Have you ever met someone who made your heart skip a beat? Yes, this might sometimes be as a result of a little crush but one beautiful thing is that this little seed sown in your heart can indeed blossom into something magical!

The first time Femi set his eyes on Lucia in Uni, he was instantly smitten. He did everything to get her attention and eventually won a spot in the friend zone for over 12 years… Ouch!  😅 Well, Femi decided it was time to take things a step higher and decided to shoot his shot with Lucia. It clearly worked and now, it’s #anewLEAF23! Their pre-wedding photos are a breath of fresh air and we are just so obsessed. Each frame is a beautiful display of the love that they share and it’s just so sweet to see.

Enjoy their pre-wedding shoot and love story below:

Their love story as shared by Lucia:

Femi and I met at Covenant University in 2008. He was studying Industrial Chemistry and I was studying Microbiology. I didn’t know it at the time, but Femi had a crush on me (blush). He would always stylishly walk past our lab to see me and I didn’t know that it was intentional. He would also keep tabs on my class schedules through his family friend Tandy, who was also my coursemate…Lol! Femi and I were good friends. We would visit the department canteen together and laugh and talk, and eat ‘Chelsea bread’ 😂 (a popular CU snack). In Final Year, 2012, we were made to attend a program designed for graduating students. CU was a very strict school and so, attendance was compulsory. As a goodie-2-shoes, I never missed any scheduled program…LOL.

Femi would attend just because of me and I save a seat for him and my friends. I came to find out years later that his friends knew he would attend because of me and so, he would be the designated person to sign attendance for them so they didn’t need to show up! LOL!!! Anyway, we graduated and we remained friends. Femi did not tell me how he truly felt. We remained in contact even though I moved to the U.S. in 2014 to pursue my Master’s degree. In 2015, I returned to Nigeria for Christmas. During that holiday, I invited him as my plus 1 to a friend’s wedding and we took pictures and had a great time. He asked me out then but I declined because it wasn’t the right time for me. We bumped into each other again randomly in 2019. As sweet as Femi is and as genuine as he is, he remained my friend, commenting on my IG posts and hyping me every time, and supporting my dreams from afar. When I think of it, it makes me emotional. Hmm, Femi is something else. I’m so blessed.

In 2021, I posted a picture on Instagram that sparked a conversation where Femi revealed in the cheesiest way ever that he ‘has always had a crush on a girl called UJU’ LOL! (That’s my middle name!). The funny thing is that I had thought about him sometime in the past as someone I would love to date because we’ve had a long friendship and I liked him as well. God was definitely listening because Femi came to me at the right time. I visited Nigeria in 2021 for an extended amount of time and Femi asked me to be his girlfriend. After much prayer, seeking God’s voice, I said yes and it has been heaven since that day!

In 2022, Femi didn’t waste any time! He expressed interest in visiting my parents in Asaba. It was a wholesome trip where we received their approval and blessing of our relationship. He even met my beloved grandmother (God rest her soul). When we came back from that trip, Femi proposed! A Friendship of over 12 years turned into something even more beautiful! Femi is everything I dreamed of in a husband and life partner. My best friend (sorry Ngozi), my gist partner, my forever movie date! We literally have belly laughs every time we are together! We have the same sense of humour and we have attained a level of emotional maturity to go through life together as partners and friends. Oluwafewa, because God truly loves us!

Fun facts: We were both born on the 23rd and of course, we picked a 23 date for our wedding! Also, our hashtag ‘anewLEAF23’ is from our initials. LE -Lucia Ejoh, AF- Alabede Femi.

Credits

Bride @let.lucia
Groom @the.alfe
Planner @moamberevents
Tan suit @twif.official
Pink dress @kennyabim
Photography @tosin.akinyemiju | @bluevsorange
Locations Kew Gardens, London | Agafay Desert, Morocco