Traditional Nigerian Wedding

Wedding Day

Ceremony

Chandelier Wedding & Event Venue

Reception

Our Wedding

Jason&nbsp;and&nbsp;I&nbsp;met&nbsp;at&nbsp;work&nbsp;when&nbsp;I&nbsp;was&nbsp;assigned&nbsp;to&nbsp;shadow&nbsp;him&nbsp;one&nbsp;day.&nbsp;We&nbsp;started&nbsp;talking&nbsp;and&nbsp;I&nbsp;thought&nbsp;he&nbsp;was&nbsp;the&nbsp;nicest&nbsp;person.&nbsp;Then,&nbsp;a&nbsp;year&nbsp;later,&nbsp;he&nbsp;won&nbsp;the&nbsp;CEO&nbsp;Award&nbsp;(the&nbsp;biggest&nbsp;award&nbsp;at&nbsp;work!)&nbsp;and&nbsp;our&nbsp;mutual&nbsp;friends&nbsp;were&nbsp;throwing&nbsp;him&nbsp;a&nbsp;party.&nbsp;My&nbsp;first&nbsp;time&nbsp;seeing&nbsp;him&nbsp;outside&nbsp;of&nbsp;work,&nbsp;I&nbsp;realized&nbsp;he&nbsp;was&nbsp;also&nbsp;thoughtful&nbsp;and&nbsp;so&nbsp;much&nbsp;fun!&nbsp;From&nbsp;then&nbsp;on,&nbsp;if&nbsp;he&nbsp;was&nbsp;at&nbsp;the&nbsp;party,&nbsp;I&nbsp;knew&nbsp;it&nbsp;would&nbsp;be&nbsp;a&nbsp;good&nbsp;time.&nbsp;We&nbsp;built&nbsp;a&nbsp;beautiful&nbsp;friendship&nbsp;after&nbsp;that&nbsp;until&nbsp;our&nbsp;first&nbsp;date&nbsp;in&nbsp;2017.&nbsp;For&nbsp;almost&nbsp;6&nbsp;years,&nbsp;we&nbsp;have&nbsp;supported&nbsp;and&nbsp;inspired&nbsp;each&nbsp;other,&nbsp;prayed&nbsp;with&nbsp;and&nbsp;for&nbsp;one&nbsp;another,&nbsp;&nbsp;traveled&nbsp;the&nbsp;world&nbsp;together,&nbsp;and&nbsp;shared&nbsp;countless&nbsp;laughs&nbsp;and&nbsp;memories.

