Some of the most memorable weddings we feature, in my opinion, are the ones that are undeniably Southern, but that also include traditions from other cultures. There’s truly no one way to have a Southern wedding, and the truer your details are to who you and your fiancé are as a couple, the better! For Dasola and Tomilade, that meant blending their Nigerian roots with their Texan venue. My favorite example of these two things coming together beautifully on their special day? The fashion! Dasola looked gorgeous in her lace-detailed Liancarlo, but the guests who wore traditional Nigerian dress looked pretty fabulous too!
Thank you so much to Civic Photos for sharing this beautiful day with us!
Did you decide to do a first look? Why or why not? Yes, we did. We decided to do this because we knew the day would go by really quickly, and we wanted one-on-one time, even if it was for a single moment. It was great!
Finding my dress was nothing like I expected. I tried on several dresses at some pretty amazing bridal boutiques, but nothing felt right. When I went to Ivory Atelier Bridal, I found several dresses I wanted to try. After trying on the first dress by Liancarlo, one of my favorite songs, “A Thousand Years” started playing on the radio. I started crying, and my cousin who came with me started crying too. I knew I had found the dress.
What made you choose your ceremony and reception venues? Did they have any special significance to you? My husband didn’t have a lot of must-haves when it came to the wedding, but when it came to the venue, he wanted a venue no one we knew had used before. When we found out that the Citadel in Houston would be ready for operation in 2016, we knew it had to be the place.
Our flowers represented all things I love about spring, even though our wedding was in summer. The flowers were all in bright, beautiful colors. We had pink roses and hydrangeas, white baby’s breath, lavender, and more!
How did y’all meet? Tell us your love story. Tomilade and I met in 2013 when my older sister introduced us. After some time, we exchanged numbers. Our first phone conversation lasted over five hours and everything changed. Right from the start, I knew that this was the man I would marry.
Tell us all about the proposal! I moved to Nigeria from 2014 till summer 2016, so we had a long distance relationship with a lot of traveling involved. In August 2015, he let me in on the fact that he would be in Nigeria in September to surprise his mom for her 60th birthday. While in Nigeria, Tomilade told me he wanted us to go out on a dinner date. Of course, I knew I had to get dressed and maybe get my nails done. The thought crossed my mind that he might propose, but after I asked my older sister to help with my nails and she dismissed me, I thought, “If I was getting engaged this weekend, she would have definitely helped a sister out.” On the day of the date, he kept asking why I was so excited–I guess it was just the idea of having one-on-one time again, after what seemed to me like a long time. When we got to the restaurant, he was being extra peppy. He even asked the waiter for wine (he rarely drinks) and for him to take pictures of us. After dinner was dessert, which we decided would be at Hans and Rene, a new place I wanted to try. But first, we stopped to pick up my older sister from my uncle’s house. En route to Hans and Rene, Tomilade decided we had to take a route that would bring us over a picture-perfect bridge on Lagos Island that he had been meaning to drive through before leaving. On the bridge, he claimed the car’s tire felt weird and he had to check it out. To make matters worse, he then asked me to help him get something from the trunk. My first thought was “Dude, I am wearing heels,” but being the awesome partner I am, I had to go help. He popped the trunk of the car, and I saw a huge poster pop out with a sign saying “Omodasola Alatise, will you marry me? I love you sweet pea” and several pictures of us, from the very first day we met to our first date together at Le Colonel and even our last date before the proposal date. It was super amazing. He got down on one knee and before I could gather myself, I saw a car approaching with family and friends, music playing, and flashing lights (which I later realized was a photographer).
When did y’all get married? August 13, 2016
How many friends, family members, and loved ones attended your wedding? 380
Did you write your own vows? No, we didn’t. We went the traditional route.
How did you plan for your marriage while planning your wedding? Our church offers premarital counseling, which was extremely helpful in planning for our marriage.
What’s next for you as a couple? What memories are you looking forward to making together? We are looking forward to being a family, making our own traditions, and falling in love all over again.
Photographer: Civic Photos | Videographer: Double Knot Pictures | Day-of Coordinator: The Upper Room Events | Venue, Catering, Dessert, and Lighting: The Citadel | Florist and Rentals: Perfect Touch | Wedding Cake: Borderline Sinful | Catering: Glorious Feast International Catering | DJ: DJ SM95 | Bride’s Gown: Stye 6814 by Liancarlo | Hair and Makeup: Lyzadora Beauty Consultants | Bride’s Shoes: Nine West | Bride’s Earrings: Kendra Scott | Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Style VW360197 by Vera Wang | Men’s Suits: Custom by Kimono Kollection
This is awesome! Thank you for the feature!