// Blog Feature //
Our story:
The day I met Josh was the day before I left to visit Ghana with my little sister Lydia. Since Josh is from Ghana, and his parents are still living there, he gave me his phone number in just case I needed any help or advice.
I didn't really think I was going to need any help since I had traveled to Africa many times before, but it just so happens, that this one time, I would make a huge mistake that would lead me to need him.
We ended up having difficulties getting into Ghana because of visa issues and they told us that we needed to call someone who lives there and have them go the the Ghana airport to send us some documents in order to get it worked out. (not an easy process for someone in Ghana to do)
I felt nervous and weird about calling Josh and asking him for a huge favor when I had only really known him for an hour! My sister encouraged me to call him because we were really in need of help. So I took a deep breathe and dialed his number.
He answered the phone and said "hello" and I said, "Hi, this is Abby, you probably don't remember me... But we met a couple of days ago. I was wondering if you could do me a huge favor...?"
For a moment I was afraid he'd just laugh and say he couldn't help, but to my surprise he was so eager to help me. He got right on everything and told me he would call his parents right away and figure everything out for us! He assured me that everything was going to be ok.
I got off the phone with him and just thought, "Wow, there are some really amazing people in this world! He is so kind to me and so willing to help me, and he barely even knows me. He is such a good person."
I told my sister about how amazing he was being and how much he was going to help us out, and immediately she exclaimed,
"It's fate you are going to marry him!"
I was like "no way! Not going to happen!" But little did I know that this great act of kindness would lead to Josh and I's immediate friendship and later on grow into love.
When my sister and I got home, I kept somehow seeing Josh around campus and he kept telling me that he was going to take me on a date sometime, but he never called! I didn't think too much about it, months went by, and then one day I randomly decided to call him just to have dinner at my apartment, and then from that night on, we were with each other every single day. (He says he never called me because he thought I was out of his league haha)
He proposed to me in the mountains, on a autumn day, under a grove of pines trees. It was beautiful.
We had dated for a year and a half and then we're married November 2014 at the LDS Salt Lake City Temple in Utah.
We planned our wedding within 3 months- so we had to do everything fast! It was stressful because we were both trying to balance school and wedding planning but luckily my Mom planned most everything for me. The hardest part was finding a location and bridesmaid dresses but it eventually all worked out.
My advice to any bride would be to just try to enjoy the wedding planning process as much as possible because you only get to do it once in your life! Then on your wedding day, really look around and notice all the beautiful details! Take everything in and breathe! Just love and enjoy every second of that day because you will want to relive it for the rest of your lives!
Our wedding was so beautiful! I loved how elegant and classy it was but still had the fun African side to it! We have received so many compliments about how wonderful the night was and I agree, it was wonderful! Truly a perfect day.
Thanks to:
Married 11/29/15 in the Salt Lake City Temple
Reception and catering: Joseph Smith Memorial Building
Wedding Planner: Gaylynn Evans
Photography: Camilla Binks (engagement), Xan Craven (wedding)
Cake: Carries Cakes
Wedding Dress: Bridal Expressions
Brides shoes: made for me in Ghana
Alterations: Dee Dee Anderson
Groom's suit: ALBA
Flowers: Emily Brooks
Bridesmaid's Skirts: Mika Rose
DJ: Don Ricky
DJ: Don Ricky
Favorite song/ first dance song: I choose you by Sara Bareilles
Hair and makeup: Ed Matus
