Johnika
Greenbelt, Maryland

Why we chose Johnika

When we read that Johnika wants to make her wedding dreams come alive in a colorful, classic and understated way, we knew she was the next Jean M bride! She and her fiancé, Darrell, are planning a wedding by the water that incorporates bold colors, cool accents and lots of friendly touches. They want their wedding to reflect their faith, their personalities and their unique style. Johnika is a great planner and wants to make sure every detail is taken care of — and Jean M is excited about helping her!

Johnika's proposal story

"What was supposed to be a traditional breakfast on Christmas day at Darrell's house turned into an unforgettable Christmas engagement. To surprise Darrell, I had purchased tickets to the Wizard vs. Heat game scheduled for Saturday, December 29, 2007. I'd told his mother and sisters that I was going to pretend to propose to Darrell with the tickets and I asked them to record it because I wanted to treasure the moment. On Christmas morning my mother and I arrived at Darrell's. We visited and opened gifts and then Darrell said that his grandparents had my gift and they were running late. I asked why his grandparents had my gift, and he said he'd wrapped it over at their house and left it there to "hide" it. Then the time came for Darrell to open his last gift. Just as I'd planned, the card told him to look up at me and smile. He started to sweat. His mother had the camcorder running and his sister took my camera to take pictures of me asking him to...escort me to the game! Everyone just burst out laughing because the joke was on me but I didn't know it yet. Finally his grandparents arrived and with my gift: a beautifully wrapped box with a leather photo album inside. Darrell had created a book of our life together over the last two years: the first time we met, our first date, ticket stubs of movies we'd attended, favorite restaurants, comedians and our conversations over Facebook. Then, to my surprise, the last page of the album asked, "Will You Marry Me Johnika?" Darrell placed the ring on my finger and all I could do was hug him and say YES! He really set me up and I helped him in the process — while I thought I was playing a joke on him, he GOT me. And I'm so glad he did."

Johnika's wedding

Johnika and Darrell will be married in an outdoor ceremony by the water overlooking Baltimore Harbor and their reception will take place at a Mediterranean-style villa outside Washington, D.C. Johnika and Darrell are planning a meaningful event that reflects their faith, their love for one another and their love for their family and friends. They will include original vows and the African American tradition of jumping the broom to honor their heritage. Johnika loves bold colors and will fill the celebration with coral, orange, azalea pink, yellow and gold hues. The entire wedding will be relaxed, festive and enjoyable for everyone celebrating with them. We can't wait to see how Johnika customizes Jean M products to fit her unique style!