5 Years Later...Jennifer & Ivan's Vow Renewals

Their paths came close many times long before they met, their families were close friends and they both went to the same secondary school however, their destined meeting didn't happen till 2001 when Jennifer attended Ivan's fathers wake keeping in Staten Island.

“The next day I received a phone call from him and the calls just kept coming, as many as 100 a day! What can I say, he was persistent. It all paid off when he enlisted help from my sister Linda and her husband Nonso to get me interested on the first date and the rest is history. ” - Jennifer

Ivan made his intentions clear when he proposed six years later on Christmas day.

"We were all downstairs opening up our presents. I turned to hand him his present and he got down on one knee and said “I want to spend the rest of my life with you”, of course I said Yes, Yes, and Yes. A few months later we had a quiet and private ceremony at the courthouse."

Five years later, they renewed their vows in a grand way with friends and family at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Glyndon, MD.

Jennifer's Tip for Future Brides:
A lot women told me that it would be a time of temptation. I did not understand it until I started the actual planning and temptations were hitting me left and right. I learned it was time for me to up the prayers and just take time to concentrate on me. Everyone had an opinion and the more family members and hubby tried to “help” the more stressed I was. It was extremely important to have a planner and decorator to alleviate some of that stress and at the end of the day it was beautiful and well worth it.

Vendor List

Venue: Martin’s West, 6817 Dogwood rd, Baltimore, MD, 21244
+1 (410) 944 9433

Planner: BCG events (Addie Akhionbare) www.bcgevents.com
+1 (443) 983 9532

Decorator: Garden of Eden Itl (Bola Okeowo) www.gardenofedenintl.com

Photographer: George Okorie, www.george.okorie@gmail.com
+1 (202) 213 1099

Cake: SugarBakers: shop@sugarbakerscakes.com
+1 (410) 788 9478

Congratulations Jennifer and Ivan on this important landmark. Wishing you many more decades of love!


Album Photo Credit: George Okori
Written by Sugar Weddings