Nde & Jinna Love Story

I was living in Atlanta, content and busy with my life, while Jinna was in Dallas, navigating her own world. Little did we know, our paths were about to cross in the most unexpected way.

Our story begins with a wedding in Lubbock. Jinna’s mother insisted she attend, despite Jinna's numerous excuses to avoid it. With a hint of resignation and humor, Jinna told her mom, “Now that you’re forcing me to go, I better find my husband at this wedding.”

On November 5, 2021, at my cousin's wedding, fate played its hand. The night before the wedding, everyone gathered at my uncle's house for the welcome party and traditional rites. From across the room, I saw Jinna. Her beauty left me speechless and a bit nervous.

In true fashion, I waited for the perfect moment. When she got up from her chair, I seized the opportunity and sat next to her seat. As she returned, I introduced myself and, with the confidence typical of an African man, I told her she would be my wife.

The very next day, we discovered another incredible coincidence—we were both heading to Costa Rica the following month. She was going for leisure with her homegirl, and I was going for work and to celebrate my birthday. We decided to merge our plans and turn the trip into a grand adventure. I even invited one of my friends to join the fun.

Costa Rica brought us closer than ever. The shared experiences and unforgettable moments solidified our bond. After returning, we couldn’t stay away from each other. The next month, I visited her in Texas, and the month after, she visited me in Atlanta. With each visit, our connection deepened.

Our journey from that wedding in Lubbock to our continuous travels and visits has been nothing short of magical. Each moment together has strengthened our love and commitment, leading us to where we are today.

So, I decided to plan a surprise trip for Jinna, and she had absolutely no idea where we were headed. About three months before the trip, I let slip that one of our destinations was Egypt. Then, I added a twist by telling her the second spot was Morocco and even shared the names of the "hotels" we’d be staying at. She was completely in the dark about our real destination: Tanzania!

When we were flying from Egypt, she was super confused when we stopped in Tanzania. I casually mentioned it was just a layover. Little did she know, I had everything planned with the lodge in Tanzania. The lodge staff played along perfectly, saying they had a special welcome surprise for us in the jungle. In reality, they were leading us to the proposal spot. Jinna was beyond surprised—it was such a beautiful moment!

We are still in the planning phases

Photographer: @baltson3

Designer: @sinyatidecor