This Nigerian wedding in New Jersey (seen in issue 32!) was a colorful and heartfelt celebration where the couple honored their heritage and went the extra mile for their special guests.
Uchenna and Zite’s transatlantic romance began after the two started messaging each other on the online game Runescape. As the two grew closer it was time to take the next step and have their first date. In 2018, Zite hopped on a plane from London to Philly where they shared their first date at an Italian restaurant.
Over time and after lots of trips across the pond from the UK to the US, and back again, it was time for Zite to give Uchenna the prettiest garden proposal. Following a weekend of pampering including a trip to the Bronx Zoo, a couple’s massage, and a delicious lunch, they stopped at the Bronx Botanical Gardens.
“While admiring the fountain lights in the center, [Zite] dropped down on one knee and promised to forever love and take care of me,” Uchenna recalls blissfully.
The couple made it official and said their “I do’s” in a royal white wedding at The Addison Park in New Jersey.
Since the wedding had a royal theme, Uchenna decided that her best choice would be to go custom and get her wedding day look made by luxury bridal designer Jean-Ralph Thurin.
The bride and groom’s ceremony and reception were filled with international guests from Europe, Nigeria, and America. Traveling from near and far, they were treated to beautiful details because of the couple’s commitment to going the extra mile.
Uchenna shares, “Remember, the day is all about you but these people literally hopped on a plane to celebrate you! So giving an extra ‘oomph’ to the wedding decor and vibe is absolutely the right thing to do and is justified!”
There’s more to see from their wedding day in the pics below!
- Couple: Uchenna Ndukwe and Zite Nwosu
- Occupations: Pediatric Dentist, Car Sales Analyst
- Wedding date: March 23, 2024
- Wedding location: The Addison Park -New Jersey
Mr & Mrs…
Quick Facts:
- What gifts did you give to your bridesmaids and groomsmen: I gave my bridesmaids a bunch of gifts (i.e custom champagne flutes and accessories for the wedding day) when we first asked them to be part of the bridal party but on the wedding day, I gave them a bunch of snacks, a robe, and a shot of liquor to get them ready for the day!
- Ceremony entrance song: “Canon in D” by Johann Pachelbel
- First dance song: “For My Hand” by Burna Boy & Ed Sheeran
How did you meet?
A videogame called Runescape! Zite sent me messages through the game and they were so good, we just kept on talking. We started enjoying each other’s company and spending every moment on the game with each other. Eventually, it surpassed just chatting on the game. It went from just text messages and Facetime calls to him flying from London to Philadelphia to meet me for the first time in 2018. We have been going back and forth visiting each other since, but now he is here to stay in New Jersey!
Our proposal…
Zite proposed in the middle of the Bronx Botanical Gardens after a weekend of spoiling me rotten! I could remember him being a nervous wreck the whole day, which was very unlike his normal character which is chill. We went to the Bronx Zoo, had a couple’s massage, and then had a delicious lunch. He said dinner was going to be a surprise. We pulled up to the botanical gardens and while admiring the fountain lights in the center, he dropped down on one knee and promised to forever love and take care of me.
Wedding style…
The wedding was very much modern but royal. My vision for my dress was very specific to a royal vibe which I had a hard time finding in-store and online, so I knew I needed to go custom! My designer was Jean-Ralph Thurin. He and his team made my particular dress ideas come to life since I couldn’t find the right dress on the rack.
The final touches for the perfect day…
Zite got his tailor-made suit from a Philadelphian Bespoke tailor named Henry Couture Paris. He definitely did an amazing job matching the regality of my dress without seeing it.
The groom accessorized his look with a stylish lapel chain and a classic floral boutonniere…
The ceremony…
Celebrating our culture…
Yes, this was actually our second wedding. We had our Nigerian traditional wedding in Nigeria, in December 2023, in my village of Nkporo in Abia State. Our wedding incorporated a Nigerian priest who married us, breaking of the kola nut to welcome our guests, and lots of money being sprayed!
Our best memories…
The best memory of our wedding would have to be the string trio that played at the cocktail hour. They played our favorite love songs and it literally brought tears to my eyes hearing them play “Can’t Help Falling in Love” by Elvis Presley!
So many fun memories…
All the single ladies…
What is the best wedding advice you can give to engaged couples?
The advice I would give is if you can afford the vendor who you would love but know it is not a necessity, get it. So many people will try to deter you from booking that extra musician for your ceremony or the flower wall for a photo booth, but at the end of the wedding day, your guests will appreciate it so much and it will make it totally worth the extra money. Remember, the day is all about you but these people literally hopped on a plane to celebrate you! So giving an extra ‘oomph’ to the wedding decor and vibe is absolutely the right thing to do and is justified!
Vendors:
- Wedding venue and caterer: The Addison Park
- Bride’s dress: Jean-Ralph Thurin
- Bride and bridesmaid robe: Brideandmaids Factory
- Bridesmaid dresses: Ibilola Ogundipe
- Groom’s suit: Henry Couture Paris
- Bride’s reception dress: MAYEŃ Couture
- Bride’s hair: Yana Stylez LLC
- Bride’s makeup: Pink Crush Beauty
- Photography and videography: HAK Weddings
- Reception musician: Sweet Harmony
- Wedding coordinator: Nimma Ovwori Weddings
- Wedding cake: Alfonso’s Pastry Shoppe
- DJ: DJ Kenz
- Florist: HePortal
- Decorator: MamaTeEvents
- MC: Master Zeji
- Floor wrap: TrustJ Events LLC
- Stage: Prestige Luxury Rentals LLC
- Photobooth: Jchavez Photobooth
- Limo: Santos VIP Limousine
- Security: SPIE
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