Nikki's Version

Nikki&nbsp;seems&nbsp;to&nbsp;think&nbsp;that&nbsp;we&nbsp;met&nbsp;for&nbsp;the&nbsp;first&nbsp;time&nbsp;in&nbsp;the&nbsp;summer&nbsp;of&nbsp;2015&nbsp;when&nbsp;she&nbsp;shadowed&nbsp;me&nbsp;at&nbsp;work.&nbsp;However,&nbsp;she&nbsp;doesn't&nbsp;know&nbsp;that&nbsp;I&nbsp;had&nbsp;initially&nbsp;scoped&nbsp;her&nbsp;out&nbsp;when&nbsp;she&nbsp;was&nbsp;an&nbsp;intern&nbsp;at&nbsp;the&nbsp;company&nbsp;a&nbsp;year&nbsp;earlier.&nbsp;She&nbsp;had&nbsp;walked&nbsp;in&nbsp;with&nbsp;her&nbsp;supervisor&nbsp;at&nbsp;the&nbsp;time&nbsp;to&nbsp;observe&nbsp;one&nbsp;of&nbsp;our&nbsp;team&nbsp;meetings,&nbsp;and&nbsp;I&nbsp;immediately&nbsp;noticed&nbsp;her&nbsp;beautiful&nbsp;smile.&nbsp;I&nbsp;was&nbsp;so&nbsp;intrigued&nbsp;by&nbsp;her&nbsp;beauty&nbsp;that&nbsp;I&nbsp;looked&nbsp;her&nbsp;up&nbsp;on&nbsp;our&nbsp;internal&nbsp;search&nbsp;page&nbsp;right&nbsp;after&nbsp;the&nbsp;meeting&nbsp;to&nbsp;find&nbsp;out&nbsp;more&nbsp;about&nbsp;her.&nbsp;I&nbsp;tried&nbsp;to&nbsp;make&nbsp;a&nbsp;move&nbsp;but&nbsp;didn't&nbsp;get&nbsp;the&nbsp;opportunity&nbsp;to&nbsp;see&nbsp;her&nbsp;again&nbsp;since&nbsp;she&nbsp;was&nbsp;an&nbsp;intern&nbsp;and&nbsp;was&nbsp;only&nbsp;there&nbsp;for&nbsp;the&nbsp;summer.&nbsp;A&nbsp;year&nbsp;later,&nbsp;I&nbsp;was&nbsp;pleasantly&nbsp;surprised&nbsp;when&nbsp;my&nbsp;boss&nbsp;told&nbsp;me&nbsp;she&nbsp;would&nbsp;shadow&nbsp;me&nbsp;that&nbsp;week.&nbsp;I&nbsp;was&nbsp;so&nbsp;excited&nbsp;and&nbsp;determined&nbsp;to&nbsp;make&nbsp;a&nbsp;good&nbsp;first&nbsp;impression&nbsp;on&nbsp;her&nbsp;because&nbsp;I&nbsp;knew&nbsp;I'd&nbsp;be&nbsp;asking&nbsp;her&nbsp;out&nbsp;sometime&nbsp;in&nbsp;the&nbsp;future&nbsp;(playing&nbsp;the&nbsp;long&nbsp;game&nbsp;is&nbsp;an&nbsp;art!)&nbsp;We&nbsp;had&nbsp;a&nbsp;great&nbsp;time&nbsp;throughout&nbsp;her&nbsp;shadowing&nbsp;me,&nbsp;and&nbsp;I&nbsp;immediately&nbsp;noticed&nbsp;that&nbsp;she&nbsp;was&nbsp;not&nbsp;just&nbsp;a&nbsp;pretty&nbsp;face&nbsp;but&nbsp;also&nbsp;a&nbsp;smart&nbsp;and&nbsp;intelligent&nbsp;young&nbsp;woman.&nbsp;We&nbsp;became&nbsp;friends,&nbsp;and&nbsp;she&nbsp;started&nbsp;hanging&nbsp;out&nbsp;with&nbsp;my&nbsp;crew&nbsp;occasionally.&nbsp;I&nbsp;like&nbsp;to&nbsp;have&nbsp;a&nbsp;good&nbsp;time,&nbsp;so&nbsp;seeing&nbsp;that&nbsp;she&nbsp;had&nbsp;a&nbsp;great&nbsp;personality&nbsp;and&nbsp;was&nbsp;fun&nbsp;to&nbsp;hang&nbsp;out&nbsp;with&nbsp;was&nbsp;a&nbsp;huge&nbsp;plus.&nbsp;However,&nbsp;I&nbsp;still&nbsp;didn't&nbsp;ask&nbsp;her&nbsp;out&nbsp;as&nbsp;I&nbsp;wanted&nbsp;to&nbsp;build&nbsp;a&nbsp;friendship&nbsp;first&nbsp;(again,&nbsp;the&nbsp;long&nbsp;game!!).&nbsp;By&nbsp;the&nbsp;summer&nbsp;of&nbsp;2017,&nbsp;we'd&nbsp;become&nbsp;great&nbsp;friends&nbsp;and&nbsp;finally&nbsp;went&nbsp;on&nbsp;our&nbsp;first&nbsp;date!&nbsp;The&nbsp;long&nbsp;game&nbsp;paid&nbsp;off,&nbsp;and&nbsp;the&nbsp;rest&nbsp;as&nbsp;they&nbsp;say....&nbsp;is&nbsp;history!!

