You are invited to the Wedding of

:)

It's a long one!

Eman: We met while we were both in high school in the ninth grade. I had seen her around school and we ended up having a couple of classes together (Woodshop & Auto shop). Around that same time we started running into each other randomly in places outside of school. Mel: Some might say the universe conspired for Emmanuel and I to meet because there were so many opportunities for us to meet. As kids we both took lessons in the Arts at the same community centre, I had family members that lived at his building, he was one of my sisters camp counsellors and the list goes on and on like that! Eman: I remember one random Saturday when I had piano lessons at a community centre. My lessons had just wrapped up and I was carrying my little keyboard down the hall when I peered into one of the rooms, and there she was in her leotard dancing to some modern contemporary routine or something like that. I would say that was probably the ice breaker leading to… Mel: Our bomb.com-next level-out of this world friendship!

Eman: So like I mentioned before, we met in high school. She had friends that she came in with, and I had my friends as well. So we all connected and kind of became a group and we would all kick it together. Since her and I had class together, we got to know each other better. Mel: There we became friends and I was truly a pain in his side lol, for some reason I just loved to bug and bother him. Eman: I will mention that in the very beginning, I thought she was a pest. She seemed to get a kick out of always tearing paper out of my binder and taking my things. I would respond by making fun of her dance routines… childish I know, but we grew out of that and learned to communicate, and began to actually hang out with each other. Mel: Our friendship grew strong over the next 2 years and by Gr.11 we became best friends! We enjoyed each other's company so much that we were always together (like rice and peas), to the point where if you saw one of us, the other was probably right around the corner. Eman: Before long, we were calling each other and having phone conversations about anything and everything that literally lasted for hours on the LAN phone (we would talk until my mom would literally pick up the line and tell me to go to bed…) Mel: Our conversations were epic! We would have deep philosophical talks, have feverish debates about the world that challenged and pushed each other's thinking, and we would also have the most ridiculous, random and silly convos. Vibing and laughing was our own language! I remember one time in class we were both dying of laughter at a joke only we could understand that was delivered with no words, just a look. Everyone around us was so confused, while we laughed till tears filled our eyes. Eman: Well, as time passed, we kind of formed our own world where we would escape to feel safe and free to be ourselves. That world grew as we did, and I realized that it felt like one of the few constants in my life. So when she told me she was moving to Brampton, I was sooo sad! I thought I would never see her again (Travelling to Brampton felt like going to another country back then, like I needed a passport or something). She reassured me that regardless of the move, we would remain tight no matter what. We remained consistent with our phone convos, and I soon began to realize that she really was right. Yea, she was far, but she hadn’t gone anywhere. I could always get to her, no passport necessary. Mel: Even back then I knew that our bond was solid and I had this feeling or understanding that time or distance could never break it. So yea, I wasn’t scared when I moved to Brampton (lol) but I was glad that he soon saw that we had nothing to worry about.

Eman: Years flew by. We grew up, stayed close, we partied, we chilled, we ate food, and remained in each other’s lives. But there was this thing brewing… Mel: Yes, things were blooming and brewing, lol! However, I think it’s safe to say that our romantic feelings for one another began early on but we ignored it and instead directed all that energy into our friendship. Eman: Neither one of us wanted to risk what we had. We had spent our lives just being “friends”, why would we want to blow that up? Because, feelings… that’s why. Mel: Things got to a point where we could no longer deny our feelings for each other. Eman: And we finally opened up to each other and decided to give ourselves the chance at something more… Mel: We had a magical whirlwind secret romance! Eman: Well, it didn’t go as hoped. Mel: Unfortunately we broke up. Eman: As to why, well, it’s complicated. We were young, optimistic, foolish, and just not ready for the type of world shattering change that came with us being together as a couple. We took some space, and left behind the world we had together. The check in’s were few and far between. Mel: The weeks rolled into months, months into years, and before you know it 5 very long years had passed.

Mel: The time apart was very hard, I kept wanting to be able to talk to him. As the time went on and the silence grew stronger I began to lose hope that we would ever be cool again let alone friends. I began to try to accept the fact that the only communication between us would be “Happy Birthday” and “Happy New Year”. But making peace with this was very difficult. Eman: We didn’t talk much over the years, but the reminders were hauntingly consistent. I sat in my room, looking out the window, only to see a giant freshly placed billboard ad that stood directly in my view. “Flights to Grenada From $$$”. It stood for months, and months and months, and felt like a cruel joke. Of all the places in the world…

Eman: I always told myself that at some point, I would run into her. Some day, Somewhere random in the city, I would spot her, and we would chat, catch up, and be cool. We were, at one time, literally each other’s support system. It couldn’t just be over. …Well that day came. Mel: After 5 years of being apart, I unknowingly walked into his store (at the time) looking for a new phone case. Who knew my affinity for destroying my phone screens would lead me back to him. Eman: She pulled up to my workplace, walked right through the door, and I spotted her. Mel: He approached me, and for half of a second I was completely confused as he had changed so much physically over the past few years. I on the other hand apparently looked the same (I’m told that I'm ageing slowly). Eman: The initial interaction went as follows: “Woooah” “Woooah” “Woooooooahh “Woooooooahhh” “Woooooooooooooaahhh” * mutual smiles* *embrace each other in a hug* “How have you been…” Mel: We talked right through his shift and into the night, it was like no time (let alone years) had passed. We decided to have dinner to catch up, and that he would get back to me with a date and time. I did not hear from him for months so naturally I thought he changed his mind and had dissed me! Eman: I had every intention of following through with that, but I had summer school and work. So we didn’t talk for a good chunk of time after that until I reached out after my last exam. Mel: One summer day I got a text from him. Eman: E- “Hey, you available on XXX” M- “I thought you forgot about me…” Mel: We met up at one of our go-to spots from back in the day. Eman: New name, same menu. Just like old times. Mel: This would be the first of many of our “catch-up” dinners.

Mel: We had a beautiful, adventurous and spontaneous “catch-up” that lasted about 15hrs! I wanted the date *coughs and clear throat* I mean day, to go on forever. Eman: It was such a perfect day. It had a little bit of everything. Mel: It started with a picnic… Eman: Sushi for dinner, long walk over to Jack's for some fish bowls… Mel: Then the longest Blue Line TTC travel adventure of all time (lol) and ended at the lakeshore. On the lakeshore as we talked, embraced and- Eman: We watched the sunrise together, and both came away with the most amazing feeling. I never wanted that night/day to end… Mel: I had this overwhelming feeling of love wash over me and knew in all of my being that I was deeply in love with Emmanuel. After this day, I told one of my close friends that I was in love with him but that I was afraid he would not want to try again because of the past. Eman: At this point I knew. I was head over heels… I couldn’t keep it to myself. I didn’t know who to talk to, so I told my manager. She was ecstatic. I was conflicted. That time with her was so amazing. It was undeniable. But there was some hesitation on both our parts, however… Mel: Some 7 months later we met up again, and started dating. Eman: We became official. Mel: After two years of bliss he proposed to me on December 30th 2020.

Eman: Our last four years have been amazing, and we truly look forward to spending the rest of our lives together. Mel: We are excited to share and celebrate the next chapter in our 18 year love story as we become husband and wife on November 17 2022! Hope to see you there. Also please don't forget to check out our registry as monetary gifts are preferred :)