Maisha and Jason's Sleek Urban Garden Wedding in North Carolina -Munaluchi Bride

Following Thanksgiving of 2014, Maisha’s friend had been encouraging her to meet this guy she thought Maisha might connect with. Initially on the fence, Maisha finally agreed to go out as group to meet Jason. After everyone was introduced Maisha and Jason began a casual conversation and very quickly hit it off. So much so that they were on their first date just a few day later. They soon came to realize how much they had in common, and all of the friend and family connections they shared. The sparks were flying and it wouldn’t be long before their hearts became…

Read all about Maisha & Jason’s love story, proposal, and experiences in their sleek, urban garden wedding in North Carolina – captured by MunaLuchi Coterie member In His Image Photography.

Bride & Groom: Maisha & Jason
Occupations: Television Producer/Children’s Book Author & Executive Director – Healthcare Management
Wedding date: August 31st 2018
Wedding location: Durham, NC

How did you meet? It was the Saturday after Thanksgiving 2014. My best friend, had been wanting me to meet “this guy” for a few months. She told me all his attributes, including he was a star football player at UNC- Chapel Hill. I immediately gathered he was full of himself and this could not possibly go anywhere. She planned for us to meet, but all I wanted to do that night was play scrabble on my phone. So after much debate, I agreed to head out to Top of the Hill in Chapel Hill, NC with my sister and best friend. When we got to the lounge, it was super crowded filled with Carolina alumni and students. We made our way to the outdoor patio where Jason and his friends were sitting. A round of introductions were exchanged and from there Jason and I hit it off. We went on our first date a few days later. We soon learned that we led parallel lives, in that we both went to rival high schools, our parents knew each other at North Carolina Central University, our mother’s worked together at the same retail store, and we shared several mutual friends. We were destined to meet and the rest is history!

Tell us about your proposal: It was early afternoon Christmas 2017. Jason fixed some of my favorites for breakfast- pancakes, bacon, and MIMOSAS! Leading up to Christmas, he kept saying he didn’t get me anything. Which was fine, because I still got him a few gifts. After he cleaned up the kitchen he asked if I was ready to open presents. After he opened his gifts from me, he told me to wait in the bedroom. I’m thinking, what is going on?! I come back into the living room and it’s full of nicely wrapped boxes. The first box consisted of 3 books, “What to Expect When You’re Expecting”, “The Knot: Wedding Planner”, and “The Knot” magazine. I immediately yelled out, “We pregnant?! Whose pregnant?!”. He just laughed and passed me the next gift. I was confused. The next gift was an elephant ring holder, which had a fake ring on it. I was still confused about these gifts. Jason is very black and white, no grey, so I was taking the gifts for what they were; books and a trinket! Then, Jason reached into a drawer, pulled out a red box, and got on one knee. While I was crying and losing my breath, Jason asked, “Would you give me the honor of being my wife and spend the rest of your life with me?”. I said, “Yes”.

Wedding style: We wanted to find a space that incorporated the New York “city life” and the plush, natural beauty of North Carolina. Our theme was Sleek Urban Garden. Utilizing The Cotton Room’s exposed brick and wood floors, we had subtle hints of champagne, blush, ecru, navy, gold, and various shades of green…We wanted the alter to have falling greenery, so we worked with Fresh Affairs to dream up the perfect look. Greenery was displayed along with glassware and floating candles throughout every table during the reception…I love gold, so the standout tables were donned in gold chargers, gold tall flower stands, gold forks, gold knives, and gold-rimmed water & wine glasses- ALL GOLD EVERYTHING!

Did you incorporate any culture into your wedding? Yes! Libation in African cultures is a ritual of heritage. A drink offering to honor and please the Creator, our sacred ancestors, humans present and not present, as well as the environment. We love to have a great time, honor our passed relatives, and celebrate with our family and friends. On the bottom of our invitations, it read “love, laughter, and libations to follow”.
We are big on family. The unity candle symbolized the joining of our families as one.
The jumping of the broom was a must. I was at my mother’s home looking up broom ideas online. I began to tell her about how I needed to buy and decorate a broom. She stepped away for a moment and came back with a broom we’ve had in our home since the ’80’s! It was perfect. My mother throws nothing away- THANK GOD! I later enlisted Letta (the bestie that introduced Jason and I) for her design expertise. Letta is the ultimate design aficionado; she can make and do anything! It was exactly what I wanted; white and blush roses, and the handle was wrapped in silk ribbon. It was truly made with love and from the heart.

Favorite item on the menu: miniature shrimp & grits and lamb pop hors d’oeuvres.
Entrance song: “Apesh*t” by The Carters

What is your fondest memory from your wedding day? Seeing Jason at the altar was the most anticipated moment. We’ve been planning this day for months and here it was. We knew that once we saw each other, everything would be perfect and fall into place. Our fondest memory was sitting at the sweetheart table and looking at our loved ones laugh and be happy for us. We were truly happy the entire day. After we went to our hotel room at the JB Duke Hotel, we sat up for hours reflecting on our love-filled day full of family and friends.

What is the best wedding advice you can give to engaged couples? Planning for a wedding is a team effort; take your time, be patient, be open to suggestions and be sure to delegate. Do not lose sight of the purpose of your day, which should be your union under God and your life together!