Omolola “Lola” Fakunle and Nicholas “Moses” Ngong first crossed paths in college when a mutual friend introduced the two at a party. One semester, their schedules aligned, so they passed each other on the way to classes. “One of those days, a short side walk conversation turned into a multi-hour coffee date and one of the best conversations either of us has ever had,” Lola shares.
Five years later, on a weekend away with friends in Richmond, Moses, who is a community organizer, proposed to Lola, a doctor currently completing an orthopedic surgery residency. “One night, we went on a walk around one of Richmond’s historic neighborhoods, and then I got down on one knee and did the thing at a beautiful spot overlooking the Charles River,” Moses remembers. “Immediately afterwards, a local man who none of us knew ran up to us to share advice from his 30-plus years of marriage. It was a big surprise for all of us, but it’s sweet that a random person like that will be a part of our memories from that weekend forever.”
Lola had been envisioning what her wedding might look like long before a proposal. “My sister and best friends know that I’ve had a secret Pinterest board for years where I collected wedding inspiration and vibes,” she says. “It evolved over the years, but I always knew that I wanted a unique venue that captured the essence of beauty.”
The two settled on the Mellwood Art Center in Louisville for the traditional engagement—the first event of the wedding festivities—and hired SJF Weddings to execute each detail. As for the wedding venue, Lola and Moses came across Belvedere on an afternoon stroll. The scenic plaza space overlooking the Ohio river sits adjacent to the Galt House—which set the scene for the day-of. “As Louisville natives, it felt great to have a venue that was such an homage to our hometown,” Lola says. Courtney Coe of &Coe brought their wedding vision to life.
The bride refers to the weekend aesthetic as a minimalist, communal, elevated version of the traditional wedding. Kaitlyn Carter Photography and Meadowlark Photo beautifully captured her vision from behind the lens.
The families of the bride and groom were instrumental in curating looks for the weekend. “For the traditional wedding, we had two sets of outfits; aso oke and traditional Kom attire, all made by hand in Nigeria and Cameroon,” Lola notes. “Aso oke in Yoruba literally means ‘top cloth’ and is a hand-woven fabric worn on the most special of days. Ours was a beautiful burnt orange.” Lola’s Aunt Doyin sourced the ensemble through her business, Beulah. Moses’s family, located in Cameroon, made both of their Kom outfits. “I ended up feeling so beautiful in the black velvet one-shoulder Kom dress that Moses’s aunts kindly designed for me. My mom and aunt helped me find red head beads to go with the Kom outfit during one of my parents’ trips to Nigeria before the wedding.”
As for Moses, Lola designed his ceremony suit herself. “The goal was to create a distinct look with modern, textured, and formal elements. Segun at Ewe Kouture—our Nigerian tailor— understood the assignment and brought it to life,” she explains. The bride found her wedding dress on Pinterest. She loved the look, clicked the link and ultimately purchased the one shoulder mikado silk dress from L’Avenir Bridal Boutique.
“Skin first, makeup second” details Lola’s beauty philosophy. Tameka Elliot Artistry, Berhan, and Teewhy Studios artfully applied every look and style.
On October 14, 2022, Lola and Moses celebrated a traditional Yoruba and Kom engagement ceremony, surrounded by loved ones. “One of the most cinematic, love-filled events of our lives,” Lola shares of the lively affair. Moses performed the Dobale, an expression of Yoruba heritage, showing respect toward Lola’s family and afterward, a night of colorful celebration followed.
The next day, the pair headed to Calvary Episcopal for their church wedding. Marvellous Igwe and Harin Oh played classical music, as guests arrived and the bridal party processed down the aisle. Michael Dada then led an ensemble band, who played Tope Alabi’s “Yes and Amen,” when it was time for Lola to meet Moses at the altar.
As the pastor greeted guests, gospel singers harmonized melodies of Lola’s favorite songs, which brought most everyone to tears. Following personal vows, the pair held a moment for praise and offerings—a common ritual at Nigerian weddings. “Beyond being an opportunity for guests to generously donate to the ministries involved in our service, it was also a chance for us to hug and greet every single guest in the church for at least one moment,” Lola explains.
“The ceremony was transcendent,” Moses shares. “It was unreal to look into the crowd and see the faces of so many people we love, as Lola and I celebrated our relationship. It felt like the greatest hits of our lives up to that point and a culmination of the love that exists in our connection.”
Afterward, guests walked along the waterfront as West African small chops were served. At Belvedere Plaza, DJ RA Den welcomed guests to the space. “My dress actually ripped in the bathroom before dinner, but Courtney and one of my bestfriends, Ndeye, who is also an orthopedic surgery resident—and expert sewer!—came to the rescue and whip stitched me back up,” Lola laughs. “It’s so funny, because while I was being sowed in, many of our friends started dancing with the DJ before dinner!”
Everyone dined on an InSeason farm-to-table dinner—featuring squash and crispy shallots— before Lola and Moses danced to Frank Ocean’s “Self Control,” while guests lit sparklers. After a night on the dance floor, guests met at Patrick O’Shea’s for the after-party. The bride featured a second look and everyone spent the night reminiscing over all the evening festivities.
