Nakia Lumpkin, 29, met Tega McKinney, 29, at an office training program. They were instantly attracted to each others’ energy, and once their business ties ended, a whirlwind romance ensued. Ten months after their first date, Tega popped the question during a romantic beach getaway by sending Nakia a link to a website he made just for them that read: “Nakia Denise Lumpkin: Will you marry me?” The happy couple will be married this fall. Share their love!
The morning after their first date, Nakia phoned her sister to tell her she knew Tega was “the one” she was meant to spend her life with, and she couldn’t believe how sure she felt. He must have known a little something too; he couldn’t even wait a year to ask Nakia to be his wife.
“The most exciting part about being engaged is knowing that you are sharing the rest of your life with someone very special,” says Nakia. “Every day is an experience, trying to continuously learn each other and fall more in love with one another with each passing day.”
After meeting Nakia, Tega called a good friend to tell him all about his “wife-to-be.” He says there was just something he felt inside at the time that made him just want to get closer to her.
Nakia and Tega’s relationship was first tested when she was laid off unexpectedly. “I was used to being an independent woman and running my own show, then suddenly I needed support in more ways than one,” she says. “I had the support of a man who believed in me and took the time to be encouraging and build me back up in my biggest moment of self-doubt.”
“We’re both Southern, family-oriented, and enjoy experiencing other cultures,” Nakia tells us. “Which is something we look forward to doing more of after the wedding.”
“Luckily, we are like two peas in a pod when it comes to what to do on date night,” says Nakia. “It may seem boring to some, but we love getting cozy on the couch with a movie, good food and a bottle of wine.”
“We are definitely very close with each others’ friends and family,” Nakia says, though she admits her sister teased Tega for not telling her about his plans to propose beforehand. “We’re like one big blended family.”
“He loves that I’m super cute, wicked smart, and the best woman he’s ever dated,” Nakia playfully says. Tega, it seems, is equally confident in what he has to offer the woman he loves. “She loves that I’m exceedingly debonair, a computer geek meets fashion buff and the most domesticated man ever,” he jokes.
“I love that she’s creative and puts family first,” explains Tega, who made sure to get Nakia’s parents’ approval before asking for her hand in marriage.
All women look for comfort and balance in the perfect partner, and Nakia’s certain she has found that in Tega, who she says, “Is caring, and really keeps me grounded.”
