It all Began With a Like on a Dating App! Enjoy Samson & Crystal’s Edo-Igbo Trad

BNW August 3, 20240 Comments

Don’t you think it’s simply amazing how something beautiful can come to life from just a simple ‘like’? Well, this is one of the exciting things about love and dating apps. 😍

Three years ago, Samson liked Crystal’s profile on a dating site, and this seemingly small gesture has now blossomed into a full-blown romance. They tied the knot in a vibrant traditional wedding, celebrating both their Edo and Igbo roots, and it was all shades of beautiful. The rich cultural elements, colorful attires, and joyous atmosphere were such a thrill to witness. They look so smitten in each frame and we are so excited for them as they embark on their forever journey.

Enjoy their wedding photos and love story below:

Their love story as shared by Crystal:

We met in September 2021 on an online dating site (because how else do you meet people in this post-Covid dating world?) I had been on the app for about a month when I met Samson. I wouldn’t say I was looking for anything serious at the time or even expected to meet someone I could do forever with, but I was willing to give it a shot. When Samson “liked” my profile, I thought to myself “This guy is good-looking, educated, and 6’4… what else do I need?” So, I “liked” him back.

Crystal came through with that radiant bridal glow on her big day 😍

After Samson and I connected, we started chatting on the app. Pretty quickly, we exchanged numbers (I decided he wasn’t a serial killer) and started texting and talking on the phone. On our second phone conversation, we stayed on the phone for almost four hours. It was one of those conversations where we talked about every and anything and didn’t even notice the time passing. I really enjoyed my first date with Samson! For one, it wasn’t a catfish (he wasn’t even lying about his height – best believe I did the four-inch heels test to confirm this LOL!) The conversation was great and I truly didn’t want the night to end. When dinner was over, we both agreed to go to a nearby lounge for after-dinner drinks and additional conversation. We ended having one of those 8-hour first dates…

I think I would say our connection was immediate after we first met. Even though Samson did not officially ask me to be his girlfriend until about two months after we met, there was no question that we were in an exclusive relationship. Sam was very clear about his intentions from day one and his actions consistently confirmed these intentions. I have to share this because it is WILD…the day after my first date with Samson, I went back to the app to read through our earlier conversations. That was when I noticed that his profile no longer existed. I won’t lie, for moment, I definitely thought that he was some online scammer/ stalker/psychopath (too much Law & Order SVU and Criminal Minds LOL). When he told me later that evening that he deleted the app because he felt he had found what he was looking for and didn’t feel the need to be distracted by anyone else, I legitimately fell a little bit in love with him.

The regal Edo slay we signed up for 😍

I’ll be honest, I suspected that Samson was going to propose soon. I knew he’d bought the ring and that he had started getting nervous, so I knew it was only a matter of time. About a week or so before the proposal, Samson suggested that we plan a fancy dinner since it had been a few months since our last fancy dinner date night. We talked about a few dates, then Samson suggested Sunday, October 16th. I thought a Sunday night dinner was odd, but I decided to go with it. Samson said he would make the reservation and later that day I got a notification on our shared calendar for the dinner reservation. As we got closer to Sunday, Samson started talking about a problem he was having with work and mentioned that he would talk to a mutual friend who is in the same field about it. He must have mentioned this 3 or 4 times, but I didn’t think much of it.

So when Sunday comes around, I am totally suspicious but talking myself out of my suspicions at the same time. My sister, EeJay, leaves the house with some friends saying they were going to try out a new lounge spot. I briefly suspected them, but then I let it pass. I started getting ready and, of course, by the time Samson shows up I still only have half my make up on. He was surprisingly chill considering we had a reservation..SUSPICIOUS! Anyway, while I was getting ready, Samson starts waving around a flash drive. He brought up the work problem again and mentioned that our mutual friend would be able to help, but that we needed to stop by his house so we could load it on the drive. Apparently, it couldn’t be sent any other way. He also said we had to stop before dinner because it would be late afterwards. I didn’t expect that friend would be in on anything (and this friend is a notoriously early sleeper, so the story tracked), so I let it go again.

Traditional wedding ready! 😍

When we got to our friend’s house, I was fine to wait in the car because I had heels on anyway. Shortly after Samson went in, our friend came out to say hi. He then mentioned that his mom was in town and asked if I wanted to come in to say hi to her. How does one say no to that? I walked into the front door and Samson was in the center of the living room on one knee holding the most beautiful ring. He asked me to spend the rest of my life with him….

Their love story as shared by Samson:

I had recently moved to a new state and I thought joining an online dating site would be a good way to meet new people. I remember scrolling through the app one Sunday evening in early September and I came across the profile of this beautiful woman in a red dress. She was gorgeous, tall, and had the most captivating smile I had ever seen. I didn’t have a choice but to try my luck with her… Our first date was on September 11, 2021, approximately one week after we first connected on the app. I quickly became used to talking to Crystal. We had very good conversations right from the beginning and I didn’t want to waste any time with meeting in person. During one of our early phone conversations, I mentioned that I wanted to take her out on a date. When she said she was available the following Saturday, I was immediately excited. I knew it had to be special, so I did my research and came up with some options.

Let’s check out the dapper groom!

I wanted to give Crystal a full “first date” experience: pick her up, give her flowers, and hold the doors open for her, but I guess she wasn’t yet fully convinced that I wasn’t a crazy stalker. So we agreed to meet at the restaurant. My first date with Crystal was more than I could have hoped for. As a confirmed gentleman, I still bought her flowers and held open every door we came across. The food was great and our conversation was even better. I didn’t want the night to end and I am glad she wanted to continue our conversation after dinner and beyond. After our first date, we ended up seeing each other almost every evening the following week. I wouldn’t say that I knew Crystal would be my wife the first day we met, but I definitely knew almost right away. Everything about her was right and I had very little doubts. In fact, I left the dating app right after our first date because I knew I had found what I was looking for.

I knew a proposal was coming long before Crystal did (or so I thought). So I’d had Crystal’s ring for a few months, but I was waiting for the perfect time. After a while, I got so nervous about everything that I decided I needed to just go ahead and do it. I started calling everyone to set things in motion, all secretly of course. Suffice it to say, there was lots and lots and lots of planning. So when everything was finally in place, I had to think of ways to get Crystal to the proposal without her suspecting. I decided to go with dinner. Okay, so it’s proposal day and I am definitely expecting everything that can go wrong to go wrong. Thankfully, it didn’t. First, I had Crystal’s sister and a couple of friends come by my house to collect the ring because I was afraid she would see it in my pocket when I picked her up.

A sweet intersection of love and culture 😍

Then they went ahead to the surprise location while I went to pick Crystal up. I was so sure that Crystal wouldn’t buy my explanation to stop over at our friend’s house before dinner, but it looked like she did. When she was ready, we headed out. I told her that when we got there, I would run in briefly to get what I needed and she could just wait in the car. I popped the question and she said YES!! Oh, and my traitor sister and friends who were supposed to be at a “lounge” were all there! Along with many of our close friends. Lies and deception aside, it was a beautiful moment and I am so glad we got to share it with them.