Keyona & Adeleke’s awesome wedding at The Cotton Room in Durham

I got to know Keyona & Leke a lot better than my typical Bride & Groom when I showed them houses a couple months before the wedding and couldn’t like them more!  They are so funny and play off each other perfectly.  I was really looking forward to this wedding for many reasons.

 

They had their reception at Durham’s Cotton Room after their ceremony minutes away at Pilgrim United Church of Christ on Saturday July 25th.  As guests arrived for the social hour I had a mix of current and classic R&B and soul playing.  I got a quick peak out the window to see Keyona, Leke and their wedding party getting some pics outside by photographer Brandon from Southern Love Studios while photographer Beth Jarvah was inside getting some shots.  They finished up and were ready for introductions.  The staff opened the white linen drapes that were closing off the tables with floral arrangements by Embellished Blooms and the 180 guests shortly found their seats.

 

I lined the wedding party up with lots of help from planner Monica Noa from Nouveau Events and got them ready for their introductions.  Keyona and Leke’s mothers and wedding party entered to thunderous applause to “Lean With It, Rock With It” and Keyona and Leke entered to an instrumental of “Columbia (Remix)” by Young Scooter.  They paused on the dance floor for a short dance to it with everyone surrounding them cheering, then had their now 2^nd dance to Sam Smith’s acoustic version of “Latch”.  Keyona then had a dance in memory of her father with his brothers to “Your Joy” by Chrisette Michelle and Leke escorted his mother to the floor for their dance that started with a Nigerian song “Sweet Mother” by Tilda then into “All My Life” by K-Ci & JoJo.  It was such a sweet and special dance!  Leke’s Alpha Phi Alpha brothers joined him for a group hymn with Keyona in the middle and then we had a blessing by Keyona’s grandmother Sarah Jackson.  The buffet opened and I continued a mix of classic and current R&B and soul.

 

After dinner we had several toasts and a welcome by Keyona and Leke, then the Cinda’s Cake cutting to “Birthday Cake” by Rihanna.  Before opening the floor to everyone I invited all the married guests to the floor for an anniversary dance to “Forever  Mine” by The O’Jays with the winning couple at 38 years married.  I opened the floor with “Too Close” (one of my favorite songs ever!) by Next then into “Before I Let Go” by Maze and “Candy” by Cameo that turned into an Electric Slide line dance, as it always does.  The floor stayed filled for the next hour to current dance hits, R&B and hip-hop and a few Nigerian songs until we paused for the bouquet toss to “Bang Bang” by Jessie J, then back to dancing until the end of the night.  A few highlights were the huge smiles on Keyona and Leke’s face all night, Leke and his APA brothers group dance to “More Bounce To The Ounce” and the group dance to “Swag Surfin’”.

We ended the night with a filled floor to “I Wanna Dance With Somebody” and a sparkler exit from the first floor of the building.  What a wonderful couple and group to play for.  Congratulations Keyona and Leke and thank you for my fantastic new cufflinks!

Top picture courtesy of Southern Love Studios