Inspiration

Real Engagements {Atlanta}: Terramani & Duane! – Blackbride.com

Terramani and Duane met in 2006 through mutual friends. Terramani and Duane's friends set up a group date where they all went to the Piedmont Jazz Festival, which is held every Memorial Day weekend in Atlanta. They had a picnic on the lawn, and Terramani and Duane had a great time getting to know each other. After 8 years of being together, the couple will celebrate their union with a destination beach wedding at the Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort in Destin, FL.  With Duane’s last name being Smith, the couple decided to go with a Mr. and Mrs. Smith themed engagement shoot, captured by Cat Franklin Photography.

Bride: Terramani Collier, 31 Medical Sales Representative

Groom: Duane Smith, 31 Marketing Manager

Place of residence: Atlanta, GA

Engagement Shoot Location: Serrano Condominiums

Wedding date: March 14, 2015

 

Engagement story from the bride-to-be:

Duane surprised me! Which is very hard to do. I remember the day was so busy. I had to work, then we had to go to his Mother’s house for dinner with his family. Once we arrived, dinner and spending time with the family was fun and relaxing. But Duane kept saying I need to get you home before you get tired. I kept thinking that is very considerate (not knowing he had something up his sleeve) so the whole way home we were listening to rap, so I didn’t fall asleep. Once we got home I walked the dog and couldn’t wait to come back in to give Duane his ornament (we exchange ornaments with each other every Christmas Eve since we have met). So, when I came back in I gave him his ornament. Then he said I have one for you too. But I was confused because he picked an old ornament off the tree, (at this point I thought he forgot and was trying to be funny) and I started walking away from him. He then proceeded to grab my hand and get on one knee. I was thinking no he is not going to propose to me with this old ornament, but once he moved his hand I saw a diamond and I said, oh my! This is happening! He asked me to marry him and to spend the rest of my life with him. I said YES! We kissed, hugged, laughed, and cried in Joy! And the rest is history.

The Proposal Story {From the Groom}:

I knew I wanted to do it around the end of year holiday season, but knew I couldn’t do it on Christmas because we both felt that we should share this moment on its own merits and not on some other “day of celebration.” Despite having bought the ring over a month in advance, it was custom and required a few weeks’ time to be made to specification. Coincidentally, the ring wasn’t schedule to be delivered until a week before Christmas. Between that time and Christmas Eve (my target day), I had to schedule time to ask for her father’s blessing while also trying to complete Christmas shopping. I arranged to meet with Mani’s father to discuss my intentions. It didn’t end up being as nerve-racking as I’d anticipated and we had a great conversation, culminating in him giving me his blessing.

The next day, Christmas Eve, we had a dinner planned with my family. I wasn’t going to pop the question there, because I wanted it to be a special private moment. However, Mani had a long workday and I noticed her getting tired relatively early. My greatest fear was that she’d get sleepy on the drive home, get in the house, and then go straight to bed, leaving me with virtually no opportunity to propose that night. As a last resort to keep Terramani awake and somewhat energized, we rode 35 minutes from my mother’s house to Terramani’s listening to nothing but hype music.

We got to her place and, for me, it seemed that the stars had aligned in that 1) Terramani wasn’t too sleepy when we arrived and 2) her dog had to be walked, which kept her outside for a few minutes. While she did that, I fumbled through a duffel bag I packed the ring in. As if I was the Grinch returning a stolen present, I slyly placed the ring atop a nondescript tree ornament (important note: we buy each other one special ornament each Christmas, I hadn’t gotten her one yet). What followed seemed to be something out of cheesy romantic comedy – she comes inside and says, “Hey, I bought you an ornament to put up.” Knowing what I had hiding in the tree, I replied, “Oh, yeah. I got you one too”. I picked the ornament out of the tree and walked over to her as she stared at me confused, not seeing the ring hidden behind a part of my hand. She thought I was joking around until I changed the positioning of my hand, pulled the ring off the top of the ornament and asked for her to spend the rest of her life with me. The rest, as they say, is history…

 

What makes your love special?

I think we’re a great balance of opposites. We obviously have a lot of interests and passions in common, but we’re so great at keeping each other grounded through the varied perspectives our respective life experiences, personalities and skill sets have provided us.

What are you most looking forward to about your wedding?

 Two things: 1) the first kiss as a married couple and 2) sharing the special day/moment with our closest friends and family with the Gulf of Mexico as the backdrop.

Have you started planning your wedding? If so, share a few details about your big day:

Yes, our wedding is pretty much planned, just to give you a few details. Our wedding Ceremony will be on the beach, and our cocktail hour will be on a terrace overlooking the water, the reception will be in a room adjacent to the terrace, also overlooking the water. The bridal party will be wearing custom made wrap dresses in the color eggplant and the groomsmen with be wearing grey suits with eggplant color ties.

 

Congrats to Terramani and Duane! We wish you a wonderful wedding and marriage.

 

Vendors:

Photographer: Cat Franklin Photography

Curated by our Wedding Features Editor, C.K. Alexander. C.K. is the owner and founder of  Love Ink and Brownstone Bridal. Keep up with C.K. on Twitter here: @Love_Ink

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