Wedding Date: August 29th 2021

Romance and Alex have a very special place in my heart and the hearts of so many others. Brooke, of the fabulous Pop-Up Weddings, approached us with an idea she had to give back to two very special members of our community by hosting a wedding day giveaway. Of course we immediately said yes! The opportunity to honor a special couple after such a hard year for everyone was absolutely priceless. Soon, more and more vendors were on board and the whole day was supported by Minnesota Bride Magazine which was an entirely new honor! The stage was set for an incredible day filled with some of the very best in the Twin Cities, all ready to give back. Now we just needed our couple.

Normally, I would write my thoughts and experiences with the couple, but this time I thought it would be best to let Alex tell their story in his own words:

“This is a story that not even the greatest novelist could write. Surely only God could match two people so entirely different. Family, upbringing, race, culture, background, language, traditions, country, continent! This is a love story that no one thought could happen. This is a love story, against all odds.
Romance, the woman who would become the love of my life, had recently escaped an abusive 3-year relationship through which she received her greatest blessing, an amazing bundle of joy named Aiden, I had never been on a date. She hated me at first. My name is Alex, the same name as her ex, which even hearing the name produced frustration and bad memories in her. It took a while but through a lot of time spent time together, laughing, serving, singing, praying and studying the bible, we became best friends.
Our adventures included park playdates and African foods. We took multiple trips to the emergency room, we took care of two kids together for a single mother while she gave birth to her third, we stayed up all night cooking for events, we drove through snowstorms, got in one car accident and narrowly avoided another, and took countless trips to daycare and back. Being with Romance has been the greatest adventure of my life. I saw her graduate from college as an exchange student from the Ivory Coast with baby Aiden literally strapped to her back. Witnessing this mother sacrifice for her child made me more attracted to her. She is the strongest woman I have ever met. Through all of this, even there being over a foot of height difference, and despite many people in today’s world not believing we belong together, our love bloomed, all three of us.”

Their wedding day was no less spectacular than their story. Everyone pulled out all the stops for a memorable and special event. Romance’s son gave her the thumbs up stamp of approval before she walked down the aisle to meet her best friend and perfect partner. Family and friends live-streamed the ceremony and I think the audiences cheers could be heard all the way over in Africa! This group knows how to party, evident by the exuberant cheers and dancing when the newly married couple made their entrance wearing their second look of the day. After some touching toasts and a fantastic dinner, this new little family of three took the dance floor for one of the sweetest dances ever. Before the night came to a close, they changed into their last look of the night for their big sparkler exit. It was grand and joyous, just like them. Thank you so much, Romance and Alex, for sharing your story and inviting us to be part of this amazing day. Also, thank you to every single vendor who made today possible, you’re all rockstars in my book and I can’t wait to relive these memories with all of you.

Amazing Vendors: Pop-Up Weddings (event coordinator), Minneapolis Event Centers (venue), Paint My Wedding Day (live painting), AV For You (live stream video), Instant Request (dj), War Paint (hair and makeup), Sadies Floral (florist), Traveling Photo Booth (photo booth), Nothing Bundt Cakes (cake), Boom Island Strings (ceremony music), Epitome (invitations), The Dashery (grooms attire), BHLDN (attire), Edg Productions (decor), Elite Catering (catering), Jenny woo (dress designer), Shane Co. (jewelry)