Jason's Version 

For&nbsp;our&nbsp;anniversary&nbsp;on&nbsp;June&nbsp;17,&nbsp;we&nbsp;were&nbsp;planning&nbsp;a&nbsp;special&nbsp;celebration&nbsp;dinner&nbsp;but&nbsp;he&nbsp;was&nbsp;acting&nbsp;strangely&nbsp;for&nbsp;weeks&nbsp;leading&nbsp;up&nbsp;to&nbsp;it&nbsp;so&nbsp;I&nbsp;was&nbsp;onto&nbsp;him&nbsp;(ask&nbsp;our&nbsp;entire&nbsp;bridal&nbsp;party&nbsp;😊)&nbsp;that&nbsp;he&nbsp;was&nbsp;planning&nbsp;a&nbsp;proposal.&nbsp;When&nbsp;we&nbsp;got&nbsp;to&nbsp;Fleming's&nbsp;for&nbsp;dinner,&nbsp;they&nbsp;sat&nbsp;us&nbsp;at&nbsp;the&nbsp;bar&nbsp;while&nbsp;they&nbsp;prepared&nbsp;our&nbsp;private&nbsp;room&nbsp;and&nbsp;a&nbsp;photographer&nbsp;came&nbsp;up&nbsp;to&nbsp;us&nbsp;and&nbsp;Jason&nbsp;snuck&nbsp;off&nbsp;to&nbsp;the&nbsp;"bathroom",&nbsp;that's&nbsp;when&nbsp;I&nbsp;knew&nbsp;it&nbsp;was&nbsp;happening!&nbsp;The&nbsp;waiter&nbsp;then&nbsp;led&nbsp;me&nbsp;into&nbsp;our&nbsp;room&nbsp;where&nbsp;Jason&nbsp;was&nbsp;already&nbsp;on&nbsp;one&nbsp;knee&nbsp;with&nbsp;"Marry&nbsp;Me"&nbsp;letters&nbsp;behind&nbsp;him&nbsp;and&nbsp;a&nbsp;photographer&nbsp;and&nbsp;videographer&nbsp;recording&nbsp;it&nbsp;all.&nbsp;I&nbsp;was&nbsp;completely&nbsp;shocked,&nbsp;so&nbsp;I&nbsp;floated&nbsp;into&nbsp;that&nbsp;room&nbsp;where&nbsp;he&nbsp;asked&nbsp;me&nbsp;the&nbsp;most&nbsp;beautiful&nbsp;question&nbsp;and&nbsp;I&nbsp;said&nbsp;yes.&nbsp;Right&nbsp;as&nbsp;my&nbsp;heart&nbsp;rate&nbsp;returned&nbsp;to&nbsp;normal,&nbsp;I&nbsp;turn&nbsp;to&nbsp;my&nbsp;left&nbsp;and&nbsp;see&nbsp;my&nbsp;parents,&nbsp;brother,&nbsp;aunt,&nbsp;his&nbsp;family,&nbsp;and&nbsp;our&nbsp;friends&nbsp;walking&nbsp;into&nbsp;the&nbsp;room-&nbsp;at&nbsp;this&nbsp;point,&nbsp;I&nbsp;LOST&nbsp;it.&nbsp;I&nbsp;was&nbsp;overwhelmed&nbsp;with&nbsp;joy.&nbsp;We&nbsp;then&nbsp;enjoyed&nbsp;dinner&nbsp;for&nbsp;30.&nbsp;After&nbsp;we&nbsp;left&nbsp;the&nbsp;restaurant,&nbsp;our&nbsp;friends&nbsp;surprised&nbsp;me&nbsp;with&nbsp;an&nbsp;engagement&nbsp;party&nbsp;at&nbsp;my&nbsp;house.&nbsp;It&nbsp;was&nbsp;the&nbsp;best&nbsp;day&nbsp;of&nbsp;my&nbsp;life&nbsp;and&nbsp;so&nbsp;filled&nbsp;with&nbsp;love&nbsp;and&nbsp;thoughtfulness.

The Proposal

Our Story

Photos

Aubrey and I met on the first day of freshman year at UNC where we bonded over a SpongeBob joke and never looked back! From college roommates to best friends to travel buddies to (almost) neighbors and now MOH, Aubrey is one of the sweetest, silliest, and most loyal friends to have by my side.

