LoveweddingsNG presents Iyanu & Femi | Ice Imagery

Iyanu and Femi met after their mutual friends’ match making efforts and after a lot of forming, they fell for each other. The couple had their pre-wedding shoot with our vendor – Ice Imagery. Read their story and view pictures from their shoot below.

Bride: Iyanu Fakoya
Groom: Femi Adebuji

How They Met

In 2013, a colleague/friend mentioned him (Femi) to me, but in a very nonchalant way, we both just laughed over her terrible matchmaking skills. Then her fiancé at the time (now husband) kept pestering her to get a favorable answer from me, I wasn’t in the mood and kept tossing and turning her. Her fiancé came to PH to see her and majorly to convince me to give his best friend “Femi” a chance. The speech was really funny. It was something like this:

“So Iyanu, how are you doing? I have this friend. He’s a real cutie, sweet, soft, caring and loyal. All I want is for you to meet him. Just ONCE and if you don’t like him, I won’t understand sha, but I’ll respect your decision. So what’d say?”

I was humbled by his adamant request and said “Okay, I’ll meet with him. Just so I can shut you up once and for all and end this reign of terrorism.” He was ecstatic and said… “Okay dear, seeing as you are coming for my wedding, no need to hook up anywhere else, just watch out for my “BESTMAN” he’ll be the man of your dreams.”

He maintained this speech and even took time out a night to his wedding to remind me to watch out for his “BESTMAN”.

Well as preordained, I went for the wedding and had different emotions running through me, excitement (he might be cute ooh), anxiety (what if he’s not intelligent or I don’t like the way he talks?), worry (what if he doesn’t just fit into my “specs”). I pushed all that negative emotion out the door and enjoyed the wedding.

Of course, the first thing I looked out for was the best man! Okay, just to confirm, he looked wayyyyyy better than his friend had tried to describe. I told myself, probably, it’s the suit, or the glasses he had on. Infact, his effizy sef was on another level.

We both started the forming game, of course I was acting like I didn’t notice him, meanwhile in my head all I saw was how he carried himself, his cute smile, the way he whispered to the groom was even sexy and the stroke that broke the camel’s back was his incredible open teeth. Chai I knew at that moment that I was gone. Still I formed… after a while at the reception when he didn’t come to see or talk to me, I went to the couple (knowing he’ll hear me) and I said to them. “Happy Married Life guys, this was a successful event. I’m leaving ooh.” I wasn’t going anywhere sha without talking to that guy, but I had to let him know who’s boss over me. My friend’s husband said “please don’t leave yet, you have to speak to Femi.” Finally Mr. Busy bestman and I had a sit down, after talking for one minute all my fears were placated. Then he said “can you take my number, I’m not with my phone.” In my head I said “yes of course I will”.

My mouth said “in truth if I collect your number I won’t call you.” He smiled and I knew this battle was won already, his next words “please can I get yours?” I said that’s fine. So I gave him my number.

I went everywhere with my phone after that day (Infact was ready to sleep with headphones on). Three days after he called, and we spoke for over an hour. After that conversation, he was signed, sealed and delivered.

Then he said, “see Iyanu, do you have a boyfriend because I don’t want to be just a friend.” I said yes I do, and then he said, “Okay then this conversation is over.” I said “ahan, I value your friendship ooh, can’t we just be friends?” he said “NO, I want you in my life but not as a friend as something more. So if it can’t be that, let’s forget about it.” Problem with guys these days, they want what they want, no compromise, and no halves. It’s full or nothing.

That conversation was in March 2014, we just chatting, talking and gisting, he was fun to talk to, the best part of my days were when we talked. I told my mum about him mostly to get her off my case. Prior to him, she kept asking, “so Iyanu, is there a guy I should know about? We know how our mothers can be on issues like this. (I’m sure at some point, my mum was ready to fix me up if she had her way). It was a matter of pride actually, it was imperative that I told her about him even though I had not given him an answer as to whether or not I’ll date him oooh.

I kept praying (God has got to be the source of your conviction and nothing else.) While writing my exams in May 2014, I kept praying (for success in exams and Femi) then I got a conviction (a word from Numbers 23:19). Now this was tricky cause I wasn’t sure what the conviction was for, Femi or My exams (I chose exams ooh) after the exams though I went to Abuja to see family, and met with my brother in-law whom I often refer to as my spiritual mentor (we all need someone like that in our lives) and we got talking. He said he got a word and the Lord said he has given me a word already, he told me what the Lord said and I confirmed that was what I got as well. So I went back to PH, happy and full of joy. This was in May 2014.

For me, it wasn’t Love at First Sight (I don’t believe in it). I believe Love is a choice and I chose Femi with God as my navigator.

Watch Out for “The Proposal.”

– Iyanu (Bride)

Femi’s Story

This all started in November 2013, after a 5 year relationship ended (obviously I was broken.) Now, I felt like my friend – Niyi (my friend since university days) was tired of me licking my wounds and wanted me to jump into a new relationship (passing the “best friend” baton to someone else.)

It goes without saying, I knew her (Iyanu) before I met her. All Niyi talked about was “Iyanu this, Iyanu that. Guy you have to meet Iyanu. She’s for you.”

I can assure you that I rolled my eyes whenever he started, simply because this was normal, he was relentless in his effort. It seemed more like he needed hook after he got married (he was engaged at this time.)

