Our Story

Their journey began in August 2004, when Shaunte was a freshman and Rio was a sophomore at Virginia Union University. They first met in the university choir, where they both auditioned together. Rio, nervous and unsure of himself, found himself captivated by Shaunte, but she didn’t even know who he was yet. It wasn’t long before Rio laid eyes on her walking across campus and knew his life was about to change forever. He immediately turned to his best friend, Dave, and said, "One day, I'm going to have something serious with that girl."

2005---Rio admired Shaunte from afar, and his feelings were undeniable. Eventually, he gathered the courage to ask her out—but Shaunte, at the time, only saw him as a friend. But Rio didn’t take "no" for an answer. Though Shaunte quickly put him in the friend zone, Rio’s persistence never wavered. Alongside their growing friendship, Shaunte and Rio shared another bond—the pride of being members of the first Black Greek sorority and fraternity: Shaunte, a proud member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., and Rio, a dedicated member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. These organizations would later play an integral role in their connection, a bond that went beyond love and into the foundation of their shared values. Thus, it was only fitting that they chose to celebrate their union on the 8th day of June—06/08—a date that will not only marked a profound commitment to one another but also honored the rich legacy of their Greek heritage, forever intertwined in their love and purpose.

March 26, 2006

October 07, 2006

2006---After some time, their friendship blossomed into something more, and by the time Shaunte was a sophomore and Rio was a junior, they began dating. However, like many young relationships, their love took a brief pause, and they separated after a few months. Rio wasn’t ready to let go, and Shaunte’s heart knew he was meant to be a part of her life, though the timing just wasn’t right. She let him go to grow, trusting that if it was meant to be, their paths would cross again.

In 2014, fate brought them back together, and they began dating again—but in 2015, life’s challenges led them to part ways once more. At that point, In 2015, Rio decided to let Shaunte go, believing the decision was now in his hands. He thought it was time to part ways, not realizing that one phone call from Shaunte a year later would unravel everything he thought he knew, altering the course of his heart forever.

In 2016, Shaunte found her way back, ready to compromise, heal, and move forward together, to the only love she had ever known. She returned to Virginia in 2017, and by the end of that year, they reignited the spark that would forever change the course of their lives.

It was as if God's timing was guiding them all along—because the love they had for each other had only deepened, and their connection was now undeniable. In 2018, they welcomed their beautiful daughter, Summer, and in 2021, they were blessed with their second little miracle, Athena.

Juneteenth 2023 — As they adjusted to parenthood, time seemed to fly by. As they built a life full of laughter, love, and memories, they realized that what had started as a friendship had blossomed into something truly extraordinary. Through every twist, turn, and time apart, one thing remained certain: it was never a question of if, just when. And now, after years of love, growth, and unwavering commitment, they are ready to make it official. Officially Boyd. Officially forever.