Aubrey

Aisha and I met through Harmonyx Acapella group at UNC and it didn't take long for us to become the "troublemint twins". Even after moving back to NYC after school, our adventures continue through our travels. Aisha has a heart of gold, fashion sense that will rival your favorite celebrity, loyalty that is unmatched, and a sense of humor that usually ends with me in laughing tears.

Aisha

Bri and I met in 7th grade on the track team and have grown up together from MySpace selfies and sleepovers to cross country moves and now marriage! Despite the fact that most of our 17 year friendship has been long distance, it has only continued to strengthen. She is the kindest and most supportive and loving friend. I stood next to her on her big day and now I'm so excited for her to join me on mine! 

Bri Day

Valentina and I met on the first day of the Rotational Program at Blue Cross NC. We helped each other out as we navigated the working world and the company and became good friends from there. She is always there with a big hug and a plate of delicious home-cooked food and I'm grateful for her! 

Valentina 

Christina and I initially bonded through Harmonyx at UNC then found out we shared the same majors so we supported each other through Econ, Psych, and many other classes. The big sister that I always needed, her wisdom, kind heart, and bold spirit are an inspiration to me to love big and dream big.

Christina

Alexis and I met through Aubrey freshman year and later became roommates after college. She inspires me all the time with her honesty, fun- loving spirit, ambition, and abundance of love to give to her kids, husband, and everyone around her! 

Alexis

Bri and I met through Jason's best man and brother, Dindu, and formed a beautiful friendship. She is always ready to help you plan a party or a trip, give a listening ear, or hype you up and I'm so grateful for her!

Bri M.

Tanya and I met through Aubrey during Homecoming sophomore year and built a friendship that crosses rivalries (Go Heels!) Tanya is the most thoughtful, organized, and loving friend and still manages to dominate the men's sport world in her day job. She inspires me! 

Tanya

I’ve known Dindu all my life, longer than anybody else… because, well he’s my younger brother and we met when he was born (haha!). Aside from being brothers, we’ve grown to be best friends and have done literally everything together— grew up together, went to the same elementary, middle, and high school together, moved to a new country together, got our first jobs at the same retail store (shout out to Bed, Bath, and Beyond!) bought our first car together, got our first apartment together, took long road trips together, and bought our first home together! We’ve supported and been there for each other through the struggles of adulthood and have grown through the process to become the men we are today. Dude has the biggest heart I’ve ever seen and will do literally anything for the people he loves. I admire his grit, ambitious spirit, persistence, and love for family. What brings me so much joy about him is how close he has become with my wife to be, Nikki. They’ve become close friends and you can always catch them at the crib joking and laughing about random things. He and his girl Bri are some of the best people you can have around you and we’ve gotten used to hanging out together, having drinks, and occasionally eating dinners at expensive steak houses lol! No better feeling than being able to share such memories with your brother, his girlfriend, and your wife to be. Not everyone is lucky enough to have a brother they can call their best friend and confidante, and I’m so lucky to have him standing behind me as I make the biggest decision of my life! 

Dindu

Loyalty!! That’s one word to describe the homie Ant! He’s a brother and friend that shows up for me in ways that I don’t even know how to describe sometimes. You can always depend on him to be the first to show up to anything and he brings the party wherever he goes LOL! Ant is the one you call when you want to host an epic party, mix up some potent drink, or go out on an impromptu night out. One thing is sure — you’re always gonna have a good time with Ant! He makes sure of that!! Don’t let him show up with his party bag and drink accessories because then, it’s really going down!!! Aside from being the life of the party, he’s also an incredibly thoughtful guy and is always looking out for his friends in anyway he can. I can count on him to be my gym bro and he’ll dedicate his time and energy to ensure that you hit your goals. I cherish our Saturday morning workout sessions where we get to talk about random life things while hitting our fitness goals. Ant is the type of friend that you’re lucky to have in your corner and I don’t take his loyalty for granted at all. I’ll eternally be grateful to him for being such a dependable friend that shows up for Nikki and I in countless ways, and I’m proud to have such a solid friend standing behind me on my big day!

