There’s nothing more beautiful than teen love. After all, what more assurance you’d need from a partner who has already weathered life’s inevitable ups and downs from teenager to adulthood. They have stuck together through the bad times and accentuated the happiness of the good. Lucky are the ones who have found these partnerships early on and still have only love, gratitude, and appreciation for their other half. Jameka & Ray are the lucky select few who met when they were 17, formed a strong bond from thereon, and it’s been just the two of them since. 

A Sweet, Childhood Love Story To Warm Your Heart

Jameka & Ray’s serendipitous encounter is an endearing one. They were 17 when Jameka went to her aunt’s store along with her cousin. Ray was around the store with his father, and they were both driving around in a green truck. Ray’s father often used to hang around Jameka’s aunt’s store, but the two never really knew about each other until Jameka asked Ray’s father if she could drive their green truck, even though she wasn’t a good driver herself. Serendipity to its very best, don’t you think? 

He further went home and told Ray about what happened and he came the next day to see who the girl was – unbeknownst to the fact that he was meeting the love of his life. “We talked, exchanged numbers, and since then, it has just been the two of us,” says Jameka. 

The duo went on their first official date two years later, which was a movie and then a romantic dinner. Ray proposed to Jameka a few years later on Valentine’s Day. “My aunt tricked me into believing it was a normal Valentine’s date. Completely oblivious of his proposal plans, I went on the dinner. Next thing I know Ray is on his knee asking me to marry him. After I realized that he was for real, I said yes,” says Jameka describing her incredible proposal. 

An Elegant Mississippi Wedding It Was

Keeping in line with the bride’s classic and elegant vision, the couple opted for Levee Street Warehouse as their ceremony location. The historic venue with a brick & wooden interior has a rustic vibe – a theme the couple wanted their wedding day to exude. To further align with their wedding vision, they hired vendors who had experience curating such kinds of celebrations. J.Ivy Affairs was the wedding planner/coordinator. We love planning elegant and stylish events and Jameka wanted a big day allying with the same theme. 

Her dress was from David’s bridal: a body-hugging sweetheart neckline outfit with a sweeping train. Intricate embroidery bedecked the outfit beautifully. She paired the gorgeous dress with a diamond jewelry set and a diamond bangle on one hand. Beauty-wise, she kept things simple and timeless. A side-swept bun, clean makeup look, and red lips (Jameka’s favorite color!) finished her bridal look flawlessly. The groom wore a 3-piece tux with a red coat to complement his bride. The men in the wedding party were seen in a black tux while the bridesmaids wore either red or pink off-shoulder sweetheart neckline dresses in sequin.  

Bride Incorporated Her Inclinations Into Wedding Details

Jameka loves the color red and incorporated the hue in many of her wedding elements; like her lip shade, the groom’s tux, bridesmaids’ dresses, and table settings. In addition, she also incorporated navy in the table settings to bring out the silver. Her affinity for a rustic theme called for the blending of a beige palette into various decor elements as well. To complete the decor, a series of fairy lights were hung on the ceiling because there’s barely a combination that beats the whimsical nature of rustic decor and the illumination of fairy lights. 

“I also wanted to keep it old school, in terms of the songs and all, so I did the same,” says Jameka. She opted for Leela James’ Fall for You for her song pick as she walked down the aisle and Natalie Cole’s Inseparable as her first dance track. “Everything turned out to be great,” said Jameka when asked about the biggest surprise on her wedding day. 

Jameka’s Advice For Future Couples Is Cliche Yet Important 

Signing off, Jameka gave her two cents for couples planning their wedding. While cliche, these three pieces of advice can be important ones for couples to follow. “Try not to let people get under your skin” is the first one. In theory, the period leading from your engagement to your wedding day should be a fun one. But it’s often stressful especially when there are difficult family members & friends around. Unsolicited opinions and pressure to do things a certain way can be hard to deal with. Our advice is to address these members before the D-Day, set firm boundaries, and as a last resort, just don’t engage with them at any level. 

Jameka’s second advice is related to the most realistic topic of them all: finances. “If you don’t have help with your finances, give yourself at least two years to set yourself straight,” she says. When money is involved, only practicality can work. Set a realistic budget for yourself, and see if the wedding of your dreams can be achieved through this financial estimate. 

Lastly, the bride advises hiring a wedding planner/ coordinator. “Make sure to get a wedding planner because without them you will definitely be stressed out,” she tells us. Hiring a wedding planner will make your life easier in more ways than you can imagine. They’re experts in event production and can pitch in helpful ideas to curate a celebration of your dreams. Moreover, they can offer some thoughtful advice to handle stressful situations like money matters, dealing with toxic family members, etc. In addition, they can also make the wedding day smoother by handling inevitable hiccups in the final event. 

We are grateful for Jameka & Ray and the trust they bestowed on us for their special day. It was truly an honor to be around these beautiful souls and witness their glorious union. We made some cherished memories and will carry them in our hearts forever.