What would you do if you met your online buddy and discovered they were even more amazing than you imagined? For Darlington, it was love at first sight when he met Kristen at an event six years ago.

Their conversations flowed effortlessly, and even though a relationship didn’t emerge instantly, it was a period of bonding and slowly falling deeper in love. Soon, it became clear that their love was meant to be, and Kristen said yes to being his girlfriend — and eventually, to being his wife! As they embark on their forever journey, their love story is a beautiful example of how love can evolve into something magical. Their pre-wedding photos are multiple shades of cute and we can’t get enough of the sweetness,

Enjoy their pre-wedding shoot and love story below:

Their love story as shared by Darlington:

Kristen and I met physically in 2018 at a Tech & Blockchain Convention in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State. We already knew each other as we happened to be members of the same community platform. It was love at first sight when I saw the person I had been communicating with online for a couple of weeks. I was mesmerized by her beautiful face and loud laughter, unable to focus on anything else happening at the meeting.

I approached her for a chat after the meeting and we conversed briefly. After the convention, we started chatting consistently, hanging out often, and getting to know more about each other. We became very good friends, and being friends with her was one of the best things that happened to me that year, as I found my true love who is now my wife. As our friendship grew, I realized we liked each other. I tried to woo her, but she needed time to heal from a recent breakup. While I encouraged her to take all the time she needed to heal completely which was because I was willing to wait for her, we remained friends, enjoying movies, traveling, and many fun activities together.

Kristen’s calm, kind, compassionate, hardworking, and lovable nature made it easy for me to fall in love with her. One year later, I asked her out again, and she said yes. Our relationship was amazing, and I always knew it was headed for marriage. Despite some tough times, our love and desire for each other never wavered. We grew stronger, learning from each other’s mistakes, and fell even deeper in love. After over five years together, I proposed on her birthday in October 2023 while on vacation, and she said “Yes.” I’m still amazed that a convention was the setting where I met the love of my life.

Credits

Bride @kristen.antai
Photography @samsavvyphotography
Planner @eventsbychinny