Red, Mint & Gold Nigerian Wedding in New Jersey: Lynda + Mark

Lynda and Mark’s love has spanned across nations. After having met at secondary school in Nigeria, Mark and Lynda reconnected years later in New Jersey. “The couple wanted the wedding to celebrate their culture yet show details that spoke to their personal taste,” said their event planner Pretty Posh Events. The couple chose the Imperia in Somerset, NJ to host their union, and they included traditional elements to the affair in honor of their beginnings.

Pretty Posh Events continued, “the couple’s introduction and first dance was definitely a start to a great party. As Nigerian tradition will have it, they danced surrounded by friends and family who showered them with money. This was repeated in the middle of the reception when the couple changed into their traditional outfit and were ushered in again surrounded by their entire wedding party in traditional attire.” With Mark and Lynda’s family flying in from Nigeria and all over the country to take part in their nuptials, the couple created an event for all to remember. And so even after the day was done, the candles burnt out and the music stopped, their guests will reflect on a love that spanned across oceans, throughout the years and long thereafter.

Wedding Date: 8/24/2014
Wedding Location: The Imperia
Wedding Theme: Romantic & Elegant
First Dance Song: You and I (nobody in the world) by John Legend
Wedding Flowers: Roses, orchids, carnations, tulips and dahlias in shades of red.
Wedding Menu Favorite: Butternut squash soup
Bridesmaids Gifts: A beautiful pair of earrings and red and white chevron tote bags embroidered with the first letters of their names and filled with cosmetic goodies.
Groomsmen Gifts: African outfits custom sewed in Nigeria which they wore when we changed into our traditional outfits.

Tell us all about the proposal!

Mark proposed to me the first Christmas we spent together by ourselves without family in the Midwest. I was completing my pharmacy residency in Kentucky and he was working in Ohio. I was expecting a low key, boring Christmas but he went all out and surprised me with a huge live Christmas tree accompanied with different kinds of decorations on Christmas eve. We had such a wonderful time putting up and decorating the tree that day.
On Christmas morning I was so excited that I dragged him to open up our gifts by the tree. He was a little quiet but I did not think anything of that (not knowing he was nervous!) All my gifts were in big boxes so I really had no idea what he was about to do. As I opened one of the wrapped boxes, I realized that it contained another perfectly wrapped box.
I thought he was just being silly like he usually is but that box contained another perfectly wrapped box… and then another until I unwrapped a small jewelry box looked up and saw him kneeling in front of me.
He proposed and held me tight while I cried some more tears of joy and then started calling family and friends to share our good new!

Memories

My best memory from our wedding was our first dance together. It felt like it was just the two of us in the room dancing to John Legends “You and I (Nobody in the World). That moment reminded us of the real reason we were celebrating with friends and family – our love for each other! It was a beautiful moment especially since the days preceding the wedding were a little hectic trying to do all the last minute tasks.

Help a bride-to-be out!

Get a full wedding planning package with a wedding planner that matches your personality and is also passionate about event planning. That will take 90% of wedding planning stress away from you! Also don’t stress over small details you already had in your head about your dream wedding. If a plan is not working out, trust that your wedding planner has the experience to make changes that will make your day even better than you imagined.

Vendors

Wedding Planner: Pretty Posh Events
Floral: Pretty Posh Events
Event Designer: Pretty Posh Events
Wedding dress designer: Allure bridals
Wedding dress salon: Elegant Bridal Boutique, Bloomfield NJ
Bridesmaid dresses: JJ’s HOUSE
Makeup: Lenny Hamilton
Wedding shoes: Jessica Simpson
Bow tie shoe accessory: Dessy group
Ceremony and Reception: The Imperia
Photography: Chris Jorda Photography
Videography: Halcyon Valor Productions INC
Photo booth: Pro DJ Entertainment
Lighting: JB Lighting Productions
Officiant: mitchtheminister.com
Stationery: Papered Wonders Inc
DJ: Demeji Awe-Johnson of D2 Productions Inc
Cake: Palermo’ s Bakery