October 1, 2011
The Location: Charlotte, NC

The Theme …. “Though we didn’t have a formal theme, as we planned our wedding we focused on creating a “fall romance” for our October 1 day. One important detail to note is from the first day of planning Zam and I maintained a policy that the major brainstorming and final decisions would be made by us unless considering recommendations by vendors. Keeping that policy throughout our planning made things very simple and stress free because it kept the wedding about us! It also made it very easy to not have a planner/coordinator!”

The Challenges ….. “Like any wedding there were some short lived challenges, but luckily for us the only major hurdle to overcome was coordinating female attendant’s traditional clothing. Coordinating their clothing was a challenge only because I had to find cloth that reflected our wedding and obtain authentic cloth not found here in the US …… In addition to that, I had to design each traditional outfit and obtain all measurements of the female attendants for my aunt, who lived in another state, to sew. Once production began on the clothing and aunt gave reassurance that clothing was coming out perfect, everything was smooth sailing from there. I have to give credit to our vendors as they were a crucial detail in our planning being so smooth. They were the most professional, easy going and understanding set of individuals I’ve ever met. I could not have asked for a better team to be supporting us on our big day!”

Cultural Infusion ….. “Coming from Monrovia, Liberia and being so far from home, it was very important to incorporate aspects of my culture. We first began with having the female attendants wear traditional Liberian attire made from authentic Liberian cloth sewn by my Aunt. To extend the traditional clothing beyond the attendants, each family member of mine [wore] their traditional Liberian attire as well. The clothing represented how we dressed for a wedding celebration in Liberia.

At the reception, my family organized the traditional entrance of the bride and groom that would take place in our village back home. What happens is all the family surrounds the newlyweds and places several feet of lapa (cloth) for them to walk on until they reach their destination in the village as a welcome and gratitude. As the newlyweds proceed, the family sings and plays traditional music as they welcome the newlyweds home. In our case, my family greeted us at the entrance of the reception door and escorted us to the head table with traditional music played, dancing and several feet of the lapa sent from Liberia, Minnesota and taken from my Aunt’s outfits. When the party began, we incorporated “the ring dance”. It’s when the bride, supported by her groom, is surrounded by a large circle of family and friends as she dances to traditional music for the money her family and friends have for her. As the bride dances, the participants shower her with several dollars  from $1 to $500 bills, so the more she dances the more money she receives. Money is given to start the newlyweds off in marriage with monetary blessing. Another element we included into our reception is an organized dance called “The Grand March”. It’s a dance where everyone finds a partner and with your partner you follow what the couple in front of you is doing as you dance to traditional music. For this dance, Zam and I changed into our traditional all white and sequin lace African attire made as a gift from my aunt in Ghana and brought to the US in person. The Grand March can be time consuming as the dance takes on several formations. When we weren’t participating in cultural activities, we played a mix of American and traditional African music but the African music was a huge hit! Speaking with our guests after our wedding, it appeared the African music was something they’ve never heard before and the composition was something they couldn’t help but enjoy dancing to with my family and learning some of the traditional dances.”

Wedding Day Memories…. “Just as our planning was a breeze, our wedding day was a reflection of that. Our ceremony took place at Northlake Assembly of God in Charlotte, NC and Reception took place at The Extravaganza Depot. There was not an ounce of nervousness by Zam or myself. We were just excited to see one another and become husband and wife. The entire day represented Zam and I as every detail was decided by us with meaning. So much love and excitement filled our day and was an overwhelming surprise to us. It was an awesome blend of laughter, love, fun and blending of culture/family – our true definition of Fall Romance!”

The Most Unforgettable Moment …. “It may sound cliché but the most memorable part of the day for us was the moment we laid eyes on another as I walked down the aisle. When the sanctuary doors opened, Zam and I immediately locked eyes and gazed at each other until we were brought together. In those brief moments it was as if no one else was in the church but us.”

{You Make Loving You So Easy}

“Zam loves the high regard I place on my family and culture because family is very important to him. He appreciates how my family has welcomed him with open arms and I make every effort to incorporate his family into my culture through education and exposure. He adores how I instantly blended with his family and always find opportunities to learn about his culture. He looks forward to sharing the amazing blend of family and culture with our children!”

“Of course I could give a long list of what I love most but if I had to choose one thing it would be his sense of humor. Zam’s sense of humor keeps me smiling and it’s always on time. He not only finds joy in keeping a smile on my face but he also enjoys making others smile and feel good.”

Congratulations to you, Cathy and Zam! Let your marriage be full of deep laughs, the wonderful fusion of culture and the tenderness and depth of true love.

View the entire gallery below.

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VENDORS

Cakes: Cheesecake Etc
Makeup: Flawless Makeup Art
Photographer: Mike Clay Photography
Reception Venue: Extravaganza Depot

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