Ant Smith 

Parker, Mr money with the vibes!!! He’s probably one of a few friends that I call by their last name. He absolutely hates it but I call him that anyway because our friendship will not be fun if we’re not constantly annoying each other haha! I met Parker (there, I did it again!) a decade ago at the same time I met Danny. They were both my trainers and were the first people I met in the room when I walked in. He absolutely butchered my last name almost immediately and I never forgave him for that lol! We bonded and discovered that we had a lot in common— we both love to have fun, talk politics, make fun of any and everything, explore new bars around town, and appreciates good aged bottle of bourbon! A kind hearted soul, he’s one of my closest and most trusted friends and has helped me out in many ways that I can even count. I admire his tenacity, ambitious spirit, and his smarts; easily one of the smartest people I’ve ever met. With all his great qualities, what I admire the most about him is how he shows up for his friends and loved ones, and sincerely cares for the people around him. It’s not unusual to see him go out of his way to help out a friend, and you don’t find such people around easily. Like Danny, he makes up 1/3 of the “Three-the-Hard-Way crew and was the brain behind our co-working Fridays which has become a way for us to de-stress, talk about life issues, and support each other along the way. Even though I don’t say it all the time, Parker is an inspiration and one of the people I admire the most in my life. I cannot say I do without him standing behind me!

Brandon

Daniel is my “little” cousin even though he’s not little anymore. One of my closest cousins, he’s one of my trusted people I go to for assistance on a plethora of things and he’s always dependable and makes himself available to help out in anyway possible. I have watched him pursue and achieve his goals against all odds and I’m so honored and proud to have a front row seat to see him reach greater heights. One thing I admire the most about him is the bond he has created with Nikki. He’s made her feel very welcome to the family, and they share a friendship and banter that warms my heart every time I see it. He’s equal parts a clown and the life of the party at the same time LOL! He’s one dude that you’d want to take a trip with because he’ll make sure that it is a good time regardless. He blends in with the locals so seamlessly that we sometimes wonder who he is (cue a certain trip to Jamaica lol!!). As close as we’ve been over the years, I’m proud to have him standing next to me as I say I do!

Daniel

DP the original OG!! I met Danny a decade ago at exactly 7:15 am. I remember the exact time because I was starting my first ever job in corporate America and he was my trainer. You don’t forget such memories easily. As I walked into the building, we immediately clicked and it felt like I’ve known him forever. I noticed that he was as silly as I was and liked to joke and not take life too seriously.. all things that matched my personality, so it’s not a surprise that we clicked so fast. That afternoon, we went to Cookout for lunch and ordered a “big double” burger and that meal kicked off what would be a life long friendship and brotherhood. I was 22 at the time and Danny took me under his wings and treated me like his little brother. He made sure I was good throughout our training, and looked out for me in my first few years in the company. Some of my best moments in my career so far has been influenced by Danny and he has taught me some of the most valuable life lessons personally as a friend and, and professionally as my boss. Fun fact: He was my boss that set up the shadowing session with Nikki when she was an intern at the company. Legend has it that he knew exactly what he was doing when he sat her with me haha! So in essence, Danny is the reason why Nikki and I met! That’s how good of a friend he is!! We’ve shared so many fond memories together over the years and have had some of the best nightlife memories anyone could have, most memorably in ATL, and those crazy nights in Manilla, Philippines! No better person to share such memories with! He makes up 1/3 of the “Three-the-Hard-Way crew (with me and Brandon), and together, we’ve created and keep creating so many memorable moments together — from our co-working Fridays where we rotate and work at each others houses together to serious life conversions (and silly convos about random things as well LOL!). 

A family man and model father to his kids, there’s no way I could say I do without Danny standing behind me!

Danny

The big homie!! Brotha Nupisie!! Big Clay!! My story will not be complete without Clay (another one I call by his last name, but he doesn’t mind lol!). We met 10 years ago as new hires at work and bonded over a very random situation that has since turned into an inside joke. He’s been a big brother figure over the years, showing me the ropes and giving me clutch life advice on so many instances. He holds the distinction of introducing me to the Long Island iced tea, and nothing was ever the same!!!! We have a mutual love for Eddie Murphy and classic movies like Coming to America, Trading places, and Harlem Nights, and the banter we’ve created from our memories of these movies has brought us even closer over the years. I appreciate how he treats my family as his own and Nikki like his own little sister. He’s been one of our biggest supporters and makes it a point to remind me how lucky I am to have Nikki by my side, and to continue to treat her right no matter what. Such friends that remind you of what’s important are priceless, which is why I consider myself lucky to have the big dawg standing with me on my big day!

