Pierrette & Andrew

from Black Bride Magazine: 2018 Winter Issue

Be Camera Ready on Your Wedding Day

Pierrette and Andrew met on a dating website and have been together for one and half years. Upon receiving a request, Andrew noticed Pierrette was from the Congo, so he replied with a simple greeting in her native language in hopes of impressing her. It worked, and she responded immediately. They ended up talking nonstop the entire night. The next morning, Pierrette thought Andrew wasn’t going to call her back. But of course, he called, and they spent the whole day talking again. They have been growing closer and closer each day ever since.

The Proposal {Her Story}

We knew we had something special from the beginning. The engagement was just a formality. After several months of dating, Andrew followed traditional Congolese custom and proposed to me in front of both our family and friends. My most memorable moment was when I walked into the room to be formally introduced while wearing a traditional African dress. After my family accepted Andrew’s marriage proposal, he got down on his knees and proposed to me with a beautiful ring.

The Proposal {His Story}

As our relationship progressed, Pierrette explained Congolese marriage traditions to me. The more I learned, the more excited I got about marrying her. The process involved organizing a presentation ceremony for both families to meet and show their approval and support of our marriage.

We all rendezvoused from different parts of the country in Columbia and it was such a whirlwind weekend. We all flew in for just a few hours one Saturday evening and then returned to our respective cities the next day. Though it was a just a few hours, the importance of the meeting was what made it so special. Having my family there as I proposed to Pierrette in front of her family really was an incredible feeling and I can't wait for the wedding day.

Q: What makes your love special?

A: We share the same values and goals and we genuinely enjoy each other’s company no matter what we do. We also have a mutual passion for music and a strong spiritual connection.

Q: What was the theme of your shoot?

A: Classic Romance.

Q: Were there any memorable moments during the shoot?

A: The whole shoot was memorable to us because it was our first professional photoshoot together. Our photographer was amazing, and she helped us with poses since we had never done it before. We were really impressed with how many gorgeous shots she got.

Q: Have you started planning your wedding?

A: We started planning our wedding as soon as we got engaged. Most of the major things are completed. We’re just working on some final details.

Q: What are you most looking forward to about your wedding? Celebrating our love with family and friends, spending time together, and dancing all night. We are very excited that many of her family members will be coming from back home.