High School Sweethearts Have Two Luxe Nigerian-Jamaican Celebrations in New York City
The invisible string theory, a belief that people are “tied” together by destiny and connected by an unbreakable unseen thread, describes Simone Brown (25, a software engineer) and Oluwademilade (Demi) Tega (25, a medical student) to a T. The two met and started dating on and off in 10th grade, but they broke up before college. Their love story wasn’t over, though: During freshman year, Simone and Demi got back together.
The pair dated for almost seven years before getting engaged on April 2, 2022. During that period, Simone and Demi discussed the timeline for their engagement and what the proposal would look like. This open communication helped Demi know exactly how he would propose. “Given Simone’s personality, I knew she’d want something that felt special, but not like a spectacle. She also wanted something private where she’d be able to celebrate with our loved ones after,” says Demi. With the support of Simone’s friends, Demi surprised her at the Brooklyn Heights Promenade, where they had spent many college nights together. He proposed with a gorgeous pear-shape diamond as the setting sun and Brooklyn Bridge created the perfect urban backdrop for the occasion.
Simone and Demi wanted plenty of time to plan their wedding, so they enjoyed a two-year engagement. And since they dreamed of hosting a multiday cultural affair to honor Simone’s Jamaican background and Demi’s Nigerian one, they needed the extra time. First, they had to choose a wedding location: Atlanta, closest to their families, or New York City, where they now live. They soon realized this wasn’t a tough decision at all. Simone explains, “Although Georgia is our home state, Atlanta wouldn’t have felt like a familiar setting. Plus, we live in the greatest city in the world, so why look somewhere else?”
Location picked, it was now time to find a venue they loved. For the traditional Nigerian wedding, The Bordone LIC was ideal since it was a blank slate for their design and had a beautiful view of the Manhattan skyline. For their second venue, they chose the Rainbow Room at Rockefeller Center. Simone, a former competitive dancer, knew the venue was perfect after seeing its giant rotating dance floor.
The theme for the Nigerian wedding on May 31, 2024, was “Tulum disco,” as Simone called the vibe. She explains that the theme was a natural choice for the ceremony since they wanted an atmosphere that captured their heritages, but also had modern twists. They share the same favorite color—green—and decided to make it the primary hue for the ceremony palette. They added reds, yellows and oranges to create a warm and welcoming feeling. As for the decor, Simone and Demi praise their florist for bringing their theme to life with tropical flowers and plants, like Venus flytraps, Birds of Paradise and flame lilies. Lush greenery and sparkling disco balls on the ceiling brought the theme together.
Personalized attire, customs and food made the first celebration even more special. Simone and Demi wore two coordinating outfits custom-made in Nigeria. One was Yoruba-style and the other Urhobo, to represent the respective Nigerian tribes Demi’s parents are from. Simone donned a traditional Yoruba bridal outfit, a long-sleeve top and a gold sheath skirt with eye-catching floral appliqués throughout. Demi sported a gold-pattered sokoto (pants) and dansiki (shirt) with a matching agbada (large draped upper garment). For the Urhobo look, Simone says, “My George [an ornate traditional West African wedding dress] was an opportunity to be a bit more creative, since this was for the reception. The designer created a gorgeous petal design for the top with beaded wire details.” To complement Simone’s look, Demi wore a green-and-gold beaded draped shirt and wrapped garment for the pants.
With their planner’s help, Simone and Demi tackled the unique challenge of blending traditions from two different cultures in one ceremony, focusing on the most significant customs from each. “Some highlights were the Kola nut ceremony, a traditional Urhobo rite that involves sharing Kola nuts to honor the guests, and the idobale, a traditional Yoruba form of greeting by prostration, the ultimate show of respect, for Simone’s family,” says Demi. Following this, guests dined on a delicious buffet-style Nigerian and Jamaican dinner, including jerk chicken, jollof rice and pounded yams.
Simone and Demi said “I do” a second time the next day (June 1) with a Western-style wedding. This event embraced a “city chic” and “cottage fantasy” theme. Simone says that the former felt appropriate for the Rainbow Room; that vibe was Demi’s favorite. Meanwhile, Simone felt strongly about incorporating the cottage aesthetic since her design style is earthy and organic. A color scheme of dark purple, peach, green and cream was a muted contrast to the vibrant palette from the day before.
But what did the fashionable couple wear during their luxurious ceremony? For Simone, the decision was overwhelming, given the endless options available in New York. Luckily, Demi saw a Galia Lahav dress at a friend’s wedding and knew the brand’s dresses were Simone’s style. He was right: Simone chose the first dress she laid eyes on at the Galia Lahav salon. It was classic because of its ball gown silhouette, yet unique, with iridescent sequins. Meanwhile, Demi dressed in a bespoke ivory vest and dinner jacket with a shawl lapel and black tuxedo pants.
After a sentimental ceremony, a jazz quartet greeted guests at the cocktail hour. Tasty bites soon followed. The stars of the show? Fresh sushi and a lamb carving station. The minimal decor, with small ikebana arrangements and candles, was just how Simone and Demi wanted it. “We planned for our cocktail hour to line up with the sunset. The tablescape would be the least interesting thing to look at. I’m so happy with the trade-off, because the sunset was the best decor we could’ve asked for,” Simone says.
While guests were impressed with the breathtaking views of New York City, they were even more amazed by Simone’s hand-crafted touches. “I designed all our stationery. My friend’s sister is a graphic designer, so she sketched some iconic statues around Rockefeller Center and the Rainbow Room marquee sign. I wanted the look to feel like back-of-the-napkin sketches, as if they’d been doodled onto each invitation, menu and program,” Simone says.
The decor went up a notch at dinner, with figs, green grapes and pearl-studded pears on tables resembling still lifes. The meal of roasted black cod with miso glaze and spinach-and-ricotta gnocchi left guests wanting more. Cue the showstopping wedding cake: alternating layers of citrus and vanilla with brown sugar cookie dough, peach, and mint chocolate chip filling. “It sounds like too much going on, but it was the most delicious cake I’ve ever had,” says Simone.
There were lots of noteworthy moments at Simone and Demi’s wedding, from their first look on the balcony with the Empire State Building in the background to the lively money dance tradition. But nothing created a more meaningful memory than the first dance. “Walking down the stairs toward the dance floor took me back to that feeling of going on stage at competitions. But this time was different, because I was sharing something I love so much with the person I love the most,” says Simone. The two breezed across the floor in step and in love to “Can I Call You Rose” by Thee Sacred Souls. “Hearing the gasps and cheers from the crowd as Demi whisked me into the air is a moment I’ll never forget,” says Simone.