"When Worlds Harmonize" - Nkoyo and Rhevon's Scenic Atlanta Engagement -Munaluchi Bride

When worlds collide sometimes they harmonize, and for Nkoyo and Rhevon this certainly proved to be true. Having “bumped into each other in the foyer” of their apartment complex, this meeting of what seemed to be pure chance would positively alter the rest of their lives – developing into an “unconditional love” carrying them “through the good times and bad.”

After a year of planning the ideal approach, Rhevon would propose to Nkoyo before God in a most romantic manner perfectly befitting their love for each other.

Continue reading all about the details of their love story and romantic proposal below!

Bride-to-be: Nkoyo Effiong
Groom-to-be: Rhevon Lewis
Wedding date: 10/7/2016
Engagement Session Location: Atlanta, GA
Occupations: Nkoyo – Attorney, Rhevon – Certified Nuclear Medicine Technologist

Tell us how you met and all about the proposal: We met in the Summer of 2008 right around the time that Usain Bolt broke out in record speed. We were in the clubhouse of the apartment complex where we both happened to live. I was studying for the LSAT and Rhevon was leaving the gym (in the worst outfit I have ever seen). We bumped into each other in the foyer after I interrupted his conversation with the front desk clerk. In an attempt to be polite, I struck up casual conversation where Rhevon, being the proud Jamaican that he is, told me he was from the same parish as Usain Bolt. He claims my eyes lit up. I doubt it. I don’t how he got my phone number but here we are today. Interestingly, Rhevon saved the date we met in his phone because he thought it was special. We celebrate that date as our anniversary each year.

Proposal: We have been together for a long time. Along the way, there have been a number of moments where Nkoyo thought we were getting engaged. Around the time I proposed, engagements were a sensitive subject. I always wanted our engagement to be memorable, meaningful and romantic. I wanted Nkoyo to be excited and proud while at the same time staying authentic to myself and our identity as a couple. For over a year I planned and designed the perfect ring but that’s all that was perfect about this process. I was nervous and had no idea how I was going to propose up to two days before. Go figure, She says, “I fly by the seat of my pants!” Every idea I came up with seemed corny until I got to the core of my emotions. God being the source of love and such an important member of both our lives, it seemed natural that we start the next chapter of our lives building on that foundation. So, I decided to ask Nkoyo to marry me at the altar of our church on Sunday May 31st 2015. There was one problem. We stayed out really late with friends the night before I was planning to propose. We woke up twelve minutes before the service was supposed to start. Nkoyo suggested we go to a later service or even a different church but I was adamant that we go to our usual service at our home church. By the time we got there, we were pretty late and Nkoyo was very clearly frustrated with me. Not easily deterred, when the service ended, I took her before the altar and explained to her that there were two constants in my life–my faith and her. She, like Christ, demonstrated unconditional love for me. She was always there through the good times and bad. I got down on one knee and asked her to marry me. She cried.

Describe your engagement session: Our engagement session was amazing. Fola did a great job capturing us as we are: a little edgy, competitive with lots of cultural pride, and insanely in love with each other. We also got to include Rhevon‘s son, which was really special to us. It was our first family photo shoot. We just wanted to highlight who we are, what we admire about each other and our love for “Hotlanta.”

What did you do on your first date: Oh our first date! We went to the movies to watch the latest Tyler Perry movie. Unbeknownst to us, everyone had the same idea. By the time we arrived, there were no seats together so we ended up sitting separately. Rhevon would periodically come down from his seat to check if I was all right.

What’s your favorite thing to do as a couple? Tease each other and compete over random things. Whether we are in the house or out and about, we just like to share each other’s company and a joke or two.

How has wedding planning been so far? First and foremost, our wedding planner, Robyne is magical. She and my mother have really gone to work making sure we have an affair to remember. Rhevon and I really wanted to have a multicultural wedding highlighting not only our style but our respective food, music and traditions. This includes incorporating a traditional Efik ceremony on the same day. To pull off a truly authentic event, there were a lot of details and vendors to engage. Robyne took on the challenge and has really helped us bring our vision to life. She also helped us find vendors of color whose businesses we were happy to patronage.

Tell us what you’re looking forward to most on the wedding day: Seeing who cries first!!! All jokes aside — though I am confident Rhevon is going to “ugly cry” when he sees me come down the aisle — we are really excited to have our family and friends in the same room with us as we take this step. It is going to be amazing to share our love with so many people who love and support us as a couple.