The couple: Olaide Aiyegbusi and Dapo Akingbade
Occupations: Clinical pharmacist and cyber security engineer
Wedding date: September 21, 2019
Number of guests: 380
Unique detail: A custom-styled bridal suite for glamour shots
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// A Fetching Detour
On the way to catch a flight to Arizona in February 2017, Olaide Aiyegbusi’s friends convinced her to stop by the home of a mutual acquaintance, Dapo Akingbade. According to Dapo, the pair had actually met at church one Sunday, and he had asked Olaide out, but she has no recollection of that interaction! Luckily, this time, Dapo made a stronger impression.
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// What Happens in Vegas
A month later, Dapo invited Olaide on their first date—a weekend in Vegas, where he was heading for a work conference. “The entire week before the trip, I was super paranoid,” Olaide says. “I almost cancelled, but, thankfully, Dapo was a perfect gentleman.” The couple dined at nice restaurants, enjoyed comedy and magic shows, and did a little partying. “The vibe was perfect,” Olaide adds.
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// Pink Church
From the moment she stepped into First & Franklin Presbyterian Church in Baltimore, Olaide knew she wanted to be married there. "The church is breathtakingly beautiful, and it worked out that the walls were blush," Olaide says. The bride walked down the aisle to Jamie Foxx's "Heaven," performed by vocalist Veronica Roy.
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// Not the Dress
In searching for the dress, Olaide knew she wanted two things: an overskirt and a simple silhouette. She initially scheduled consultations in Houston, Nigeria, and Ghana, before her planner Sade Okeowo directed her to Love Couture Bridal in Potomac, Maryland. “The [stylist] brought out four dresses, and I absolutely hated the first three,” Olaide says. “When I saw the last one, I told her, ‘You can take this back; it’s not my style,’” Olaide recalls. But the stylist insisted she try it on anyway. Reluctantly, Olaide agreed and 25 minutes later, she walked out of the shop, her mom’s face wet with happy tears, and the dream gown purchased.
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// The Magnificent Westin
Olaide and Dapo chose to get married at the Westin because of its flexibility and fantastic customer service. “From the first day we went there, they were so kind and accommodating,” Olaide says. “I wanted something a little different and the Westin provided that with their unique ceilings and light fixtures. I knew that with my great team of vendors, we were going to be able to transform the room into something magnificent.”
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// Hydrangea Chandelier
If Olaide’s personality is “Netflix and chill,” Dapo’s is “let’s party all night.” So, naturally, the couple planned a wedding with both moods in mind. For the first phase of the night, Olaide worked with Lush Couture Events to create a romantic, pink utopia. “I could not really describe how I wanted the venue to look, only the feeling I wanted myself, Dapo, and our guests to have when they walked in,” Olaide says. A jaw-dropping floral chandelier, made of hydrangeas, gardenias, and spray roses, took Sade and her team 90-plus hours to construct. To complement the look, Sade designed floral chargers, menu cards, and even a floral motif for the dance floor. Transformation number two came late into the evening, when Dapo donned a shimmery silver tux and Olaide rolled out in an epic floor-length gown.
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// 42 Tubers of Yam
Two days before their Westin reception, Dapo and Olaide, who are both from the Yoruba tribe in Nigeria, hosted an igbeyawo ceremony at the University of Maryland’s Samuel Riggs IV Alumni Center. “Unlike the white wedding, the traditional wedding is usually filled with bright, bold colors and attire,” Olaide explains. The families of the bride and groom sit directly in front of each other and the alaga, in a role similar to an emcee, coordinates the proceedings to ensure each provision of tradition is strictly adhered to, from the introduction of the bride and groom to the presentation of gifts, which include honey, lace, and yams. “There is usually no guest list for these ceremonies, so we ended up having 500+ attendees!” Olaide says.
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// The Details
The Church Wedding
Bridal suite: The Floral Guru // Bride’s hair: Hair by MicDiva // Bride’s makeup: LoNicely // Bride’s reception dress: NYC Fashion Boutique Custom // Bride’s robe: VTABi // Bride’s shoes: Tom Ford // Bride’s gown: Mark Zunino (designer) Love Couture Bridal (boutique) // Bridesmaid dresses: Styles by Cells // Ceremony venue: First and Franklin Presbyterian Church // Dessert: Rume Bakes // Florals: BCG Events // Groom’s shoes: Guiseppe Zanotti // Groom’s watch: Movado // Invitations: Appy Couple // Men’s attire: Enzo Custom // Music: DJ Phemstar // Photographer: Deji Adebayo of Zoomworx // Planning & design: Lush Couture Events // Reception venue: The Westin Annapolis // Videographer: IMG Artistry
The Traditional Nigerian Wedding
Backdrop: Flourishing Walls // Bride’s makeup: Makeup by Shandyy // Bride's headtie: Queen of Sags Signature // Bride’s jewelry: Remi Ige Divine Creative // Bride’s native wear: Aso oke by Bimmms24 // Bride’s second dress: Kristopher Aiyéh // Bride’s shoes: Betsey Johnson // // Bridesmaid dress fabric: The Fabric Consultant // Caterer: Solid Rock Catering // Dessert: Princess Cakes Artistry // Florals: Bella Fiori Flowers // Music: DJ Phemstar // Photographer: Deji Adebayo of Zoomworx // Planning & design: Lush Couture Events // Reception venue: Samuel Riggs IV Alumni Center // Videographer: IMG Artistry