Letisha and Melvin’s love story begins during college when they both worked for Express Clothing. It was during a Fall Line meeting that they made their first connection, and though that initial encounter was full of “great conversation” it would be some time before their work schedules matched up and only by chance as Melvin was filling in for a fellow co-worker. During that shift they would exchanged numbers and as Letisha puts it, “our friendship quickly blossomed to romance and we’ve been inseparable for the past 10 years.”
Read all about Letisha & Melvin’s love story, romantic beach proposal, and wedding plans in this historic theater engagement session in Birmingham, Alabama – with event planning by MunaLuchi Coterie member ValiaRose Events, and Makeup Artistry by Coterie member Marliceia Chavers Artistry.
Bride & Groom-to-be: Letisha & Melvin
Occupations: Letisha – Physician & Melvin – CEO of Ralpheal Renee and Retail Specialist at Nordstrom
Wedding Date: 07/29/2017
Wedding Location: Huntsville, Alabama
Location of Engagement Shoot: Birmingham, Alabama –The Lyric Theatre and The Club
Tell us how you met and all about the proposal. Melvin (MJ) and I met working at Express Clothing Store while we were in college. Although Melvin had been working there for almost two years, and I had only been there for a few months, we had never crossed paths. One afternoon we had a mandatory storewide meeting to present the new Fall line. All of my friends were participating in a fashion show for the meeting, so I didn’t really have anyone to talk to, until MJ walked in and sat by me. Something about his aurora drew me in and we talked throughout the meeting. Although, we had a great conversation, he didn’t ask for my number which initially shocked me, because I thought we had really hit it off. So for the next several weeks, I faithfully checked the schedule, but we were never working at the same time. I almost gave up, until one day we finally ended up working the same shift after he decided to cover for someone. After reconnecting, he asked me for my number, and we became fast friends. Our friendship quickly blossomed to romance and we’ve been inseparable for the past 10 years.
The Proposal: Melvin and I have spent the majority of our relationship long distance. The first three years, we were both living in Birmingham, Alabama while I finished school. However due to my training we had to live apart for the next seven years. Although, we were often asked by friends and family why we were waiting to get married, we both felt comfortable where we were as a couple and wanted to wait until it was the right time for us. Melvin had planned one of his normal trips to come visit me in Florida. After arriving in the city, we spent the day just hanging out as per usual. In true Florida fashion, it kept raining intermittently throughout the day. Although I was used to this, I could tell MJ was very anxious about it. He mentioned that he wanted us to go the beach after dinner and was concerned that the weather would ruin that. Thankfully, the rain quickly subsided and we were able to take a walk on the beach. After walking and reminiscing for awhile, he abruptly stopped, took my hand and proposed. It was perfect!
Describe your engagement session. We decided to shoot in Birmingham, Alabama in the city where we first met. We wanted our engagement shoot to be elegant and romantic. Our planner helped us find the Lyric Theatre, which had been recently renovated, to capture our vision. It served as a beautiful and unique stage for us to showcase our love. We ended our session, with a nighttime shoot overlooking the city on the terrace of a private club.
What did you do on your first date? Melvin and I actually differ on our opinions of what was actually our first date. He considers our first date to be an impromptu ice cream outing, because it was the first time that we went somewhere together. However, I consider our first date to be a few weeks later, when he took me to dinner and movie.
What’s your favorite thing to do as a couple? Some of our favorite things to do as a couple are to shop and try new restaurants. I’m fortunate to be marrying a man who is in the fashion industry and doesn’t mind spending the day looking at the latest fashions. We also love trying new foods, and have made a goal to try a new restaurant each week.
How has wedding planning been so far? The planning process has been a fun, exciting experience, and essentially stress free. I knew one of the first things we needed to do was hire a planner. With us planning a wedding in my hometown, a place neither of us presently lived, I knew we would need help. We happened to come across a ValiaRose Event online that took our breath away. After Melvin and I met with Joanna, we were thoroughly impressed by her knowledge, passion, and genuine excitement for us. Not only has she been able to creatively execute our vision, she is always accessible, making us feel like we are her only clients. So far, I can honestly say that this is the best investment we have made thus far and the ValiaRose team has already surpassed our expectations.
Tell us what you’re looking forward to most on the wedding day. We are both looking forward to celebrating our love with our close friends and family. Melvin and I both have large families that live all over the U.S., so our wedding is going to feel like a huge joint family reunion. We both have been very active in planning the details of our wedding and we hope that everyone who attends will be able to feel our excitement and love throughout the entire day.
Vendors:
Planner – Joanna Sheppard of ValiaRose Events
Photographer – Neville Simpson Photography
Stylist – Ralpheal Renee
Makeup – Marliceia Chavers Artistry
Hair – Marliceia Chavers Artistry and Jude Andrepont (Creative Hands Artistry)
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