Lenore and Adegoke (aka Goke) weren’t looking for love when they were first introduced at a professional happy hour. Their first date didn’t exactly go as planned, as Goke had to leave early. However, their second chance came when they reconnected at a birthday party three years later. “By that time I lived in Los Angeles,” said Lenore. “He had to fly across the country to take me on another date.”
Three years into their relationship, Adegoke relocated back to New York to be with Goke. Shortly before Christmas, as the couple cozied up to some takeout, Goke dropped one knee and asked for Lenore’s hand in marriage. Through uncontrollable tears, she said yes.
Immediately the couple decided on an Atlanta wedding because of their family ties and also the city’s international airport which would be convenient for Goke’s family in Nigeria. After searching through 12 different venues, the historic Georgian Terrace ballroom stood apart. “I was an indecisive and nonchalant bride about most things,” says Lenore. “My planner Khiara kept me on a track.”
Scroll through the gallery to see the most beautiful moments from Lenore and Goke’s Atlanta wedding.
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01
Meet The Adedirans
Bride: Lenore Cooke, screenwriter, 34
Groom: Adegoke “Goke” Adediran, quantitative developer, 35
Venue: The Georgian Terrace, Atlanta, GA
Theme: A merging of cultures
Photography: Craig Obrist
Videography: Alexander Oshifodunrin of Love In Motion Films
Wedding Planner: Khiara Cureton of The Fete Loft
Wedding Dress: Galia Lahav from Bridal Reflections in Manhattan
Bride’s Shoes: Manolo Blahnik
Groom’s Tux: Custom from Thailand
Groom’s Shoes: Hugo Boss
Groomsmen Tuxedos: The Groomsman Suit
Bridesmaid’s Gowns: David’s Bridal
Bride’s Makeup: Tameka Blackshir
Bride’s Hair: Kristi Clark
Bridal Party Makeup: Joann Weatherall
Bridal Party Hair: Monica Hymes
DJ: DJ Bluue
Harpist: Julie Koenig
MC: Dami Olatunde
Floral & Design: Christine Crowley
Flower Girls Dresses: Lily Bridal Shop
Bridal Veil & Blusher: Affordable Elegance Bridal
Cake: Jeff Schwerzler @FrostedPumpkinCakes
Photo Booth: Red Carpet Express
Wedding Favors: @Pinship
Invitations: Minted
Traditional Nigerian Gele/Ipele: Okunola Tinuola @tcubecreations
Traditional Nigerian Lace: Amdat Fashion
02
Be Our Guest
Lenore and Goke hosted their rehearsal dinner and Nigerian welcome reception at the Georgian Terrace the Friday night before the wedding.
03
One For The Man Upstairs
The bride and her bridal party joined in prayer before the festivities kicked off.
04
Finishing Touches
Lenore gets all glammed up before getting dressed.
05
Smiles All Around
"The day of the wedding, I was surrounded by my girls in the bridal suite, and we played lots of Beyoncé & Destiny’s Child as we were getting ready," says Lenore. "That definitely put me in the mood to party."
06
The Blushing Bride
Lenore's wedding dress was designed by Galia Lahav. "I had been gushing over this designer for years but never imagined I’d actually walk down the aisle in one," she says. "It is a two-piece, so I can wear the bodice again if I like. From the moment I put it on, I didn’t want to take it off."
07
Priceless!
Lenore's moment with the flower girls was priceless.
08
Long Distance Love
"I certainly was not expecting to find true love the way I did," says Goke. "Our first date was a disaster. We didn’t have any real communication for three years, at which point she had moved to LA while I was still in New York. Our second next serendipitous encounter was at a nightclub. I was very persistent over the next few days and finally got her to agree to a date in Los Angeles - 3,000 miles away."
09
The Sound Of Love
The couple's harpist played Wagner’s “Bridal Chorus from Lohengrin” as Lenore's father walked her down the aisle.
10
Two Families Become One
Goke's parents walked down the aisle looking like royalty.
11
Lenore And Goke Forever
The couple exchanged vows in front of 144 guests.
12
All Eyes On Her
"It felt great to marrying the love of my life," says Goke who stood in awe of his bride at the altar.
13
Our Ancestors' Wildest Dreams
"With all the turmoil and racial tension that’s going on in our country, it was not lost on us that Hattie McDaniel, the first African-American woman to win an Academy Award in 1939, was denied entrance to her 'Gone with the Wind' premiere reception hosted in the very ballroom Goke and I recited our vows to each other. We are truly the manifestation of our ancestor’s wildest dreams."
14
Just Married
Congrats to the happy couple!
15
Classic Style
Lenore's bridesmaid Aisha, a fashion buyer, styled the bridal party. "I chose navy dresses for the colors I let the girls decide which design they wanted," says Lenore. "Aisha found David’s bridal to be a great price point economically as well as unifying in the style of dresses offered. We wanted simple black tuxedos for the men."
16
Fit For A King And Queen
The couple's grand venue took our breath away.
17
Man Of My Dreams
"I love Goke’s consistency and his relentless drive," says Lenore. "He is always learning. He never gives up, including his pursuit of me and our relationship."
18
Elegant Décor
Lenore and Goke's florist designed three different heights for the centerpieces. There were large arrangements on pedestals, candelabras, and fresh flowers throughout the ballroom.
19
Grand Entrance
The Georgian Terrace used the cocktail hour to flip the ceremony room into a reception space, and the couples were pleased.
20
A Room Full Of Love
Lenore And Goke loved watching their family have a good time.
21
Soak In The Moment
"I learned that as much planning that goes into the it (and there’s a lot of planning) the actual wedding day goes by so quickly that you must focus to be present at every moment. Otherwise, you’ll miss it," says Lenore
22
Four Layers Of Flavor
The couple's gorgeous wedding cake was a four-tier vanilla genoise round cake filled with lemon and raspberry mousse and iced with swiss buttercream.
23
Bling Bling
Now that's how you do it!
24
Time Of Our Lives
"Becoming a bride was the most fun I’ve ever had," says Lenore
25
Lenore's Advice To Brides
"The only advice I would give is to make your wedding day your own. Several well-meaning people will have input on what/who/how/when you should do lots of things but, it’s you and your partner’s day -- everyone else’s opinions don’t matter. You deserve to have the day you’ve always dreamed of."
26
Dream Day
"Our wedding felt surreal," says Goke. "Everything was so grand and beautiful. I’m truly thankful, especially because our wedding was two weeks before the COVID-19 crisis started."
27
Bright Lights
The couple stepped out to take photos in front of the famous Fox Theatre in Midtown Atlanta.
28
A Whole New World
Luckily, Lenore and Goke caught a flight to their honeymoon just before the pandemic struck in the United States. "We explored Zurich, Dubai and Abu Dhabi for our honeymoon," they said. "It was truly magical and a whole new world."
