It’s another beautiful Monday and we are so excited about today’s feature.
Why?
The couple, Abimbola (Abby) & Michael (Mike) had a super cool pre wedding photo session.
The lovebirds met in middle school ages ago and are getting married next year!
Top wedding photographer, FotosbyFola,who shared the photos with us said “All four of their parents have different cultural backgrounds (Edo,
Igbo, Yoruba & American) so they had a brilliant idea of paying
homage to all the cultures on their engagement shoot. The first part of the shoot was all about how it started and so we
made a trip to Miller Grove Middle School. This was an amazing shoot and
a classic example how you can incorporate different aspects of “you”
into an engagement shoot. “
Now read their exciting love story and see the photos below:
We started the fake dating in middle school (7th grade – you do not
go anywhere all you get is a title and gifts for valentine’s day and
Christmas) it was the second semester and we had a week left in school.
He asked me to be his girl and I agreed. In that 5 days of dating Mike,
he was a very strong judgmental Christian that chastised me for every
little thing I did that was wrong.
The last day of classes on the bus I broke up with him because I was
not a fan of feeling like a heathen every time he was around. We
remained friends and since we were both NERD’s we took several classes
together and sat together. Through out high school we passed notes
during class and flirted but I always turned him down on the date
offers. As we attended college, he would text his usual weekly check up
and being the diva that I am, I would give him the cold shoulder with a
one word response “cool”, “good”, “fine”.
This continued till I started Pharmacy school. We became study
buddies over Skype to help me stay up and study for exams. He will ask
for a date whenever I was home, I would always say, “yea cool” but when I
got home I never went on a date with him. Finally it was my last year
of pharmacy school and I decided to go on this date so he can let me
rest. We went to One Midtown and during the dinner as usual I was cold
in my responses.
We ended up on the topic of God and discussed a class I was taking
“Master Life”. Of course I became more involved in the conversation and
we talked for hours. On our way home we continued our conversation on
the phone and I invited him to church that Sunday. After church we went
to brunch, the first restaurant we went to had HORRIBLE food. So I
became really irritated (I don’t play with my food) and asked to go home
but instead he took me to another brunch spot because he did not want
me going home without a smile on my face. I invited him to bible study
that Tuesday and the funny part is, that day was the day I noticed him.
My pastor always gives us passages to read in our intimate time with
the Lord and we decided to actually read it together. We went to waffle
house because I was hungry (I am always hungry LOL) and we fellow
shipped with one another. It was a wonderful experience to expose
yourself spiritually with another person is not something you should
take lightly. I have known mike for over 15-16 years and for the first
time I saw him in a completely different light. I guess people are
right, “there is nothing like a God fearing man.” As time went quickly
we started going out more, majority of our dates were dinner or brunch
after church or an event held by church.
He became my prayer and accountability partner and I became his as
well. At this point I could actually see myself with him because I could
be my true goofy self. We are both God fearing nerds that love having
fun and trying new things.
The proposal story (Mike’s View):
I had planned to propose to her Saturday in a hotel with petals all
over, non-alcoholic wine (she stop drinking) and chocolate covered foods
then dinner afterwards. Like it took me forever to set this up because
if you know Abby, then you know that no one can successfully surprise
her without her knowing the details. Tuesday, which was some days
earlier than the day I had planned out for the proposal, she was having a
horrible day. She was stressed out and very irritated so I came up with
the idea of proposing earlier.
I text and called my family to inform them of my plans. I usually met
with her on Tuesdays before and after my Master Life class so I figured
if I could get her to a restaurant it would make her feel good.
However, Abby assumed that I was doing the usual routine to cheer her up
(she smiles with food, shoes and flowers). I usually forget my wallet
in the middle console between the front seats so I asked her to help me
get my wallet while I went to the restroom. I pretended as if I was
walking to the restroom while she walked to the car.
In the console I had an index card that said open the trunk (she was
oblivious because when I do things like this, it is usually because I
have flowers and candy for her and I had some spelling errors of course
she noticed but it wasn’t my fault I was rushing). She opened the trunk
and in the trunk were red roses and with a note card saying will you
marry me. Before she could walk around the car with tears in her eyes I
was on my knees on the side of the car with the ring in my had asking
her if it was a yes or a no.
She of course said yes. Took 15 years but I finally got the woman
that I love to accept being my wife. We went back inside the restaurant
to finally eat and she was so overwhelmed with joy that she did not
touch her food. For a woman that loves food it is an accomplishment to
know I can surprise enough to make her forget she was hungry. She called
those close to her and informed them of the good news.
The beautiful woman who I saw frowning at the beginning of the date
could not stop smiling and looking at her finger. She called both her
mom and mine with excitement on her face, voice and actions. I
successfully surprised her and I look forward to the many surprises in
the future.