Steffanii+ Cory

BY REEM PHOTOGRAPHY

WEDDING DATE: August 12, 2023

OCCUPATIONS: (Steffanii): Nurse/Entrepreneur/Maternity Education Consultant

(Cory): Senior Director of OperationsEngineer

HOW THEY MET: We met at a supermarket during the Covid-19 pandemic. I was staying at a hotel in NYC while working as a bedside nurse and went food shopping for my mom and kids on my day off. We met and chatted about the pandemic and he offered to pay for my groceries as a way of saying thank you! I politely declined and we bonded from there.

PROPOSAL STORY: This was funny because I did not want to get out of bed! It was my only day off and I was exhausted from work that week. He said we needed to get dressed up and go out for a date since we didn't have kids.

The youngest that day started throwing up so I said we are staying in, but he refused. That afternoon my two sons, Cory and I left to go out to dinner.... it was 20 degrees outside. We get to a warehouse and I see there are helicopters. His best friend shows up (mine is in Ghana at the time) and the way he was fidgeting I knew he was up to something, per usual! He loved to surprise me.

Cory rented a helicopter to tour the city and popped the question as we appreciated the Statue of Liberty. The funny thing was I couldn't hear him due to the noise and headphones but saw the ring and said YES! But since we were on the helicopter he wasn't able to get down on one knee, when we exited the helicopter he got down on one knee and asked again and of course, I said yes..again!

WHEN DID YOU KNOW HE/SHE WAS "THE ONE"? Steffanii and I had the opportunity to get to know one another as friends during quarantine after spending many hours on the phone. Steffanii is intelligent, beautiful, innovative, creative, thoughtful, and the epitome of a woman. Through our conversations, I was able to see then how our faith, family, and ambitions would blend with each other and create a solid union. Along with her qualities as a woman and mother, it was my spirit that validated my decision to ask her to be my wife.

ENGAGEMENT SESSION THEME: Yes, we wanted the photos to have a classic and timeless look and also a sexy Miami theme.

FIRST DATE? Our first date was during quarantine so we ate in. Cory prepared dinner at his apartment (he's an excellent cook).

FIRST DATE? We love to travel, eat and drink.

HOW HAS WEDDING PLANNING BEEN SO FAR? Wedding planning has been good. We are working with a wedding planner, Kia Marie, who has been a great help in planning our Chicago wedding.