Surprising Chi is very difficult because she always figures out what everyone is doing. So Suboomi had to be very secretive about his proposal.
Under the guise of taking Chi out for her birthday, he got her to attend a brunch with their close friends. After the brunch, everyone gathered for a group photo, and a flash mob started dancing. Chi, still oblivious, was mortified when Suboomi joined the flash mob. But little did she know, he had been practicing this choreographed dance for two months. Once the dance was over, Boomi got down on his knee and proposed with Chi’s family, who had been hiding, running out to congratulate them.
To celebrate the upcoming wedding, this fun-loving couple decided to keep things, chic, classy and elegant with a photoshoot that spanned beautiful indoor and outdoor spaces. See the gorgeous photos below.
How did you meet?
Chi and I met at the gym while attending the University of Maryland College Park. I was just getting off my shift while she was starting hers, and when I walked out of the student lounge and saw her, I was instantly mesmerized. I felt drawn and compelled to talk to her, so I put on my game face and tried to impress her. Unfortunately for me, Chi does not play games and was unimpressed with my efforts.
About two weeks later, our paths crossed at a party. I knew I had to try and talk to her again. I put on my charm, and this time, I succeeded in securing her number (she likes to claim I was lucky because her guards were down since she had consumed a few beverages earlier, haha, but I like to think there was a chemistry that night). I could not wait to get home to text her, and when I did, I was hoping she would text back, and we would end up texting all night like they do in the movies, but in proper Chi fashion, she just ignored my text ALL NIGHT. I waited hours, checking my phone incessantly, expecting her text but nothing smh.
Though I was disappointed, I didn’t lose hope, and as luck would have it, the next morning on my way to work I saw someone entering the bus in front of my car with braids like Chi had and I immediately thought this is my chance to text her again. I texted her “hey, I see you,” to which she responded with “huh? where?” I responded “on the bus, I saw you get on” and she’s like “I am in my room, what are you talking about?” Now at this point, I am furious because this is my third attempt and she is just completely lying to me like I don’t see her on this bus, or so I thought. We went back and forth, I was trying to convince her she’s on the bus, and she’s trying to convince me she is in her room lol. A few minutes later, I saw the young lady get off the bus, and to my surprise, it was not Chi, and at that moment I knew I blew every chance I had. I was so apologetic, but she could not stop laughing at me. That’s when I knew laughter was the way to her heart. We continued to text from that day on and have never stopped texting. In the end, my game did work, even if she says I got lucky that she gave me a fourth chance to redeem myself.
Tell us your proposal story.
Surprising Chi is very difficult because she always figures out whatever you’re doing and then pretends like she didn’t know. I knew for the proposal I had to have a clever plan so she wouldn’t find out. Though I decided to propose on her birthday because she wouldn’t see it coming, I knew I wanted to make it special. I contacted the restaurant we had our first date at, and decided to rent out half of the restaurant for a private “surprise brunch.” I told all her family and friends it was just a surprise birthday brunch, except her best friend, they had known each other since 6th-grade and she had to be in on the plan for things to go smoothly. Her best friend convinced her she had planned an entire weekend full of pampering as a birthday gift, making sure she got her nail and hair done, so she won’t get suspicious.
On the morning of her birthday, I had her best friend and roommate walk into her room with clothes, jewelry, & shoe options for her to pick. I wrote a letter telling her to get dressed, not ask questions, and be ready as a car will be outside soon to pick her up. The car brought her to the restaurant where myself and all our friends were waiting to yell “surprise.” We had brunch, and at this point, I knew she was slowly starting to figure things out but I had more tricks under my sleeve.
Once the brunch ended we all went outside for group photos from a professional photographer I hired. Suddenly, music started playing, and here comes a flash mob in front of the group. I look over at Chi and say “I know this song, I think I am going to join them.” She looks at me like “OMG! No, don’t” but of course I did. I immediately jump into formation with the flash mob, surprising her and everyone else in the group. I had secretly been practicing the dance moves with a choregrapher for almost 2 months for this day. At the end of the song, I got down on one knee, telling her how I felt, how the joy I feel makes me want to dance and show the world, and how I want to spend the rest of my life with her. Once she said yes, her parents, grandma, and little brother came from behind and congratulating her, the final surprise. To be honest, I was so nervous I blacked out once I got on my knees.
When did you know he/she was “the one”?
Boomi: I have always been very non-commital and made a pact to stay that way for a while. Since the moment I met Chi I was taken aback but there was that part of me questioning whether I was ready to commit or not. I was always the “non-emotional” guy and it took a lot to get me to express myself. Four months after we started dating, Chi goes on a study abroad trip to Chile and I lie to you not from the moment I dropped her off at the Airport I just felt like a part of me was missing. I missed her so much, more than I have ever missed anyone and I didn’t know how to deal with it. I downloaded a countdown app on my phone counting down the day she was coming back home. As soon as she landed, I looked her in the eyes and told her how much I missed her and never wanted to lose her. It was at that moment I knew I wanted to spend the rest of my life with her.
Chi: I knew he was the one when we started texting, he started to show his true self, a real personality devoid of this “cool guy” persona he was trying to pass off as “game”. I remember we were talking about how he rarely shares his feelings with people and the history with that; he mentioned people moving away from him and how he hopes I would stick around. Seeing that ounce of genuineness and vulnerability. I knew I would spend the rest of my life with him.
Describe your engagement session. Did you have a theme?
For our engagement session, we wanted classy and formal, since we are usually goofy. We did not have a specific theme so we just found a nice dress for me and planned around it. The color of my dress dictated my hair, his suit, and the location for the shoots. For the traditional attire photos, we got matching couple outfits made in Nigeria during his sister’s wedding about a year before the engagement session.
What did you do on your first date?
For our first date, Boomi picked me up from my dorm. He brought me a bouquet of roses and we went out to dinner in downtown Silver Spring. I remember, I ate before the date just in case but I took a couple of dainty bites out of my food so he would think I was cute. The date was very simple and amazing because we just talked the entire time, we talked about our past, our future, just everything. Once we finished dinner and he drove me to my dorm, we parked in the front and just continued talking under the moonlight. It was sweet!
What’s your favorite thing to do as a couple?
Our favorite thing to do is to eat. We love food, whether home-cooked or going out. We love trying new things together. Though Chi is more adventurous than me when it comes to trying new foods, but I love it because it pushes me out of my comfort zone.
How has wedding planning been so far?
Wedding planning has been stressful but blissful at the same time. We have been together for 8 years, and have been engaged 3 out of those 8 years so it’s been amazing to know we are nearing the finish line. Boomi is getting his MBA at Carnegie Mellon so we decided to postpone the wedding once he got his admission and have been slowly planning it since then. There have been times when the planning gets to us but the main thing that gets us through it is that we are FINALLY getting married and spending the rest of our lives together.
Tell us what you’re looking forward to most on the wedding day.
Boomi: I am looking forward to Chi walking down the aisle, seeing how beautiful she is, and just basking in the fact that this is the person I am lucky to spend the rest of my life with. I can’t wait to be married to her.
Chi: I am looking forward to watching Boomi see me in my wedding dressing and reading our wedding vows, I hope our guests are ready for the waterworks lol.
Vendors
- Planner – MasterPlan Events – @masterplanevents
- Photographer – Tunji Studio – @tunjistudio
- Hair – Wenja Hair – @wenjahair
- Makeup – Darien Lois – @darienloisbeauty
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