Our very own Muna Coterie member, Darryl Lewis of Optikool illusions Photography, tied the knot in a luxurious multicultural wedding!
As Darryl is a photographer himself, the details were everything! And they spared no expense in making their wedding day an incredible experience.
Set on a private golf course in Wallace, North Carolina, Darryl and his bride-to-be, Tomi, worked with their wedding planner, DeVeilope Events, to create a beautiful wedding with an intimate outdoor patio ceremony as the sun set, classic lux decor, and numerous nods to the bride’s Nigerian culture. The couple’s green and white color palette especially payed tribute to Tomi’s background, representing the Nigerian flag.
Other highlights include a delectable white and gold wedding cake, dancing on a cloud at their reception, and partying through the night to a blend of Nigerian and Afro beats by DJ Ceekay Soundz.
More details on their love story and their luxurious multicultural wedding below!
- Couple: Darryl Lewis & Tomilola
- Occupations: Darryl is a Photographer and Tomilola
Quick Facts:
- Location of Wedding: Wallace, NC
- Date of Wedding: Oct 03, 2021
- Venue: Rever Landing Golf Course
How they met (according to Tomi)…
My first interaction with Darryl happened during a get together with some of our class mates at a famous wings spot in town, right before pharmacy school started. I am not a huge fan of social gatherings and that must have been evident on my face because Darryl walked up to me and asked me if I was having fun, and when I said “yes!”, he said “no you’re not, why are you lying” and we both burst out laughing.
At our pharmacy school, seats are usually chosen on the first day of class and then kept throughout the school year, so it was important to select the best seat on the first day of class. As a group we all discussed where we would like to sit in the classroom, and strategized on how early to get there on the first day to secure those seats. The area that Darryl described was in the general vicinity that I wanted to sit. So when I got to the classroom the next morning and he wasn’t there yet, I saved him a seat next to me. When he got there he was surprised but appreciative that I had saved him a seat. To this day, he thinks I saved him a seat because I was in love with him from the very beginning, but I was just being a nice person!
A few weeks later…
A few weeks later, the class went to ride Go-Karts as a form of team building. At this time, I only had a learners permit and did not actually know how to drive. But I was sure a Go-kart would be nothing like a car, so I got in one and tried to drive it……..and found out exactly how wrong I was about that! But if I didn’t know it, Darryl was gonna make sure I did. All I heard was rambunctious laughter coming from the pit of his stomach. He could not stop laughing at me as I crashed into the walls and other cars. At some point I had to be helped out and redirected by one of the go-kart attendants. Needless to say, I was quite embarrassed at the end of it all.
So to make up for the fact the he was laughing at me the entire time, Darryl offered to teach me how to drive. It was on those drives that I got to know Darryl’s hilarious, intelligent, kind, and sweet nature. We talked about anything and everything and really got to know each other. In the front seats of Darryl’s Honda Accord and in the third row of Kerr Hall we built a beautiful friendship that years later turned into an amazing relationship.
How they met (according to Darryl)…
Thanks for taking the time to read Tomi’s “version” of how it all started. I welcome you all to the opportunity to hear to the truth about our love. Our story began when discussing amongst a group of classmates our desired seat on the first day of pharmacy school at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. This was major because the culture proved that where someone sat on Day 1 would be the location they sat for the next four years. I shared my desire to sit on the 3rd row of the left side of the classroom in the aisle seat. Days later, I would wake up before dawn to capture my seat before my classmates who were showing up at 6AM for an 8AM class.
A pleasant surprise…
To my surprise, I was met with a smiling face on the third row, 1 seat over from the aisle. It was Tomi! It wasn’t until 2 years in our journey that I realized she has been eyeing me for a long time. She told me that she remembered the first thing I had ever told her days before school began. We were at the House in Durham, NC where I saw a beautiful introvert seemingly not enjoying the loud music and line dancing. I asked “Are you having fun?” She responded “Yes” and after I acknowledged I could tell she wasn’t being honest, we shared a laugh.
From then, she set out to trap me by saving my seat haha. If you don’t believe just ask, what person can you remember the first words of? Thank You! She may deny it, be we all know it is the truth. I am happy to say that those efforts led us to a great friendship and relationship to come. She gravitated to my charming personality and endless moments of laughter and I knew from then on, I had her. Tomi has truly been a blessing in my life. She is the most beautiful, intelligent and driven woman I have ever met. I am looking forward to our forever and am grateful that you all will be able to share it with us.
Wedding attire…
Custom designs from Dapper Couture allowed our wedding party to look top notch! With the color palette of green and white, both our groomsmen and bridesmaids wore green. The groom and groomsmen also wore red bottoms to add the finishing touch of class. The bride’s Dress was purchased at New Your Bride Raleigh
Their first look…
The proposal…
The proposal took place on the day of our graduation, at our graduation party. Convincing Tomi to have a joint graduation party so that we could be together, Darryl was able to do a surprise proposal in the presence of both families.
Inspiration & cultural elements…
Our wedding was designed by Deveilope Events. Our color palette consisted of green and white. These colors are also represented in the Nigerian flag where Green represents natural wealth and white represents peace.
The ceremony…
Decor details…
Our wedding was designed to take advantage of natural beauty of our venue and our chosen color palette. Our ceremony took place under the covered patio of the venue with the beauty of the sunset taken place during the ceremony. The green columns of the venue truly brought together the color theme. For our reception we pulled in white and gold for a clean and classic looks.
Reception space…
Floral details…
The florals at our wedding were everything! With flowers literally coming down from the chandeliers, it truly felt like heaven in the building.
Portraits…
Favorite wedding day moments…
Dancing on the cloud with the sparks was one of our favorite moments. Being able to just focus on each other and take in the day was truly amazing. Our wedding cake was mind blowing. Our custom white and gold cake truly demanded attention in the room!
What was the most anticipated or special moment of your wedding day?
The reception was the most exciting portion of the day. Bringing together two cultures allowed us to truly party all night. Ceekay Soundz did an amazing job incorporating Nigerian music throughout the reception. We partied from the first song to the last. Being surrounded by vendors that we trusted truly made our wedding day flow beautifully. Being that Darryl is a wedding photographer, we were able to work with vendors that were all very familiar to us.
Do you have any wedding planning or marriage advice that you’d like to share with other couples planning their day?
We encourage all couples to work with a wedding planner. Assistance keeping track of the details for your big day are very important! Involve your photographer and videographer in the planning of your timeline. This can help ensure you get the type of imagery that you fell in love with when selecting those vendors.
Looking for more luxurious multicultural wedding inspiration?
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Vendors:
- Design and Decor: De’Veilope Events
- Florist: De’Veilope Events
- Photographer: Optikool Illusions
- Second Shooter: Max Res Photography
- Videographer: Chaz Ried Films
- DJ/Entertainment: Ceekay Soundz
- Cake: De’Veilope Events
- Brides Dress: New York Bride and Groom of Raleigh
- Groom and Groomsmen Attire: Dapper Couture
- Venue: River Landing Golf Course in North Carolina
- Violinist: Kimberly Michelle Music
- Make Up Artist: Doll Faces By Lauretta
- Barber: Upper Echelon Grooming
- Bride’s Hair Stylist: Studio 208
Stunning orange color palette. Thank you!