Levar and Memory are a “Match” made in heaven. The two got married on August 18, 2018 – the most popular wedding day this year. Memory wanted a classic black and white wedding. Levar’s groomsmen wore black and white tuxedos and her bridesmaids wore all black long sleeve lace dresses. They also asked their guests to wear all black or a combination of black and white. Additionally, all of their decorations were white/ivory and gold. Today we are taking it back as Memory shares how she and Levar met, his elaborate proposal and images from her epic bridal shower.
From the Coordinated Bride, Memory
Levar and I met on Match.com. He first snagged my attention by liking several pictures on my profile, so I instantly got curious about the guy who was liking so many of my pictures. So, I viewed his profile and initially thought he was “cute” but had nothing in common with me. As I was viewing his profile, he sent me a message. I ignored it and went on vacation. When I returned, I noticed that he had sent another message and it made me laugh. I don’t remember exactly what was said, but it was funny and charming. So, I finally decided to respond. That one response led to endless conversations online until one day we decided to exchange phone numbers. We talked on the phone and texted for about two weeks, then he asked me out on a date. Our first date was at the Red Star in Baltimore, and I was over an hour late. He wasn’t even upset or bothered about it so already he had points in my book. My first impression of Levar was (1) he’s a patient or crazy man to have waited for me that long, (2) he’s handsome, and (3) had absolutely no sense of fashion whatsoever. LOL!!!. His body language told me that he was a little nervous so I led the conversation with a few jokes about my lateness to break the ice. That day, we talked for hours; Levar asked all the right questions that a man would ask a woman that he’s truly interested in getting to know. At that moment, I knew he was different and serious about pursuing me.
Levar and I got engaged on March 31, 2017. I knew he wanted to marry me because we often discussed marriage and he even took me to a jewelry store to try on engagement rings. The night of the engagement, he kept throwing subtle, but not so subtle hints that he was about to propose. That night, he told me to get dressed because he had a romantic evening planned for us. On the way to the restaurant, I realized that I had forgotten to put on my rings and his response to that was “you don’t need them”, then he smirked. He took me to dinner at Wit & Wisdom, and from the moment we arrived, I noticed he was acting weird. Throughout the entire dinner, he kept checking his phone and appeared anxious. That was unusual for him because he likes to detach from his phone when we’re on dates so we can focus on being in the moment. Towards the end of dinner, he got a text message, and then immediately asked for the check. At that point, I knew something was up but couldn’t put my finger on it. After dinner, he asked me to take a walk, and as we were walking I noticed we were walking towards the Legg Mason building which is often used by John Hopkins University (JHU) for classes. Levar is a graduate student at JHU and claimed to want to show me around. So I went with the flow. We started walking into the building, then he asked me to have a seat in the lobby while he ran upstairs for “something.” As I was waiting, his dad walked in with what appeared to be his saxophone case in hand. His dad lives about 2 hours away so I immediately asked him why he was there. He told me that he was “in the neighborhood.” At that moment, I knew that night was THE night. I was waiting in the lobby for about 15 minutes before a complete stranger, which I later learned was the proposal planner, came to direct me to the elevator. We took the elevator up to the top floor and as soon as the doors opened, I saw a trail of red rose pedals and white candles leading into a glass room. His dad was playing “Can You Stand the Rain” by New Edition on the saxophone. His friend, who is a freelance photographer, was also there taking pictures. I followed the trail into the room, and there he was…standing in the center of a large heart lined with rose pedals and candles. He extended his hand for me to join him in the center, then got on one knee and proposed. It was perfect and a night to remember.
The joy of planning a wedding is being able to take your vision and bring it to life. The most exciting part of the process is the beginning when the engagement is fresh and you begin dress hunting, and finally find your dress or dress designer. However, once you get into the thick of planning, the novelty can wear off rather quickly, if you’re planning an elaborate wedding and have to meet and interview multiple vendors. One suggestion I strongly encourage brides to do is to establish a budget upfront and stick to it. You can easily go over budget with wedding planning, especially when you have a particular vision in mind. I created an expense tracker which helped us, tremendously. I also suggest that couples start planning as early as possible because venues and vendors tend to get booked rather quickly especially during wedding season. That way, you’re able to secure the venue or vendor of choice rather than settling for whatever is available. But, by all means, take your time choosing your venue and vendors. Do your research because once you sign a contract, it’s a done deal. Most importantly, do what makes you and your partner happy. Don’t allow the opinions of others’ to influence decisions you may later regret. After all, it’s your day. Celebrate your union your way!
Congratulations Memory & Levar. Special thanks to Kelli Finch of KFINCH PHOTOGRAPHY for introducing us to this lovely couple. Below are some images from Memory’s bridal shower.
Vendor Collaborators
Photographer: KFINCH PHOTOGRAPHY || Dress from Chic Couture Online || Shoes: Christian Louboutin || Purse: Aldo || MUA: Jeanna Booker IG: @mua_jeannab || Levar (Groom) & Memory (Bride) @misscocoababi