So Niyi went to PH to see his fiancée, he called me with gist, the profile he came with was crazy, “Femi, my guy, I met this lady, she is… she is spiritual, brilliant, intelligent, caring and when you see her carriage ehn, you will know that I am your friend, no be for mouth.”

So I said okay oooh, I’ll speak to her. So there and then he gave her the phone and we spoke for the first time. She sounded calm, friendly and soft, even her voice was giving me chills. Immediately Niyi got back I pestered him for her number ooooh and he kept posting me. After a few week with no result I let him be and remembered I wasn’t even ready for any sort of relationship (although unconsciously, I started planning to meet her at Niyi’s wedding.) As a man, we plan ahead, so;

Plan A: Meet Iyanu and kickstart something cool that will last a lifetime God willing.
Plan B: Try to reconcile with 5 year relationship Ex…

Now wedding came with a whoosh and I got cold feet… I felt worry (what if she doesn’t like me or she’s forgotten about me?) morale was low but I pushed through (Niyi was encouraging me. Doing the bestman duty). Prior to the wedding day, he had introduced and invited 2 ladies for me to meet.

A day to the wedding, while I was still anxious, I heard Niyi on the phone “Hi Iyanu, hmm you need to see my Bestman, he’s fun, he’s handsome….” I told him ooh hyping might spoil the taste of the soup oooh. So we went to church, I was the best man (doing all the Bestman duties) but that wasn’t what stopped me from looking for Iyanu ooh, my target was another lady. So I was like a lion on the hunt. Fortunately for me, the lady snubbed me and I moved on fast.

Niyi gave me Iyanu’s location and I took my time admiring God’s work, her curves were mad and the outfit she wore didn’t help my situation. Now I had to be strategic, I didn’t want her to catch me looking at her like that. So I looked and closed my eyes to take it all in. Then while I was with Niyi whispering something, Iyanu came and congratulated the couple and announced quite loudly “well I’m leaving ooh.”

This was it, it was so obvious that the last statement was meant for me. Niyi quickly introduced us and we got talking. I danced during the ceremony, I may have cried at some point but this talk was the best time I had during my friend’s wedding. Now as the devil would have it, I didn’t have my phone with me, so I asked her to take my number and she did, then I thought to myself (“what if she doesn’t call. Ladies can be funny ooh.”) so I told her to excuse me, I quickly got a phone and got her number. I tried as much as possible to be composed (if I was alone, this would be the point where I dance shoki to the ground and back up with one eye covered.)

I went back to my role as Bestman. After a while I saw her, she came close (I could tell she wanted to talk some more with me) this was where I decided to form, I checked premiership scores on my phone, whistled a little to the song playing. Talked a little (intentionally). *winks*.

I also took my time calling her(intentionally) after the wedding, sent her an SMS three days later though, it read; “Hi Iyanu, how was your flight back to PH? Hope it wasn’t too stressful. Have a lovely week ahead. Regards, Femi Adebuji.”

She replied; “No it wasn’t.”

In my head I said “ahan, two can play this game ooh, but I’ll let you win sha.”

I called her two days after that, we spoke at length. I couldn’t waste any time at all, I made my intentions known, asked her if she had a boyfriend, she said yes. Gentleman like me, I said “Okay, then there’s no need being friends.”

She sharply replied “Ahan I want you as a friend ooh.”

I said “I want a wife, you have a boyfriend= case closed, no room for me.”

She said, “I want you as a friend.”

Now I had an inside man (Niyi), he told me that she didn’t have a boyfriend. While I commend her attempts of playing hard to get (it was really cute), I knew right from the start that she wanted me just as much as I wanted her.

After our first conversation, my routine changed almost drastically, I called her every morning before I go to work. After prayers, phone call to Iyanu (“hi iyanu, how’s PH today?”) then she said, “if you want to know how PH is, come see for yourself.”

I was amazed, burning with desire, happy, too many emotions all in one. Then I composed myself and asked “is that an invitation to come to PH?”

She said “if you want to role with me, you’ve got to read between the lines.” That was just something else(no matter what happened that day, my smile was unending). Chai I was a man in serious love. I went to PH ooh, then I was treated like a stranger, she pushed me out around 9pm and I was wondering.

We could hold a conversation for 3 or 4 hours and that in itself is magical. Now I know this all started after my breakup, but difference is, I dated someone for 5 years but there was no friendship in that relationship.

Iyanu and I were friends even before we took it up a notch. I can humbly say that Niyi’s plan worked, I have a new Best friend.

I spoke to my parents about her and also in church and got a conviction..

Why Iyanu?

Niyi didn’t quite do justice to her profile. Shes humble, strong, beautifully made, reasoning and her beliefs are perfect.

Meeting her was divine and the most intriguing about us was the fact that we could talk for the whole day and nonstop; this I didn’t get in my previous relationships. I mean real talk! It’s just unexplainable how that happens. It is just a further proof of the fact that we were meant for each other and destined to be together forever. She’s the best thing I have seen. I feel very comfortable around her. She is no doubt God’s best work. Her knowledge about things stuns me. She knows something about everything and tell me, what can be more charming? Absolutely nothing! She is both an epitome of beauty and an embodiment of intelligence. It would be an understatement to say she is the best thing that has happened to me.