Groom: Maurice, 33
Occupations: Lekia – Systems Engineer for ITT; Maurice – Strategic Management Six Sigma Master Black Belt Consultant for Deloitte.
Hometown: Silver Spring, MD
Wedding Date: April 30, 2011
Wedding Location: Punta Cana, Dominican Republic
A Change Of Plans
Back in April 2006, a single Lekia and her Michigan girlfriends were in need of a fantastic “girls only” getaway. With her friend April’s birthday fast approaching, the girls knew that it was the perfect excuse to take a mini vacation. They packed their bags and headed to Atlanta to enjoy a man-free weekend.
As the end of the trip quickly approached, the ladies went out for one last night on the town. They arrived at a club called South Beach and as they made their grand entrance, Lekia caught Maurice’s eye.
“My husband was about to leave the club when he saw me, changed his mind, and then approached me.”
The pair, who were clearly destined to lock eyes that very night, hit it off famously. After a lengthy conversation Maurice, who was living in Atlanta at the time, asked Lekia to take his business card with the hopes that she’d keep her word and call him. She did, and a beautiful long distance relationship was born.
Lost in Love
Though the distance between them wasn’t ideal, Lekia and Maurice were determined to spend time together. The next time they saw one another Lekia was hopping on a plane headed to Albany, New York, where Maurice lived.
“That night we took the train to New York City,” said Lekia. “On the way back, Maurice swore up and down he knew the routes of the train and where to go.”
As it turns out, he didn’t have a clue. He was too busy focused on the chemistry between him and Lekia.
“We wound up getting totally lost somewhere in NY and had to take a cab to catch the very last train that would take us back to Albany,” Lekia explains. “We kept making jokes the whole time we were in the cold trying to find our way back to his car. ”
It was that night that they truly fell in love.
Let The Church Say Amen
One Sunday morning Maurice accompanied Lekia to her hometown church in Detroit. As the two enjoyed the sermon, Lekia noticed the reverend headed Maurice’s way. Then, seemingly out of the blue, the pastor approached Maurice and told him that he hoped he’d one day take Lekia’s hand in marriage. He then turned to Lekia with a very special question.
“The reverend asked me if I wanted Maurice and only him,” says Lekia. “I said yes.”
What happened next Lekia couldn’t have imagined more perfectly. Maurice took the microphone and proclaimed his love for her before the entire congregation.
“I was shocked and crying; so was the whole church,” Lekia recalls. “Then everyone was screaming, ‘Open the box!’. I finally did and saw this gorgeous ring and wedding band.”
After that magic moment the planning of their dream wedding began. The couple hosted a beautiful tropical wedding weekend at the Riu Palace Resort in Punta Cana centered around a traditional ceremony before a jaw-dropping background.