In 1992, while at Northland Mall in Columbus, Ohio, Martai spotted Melody and could not stop smiling, but he was too shy to make the first move. Melody’s sister noticed him looking and asked him if he was going to say something. The two would end up becoming inseparable and their teenage romance lasted for a few years. At the time, Martai wanted to ask Melody to be his wife but, she made it clear that she was not ready. The young couple eventually went their separate ways, both marrying other people and divorcing.
In 2018, as fate would have it, they reconnected through a Facebook post. Martai sent Melody an inbox message and they picked up right where they left off almost thirty years ago. This time, Melody was ready to take the leap!
Check out their gorgeous engagement shoot captured by J. Mariella Photography.
Bride: Melody Nichole Simons, 40, Executive Director-Banking
Groom: Martai Abdul Edwards, 45, Class A CDL Truck Driver
Place of residence: Reynoldsburg, OH
Engagement Shoot Location: Construction site of their new home in Reynoldsburg, Ohio & German Village in Columbus, Ohio
Wedding date: July 17, 2020
Engagement story:
It was a late Saturday evening, and Melody had just returned home from an out-of-town volleyball tournament with her daughter. Martai called and said that he was stopping by. Melody was tired and fussing a little about him wanting to stop by so late! When Martai arrived he noticed some Nike slippers in Melody’s room that she had purchased for her son and pretended to be upset. He yelled, “Who’s shoes are these?”
When Melody walked in to explain, she noticed there was a ring box inside the shoes. She saw the ring and immediately started crying. She said “No, not today! I look a mess!” Martai reassured her that she looked beautiful,and then asked Melody to marry him.
For the Groom: Walk us through what happened behind the scenes of creating this special day.
I spent a couple of months working with a jeweler and Melody’s best friend to get her ring size and a special diamond that I knew she would love. I did not want a public engagement so I came up with something at that moment. I came to her house knowing that I had the intent of proposing. When I stepped into the bedroom, I saw the shoes and got the idea to use them so that I could catch her off guard.
What makes your love special?
We have known each other for over 25 years, so we were friends first. Even after we reconnected it was like catching up with your homeboy or homegirl after years of being apart. We get to share the bonds from the past with the maturity of the present and that is what makes our love special.
What was the theme of your shoot?
“Love Under Construction”
Were there any memorable moments during the shoot?
The most memorable moment was how cold it was outside! It was January in Ohio and although it had been rather warm. The day of our shoot was absolutely freezing. We were running in and out of the car, restaurants, and anywhere else we could warm up for a few minutes. We would take a few pictures, then run back to the heat! The other memorable moment was getting the chance to take pictures at our home while it was still under construction.
What are you most looking forward to about your wedding?
We are most excited about having all of the people we love coming together to celebrate!
Have you started planning your wedding?
Yes, we have an amazing planner, Lucretia Williams at Distinct Event Planning who had every detail prepared for an April 10th wedding but, because of COVID-19 we moved it to July. When America is ready, we will be ready!
Congratulations to the happy couple! We wish you many years of wedded bliss.
Sources
Distinct Event Planning|J. Mariella Photography|SC Defined|Evette Callendar