Anthony Clay

Loriago my guy!!! That’s Phil’s alter ego (if you know, you know!!). Phil is one of my oldest and closest friends as we grew up on the same block. Our families have been close friends for many decades which has contributed to our long term friendship of over 20 years. If there’s one person that knows about the struggles we went through to get to the point we are today, it is Phil. He’s my confidante and a fellow night owl — we can speak on the phone late in the night for 4 hours straight without blinking LOL! We’ve been through some unique experiences that only he and I shared together — from dreaming of becoming future lawyers to going to after-school lessons in high school for future law students, to going through the painful process of taking the LSAT and applying to law school — we’ve been in the trenches together! We took these steps together with the hopes of one day, becoming big time lawyers. While I decided to take a different route in my career, he followed through and eventually became the big time lawyer he is today. Though I don’t always say it, I will forever be proud of him for following through and achieving this lifelong goal! He has always treated Nikki as like royalty and has been one of our biggest fan from day one. I’m sure he has some unique stories to tell about how Nikki and I got started LOL! I appreciate his friendship and brotherhood, and I’m very glad that he’ll be standing next to me to witness this marriage that he’s been rooting for, for so long haha!!

Phil 

I’ve known Chike for over 20 years. We practically grew up together and have grown from little kids having sleepovers at each other’s houses to grown men getting married. It’s surreal when I think about how much we’ve grown over the years. The definition of brother from another mother, it’s often difficult for people to believe that we’re not related, because of how close we are. I can always count on him for advice on professional and personal issues, and as a soundboard when I’m making big life decisions. Leading up to the proposal, we were basically on the phone almost everyday working through the plans and figuring out how to go about it. From helping me to select the best ring for Nikki to assisting with picking the venue for the proposal, Chike was there each step of the way to offer his thoughts and brainstorm ideas, all while trying hard to keep it from Nikki! He’s the next in line to get married and I can’t wait to celebrate with him too. But before then, I definitely cannot say I do without my brother from another mother standing right next to me!

Chike

Sammy, Schmear, Thadani! That’s all the names I call him depending on the day LOL! Sameer has been my bro for many years now and it’s always surprising to me how we got so close. We met through mutual friends at a house party and has grown to become close homies over the years. Sameer is the only one of my friends who shares the distinction of being my next door neighbor — we bought our first homes in the same neighborhood a few steps from each other! That’s how close we’ve become. Going through such a big step together brought us even closer. We’ve looked out for each other ever since and has helped each other through some difficult moments. I will never forget the time he opened up his space to me and the fam while my crib was still being built without even the slightest hesitation. That’s how big his heart is!! I can always count on him for some of the most intellectual and thought-provoking conversations, and he never fails with his “hot takes” that we shall forever keep between us LOL! Sammy is the type of friend that you want in your corner because he will ride for you no matter what! I’m proud that he gets to stand with me as I marry my best friend!

Sameer

Wedding Party

Q + A

Welcome to NC! 
 
RDU (Raleigh- Durham Airport) is the closest airport, only 15 minutes from the venue. 
 
Uber and Lyft are the easiest ways to travel around for the weekend.

For your convenience, a block of Studio- King rooms has been reserved at this hotel for our wedding weekend.  Please use the website link to book the room(s) or call the hotel and mention the Rogers- Nkwazema wedding. Be sure to book your hotel room by May 24 in order to receive the discount.

Hyatt House Raleigh Durham Airport

For your convenience, a block of Studio- King and Double rooms have been reserved at this hotel for our wedding weekend.  Please use the website link to book the room(s) or call the hotel and mention the Nkwazema Rogers wedding. Be sure to book your hotel room by May 31 in order to receive the discount.

Nicole and Jason

Nicole and Jason

Q + A

What is the dress code?

Is parking available at the venue?

Will the wedding be indoors or outdoors?

Can I bring a date?

What if I have a food allergy or dietary restriction?