Bride: Mary Johanna Jordan, 29, Sr. Internal Auditor, Operations
Groom: Alain-Bernard Pompilus, 29, Operational Improvement Manager
Married On: July 27, 2013
Ceremony Location: Olympia Resort & Spa, Oconomowoc, WI
Wedding Style: Traditional Elegance
When Can I See You Again?
True love really is worth the wait. It took Alain an entire year to find his way to Mary’s heart, and he never stopped trying to get her attention. They initially locked eyes in 2011 at an Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority party but Alain, an alpha, missed his chance to get to talk to her. Luckily, he was able to befriend one of Mary’s close friends that night, so a month later he attended a party at her house as a guest of her friend. This gave him another chance to make a lasting impression on the woman who was constantly on his mind. Alain was recovering from a sprained ankle at the time, but he limped on over to Mary’s place just the same, and she made sure he had a comfortable seat on her couch. Her hospitality and charm amazed him, but she was so busy hosting they didn’t have a chance to form a lasting connection. “It finally occurred to me that this woman was someone I had to know,” says Alain. “At this point, I even told our mutual friend that I was highly interested in getting to know Mary, but it just seemed that I missed the opportunity to make anything real happen.”
A Message From God
A year later, Mary’s friend told her that Alain was still very much interested in getting to know her better. Mary was busy working on a military base and felt she couldn’t be bothered with a man who wasn’t willing to make the first move. “I didn’t want to flirt, have to help him notice me or request him as a friend on Facebook first,” she admits. “I was so involved with God’s work on base. If he wanted to get to know me, he was going to have to pursue me.” She passed along a simple message for her friend to give Alain: “Tell him to do as the Spirit moves him to do.” She had no idea at the time, but that was exactly what Alain was waiting to hear. “At this stage in my life, I was prayerfully asking God about any person I considered to be in a relationship with,” says Alain. “I fasted and prayed about a wife. Days later, my friend told me that Mary said ‘do what the Spirit moves you to do.’ My single recurring prayer for years asked God for ‘my Spirit to recognize my wife’ and to be able to ‘move’ when it was right. I was so taken back.” The rest was history.
Meet Me In the Middle
Mary was on her third vacation from Afghanistan while serving as a US Contractor for the military. She had just visited Alain and was headed to LA to meet up with her girls in Fiji. Before leaving, Alain handed Mary an envelope with strict instructions not to open it until she departed Fiji. She ripped into the envelope before take-off and inside she found a list of her immediate family members with the words “yes” written next to their names and a picture of Alain wearing a cheese hat (she’s from Wisconsin!). “’If you trust me, when you arrive at the airport, exit and wait,” the note read. When she got to Dubai she did just that. Alain met her there and told her he had big plans for them.
Alain and Mary freshened up at a five-star, newly constructed high-rise hotel and then ventured out into the Dubai desert. After a sand dune ride, the driver approached two camels waiting with their guide while the sun was setting. After a 10-minute journey by camel, Mary noticed a small table set for two in the middle of the desert. There was an entire desert safari dining experience waiting just for them. After dining on dried figs, goat steak, grilled shrimp and wine, Alain began to tell Mary how he traveled to Milwaukee to ask each of her family members for her hand in marriage. She began to cry tears of joy and he asked the personal chef to snap a few photos as he popped the question. See their romantic outdoor wedding and share their love!
Photos: Janelle C. Photography
Bridal Bliss: Worth the Wait
Alain first laid eyes on Mary at an AKA party, but he missed his shot and left without saying hello. After a second failed attempt to get her attention, he prayed for clarity. Afterwards Mary was still the only woman on his mind. As you can see, he finally got the girl!