A Date Night Turned Surprise Proposal! Oge & Chudi’s Sweet #BNBling

Oge had absolutely no idea that her lover, Chudi was planning to pop the big question. I mean the day started off with a limousine ride to get their couple massage and then they headed on a shopping spree. She even got to pick her outfit for the proposal without knowing and then they went on to have dinner later in the day. It felt like a perfect date as she was taking in pictures of the venue when Chudi hit her with the surprise.

How We Met
By the Photographer, Nana Annan Photography

Chudi initially noticed Oge in 2016 in an elevator at a hotel in Chicago during Umu Igbo Unit (UIU), an annual conference celebrating Nigerian Igbo culture, but he did not speak to her then. A year later, at the same event in Los Angeles, Chudi’s sisters entered him into a charity date auction, and Oge, impressed by what she saw, took a picture of his profile and forgot about it. A month later, he came up as a friend suggestion on Instagram so she figured there was no harm in adding him.

Chudi, unsure of whether or not it was the same girl he noticed a year ago, accepted the request. He studied her page and asked around about her for weeks until he built up the courage to message her and she responded. They realized not only are they from the same state in Nigeria, but Oge was also studying in New Jersey where Chudi’s family lives which was about 45 minutes apart both in America and Nigeria.

Chudi had accepted a job opportunity in Dubai and knowing his time was limited, he asked if he could see her. After confirming with Chudi that he was neither a serial killer nor a psychopath, she agreed to meet at Kung Fu Tea in Cherry Hill, NJ, Oge’s favourite tea shop. Chudi realized right away that this was probably it for him and he asked Oge to join his family for a small birthday celebration that same evening.

With Chudi’s departure to Dubai fast approaching, Chudi knew he needed to make a move so he bought her a beautiful necklace asking her to wait and give this time. For Chudi, this was a promise necklace suggesting he would be back with a bigger question. Chudi and Oge spent the next year getting to know each other until Chudi decided he could not wait any longer and took the steps to meet Oge’s parents and siblings to announce his intentions. With Medical School, board exams and residency applications, Oge was unsure whether or not she was ready to take that step.

In February 2019, Oge had a car accident that totalled her car and Chudi booked a flight and was on a plane to America from Dubai within a few hours of finding out. After this trip and seeing how much Chudi cared for her, it clicked; she realized she had actually found a best friend and a soul mate.

Chudi knew the time was right and flew to Nigeria the following week for Oge’s father’s final blessing. While Chudi was planning the proposal, Oge grew concerned that Chudi had gotten cold feet. Not wanting to ruin to surprise, Chudi convinced Oge that the ring would not be ready for a while and that he would come to the US for a long weekend and plan a special day for her to convince her to be patient and hang on a little longer.

On March 29, 2019, Chudi and Oge went on their special date which ended with Oge saying yes! He asked Nana Annan Photography to capture the entire day, which started with a ride in a limo for their couple’s massage at Spavia, followed by a shopping trip to Skirt, where Oge unknowingly was picking out her outfit for the proposal later on that evening, and then back to the apartment to get professionally made up for what he had told her was a special dinner at the Philadelphia Academy of Fine Art where he proposed!

Credits

Photography: @nanaannanphotography
Planner:@pafa_weddings
Makeup:@artistrybonnie