The COVID-19 pandemic was difficult for everybody, changing how we live our day-to-day lives, access to and the cost of essential goods, our relationships and how we communicate in them, and more. For Maya and John, from Nashville, the pandemic came with even more unexpected life changes: divorce. Post-pandemic, both parties found themselves, unexpectedly, single parents to three children (John’s, kids of college age, Maya’s, school-aged).
The two actually met years before COVID-19 changed their lives. In 2019, they attended the same leadership immersion program for senior-level executives in Nashville. After their marriages ended, a mutual friend and program classmate encouraged them to connect because they were going through similar experiences and could be of help to one another. They found themselves hitting it off after meeting for lunch a few times. The conversation was easy and lasted hours. Soon after, they decided to be more than friends, and in no time, they were thinking about one another in long-term ways.
“I knew I had found my partner for life when I found myself feeling like I could trust John with all parts of me: from the successful CEO and entrepreneur Maya to the silly laugh until I cry Maya to the newly single mom Maya and even the scarred, vulnerable Maya who was indeed in need of healing,” Maya says. “He accepted all pieces of me with an open heart and most importantly, grace.”
For John, he realized he’d met his match when he started prioritizing not just Maya’s needs but those of her young daughters.
“I knew that Maya was my person when I started factoring in her and her girls into my future life decisions,” he recalls. “I had a very attractive career opportunity presented to me. As I weighed the options, I could not help but think about how the possible shift would affect them and their way of life. I was planning for them to be part of my journey. I turned down the opportunity solely because I did not want them negatively impacted. This experience made it clear to me that I wanted Maya and her girls in my life permanently.”
And so, after becoming much more than colleagues in 2021, John decided to propose to Maya a few days before Thanksgiving in 2023, on the date that they went on their first date. Arranging a day-long getaway, John had he and Maya’s close friends and family gather at her home in preparation for the moment. When they returned to her place, Maya was blindfolded and met by her sister and close friends, who all prayed for her before helping her remove her blindfold. There, in her yard, knelt John in front of “MARRY ME” letters, the property covered in rose petals and candles. Of course, she said yes.
A few months later, on May 30, 2024 (because why waste time?), they said I do in Nashville, keeping things both classic and contemporary, marrying at a beloved Baptist Church, but foregoing a traditional reception for a party. No room full of round tables and stuffy food. Just good vibes, lots of dancing, sparklers, and plenty of purple! It’s the couple’s favorite color, for Maya, a shade she’s loved since childhood, for John, one he came to appreciate as a member of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. (Purple and gold are the organization’s colors.) “It is luxurious without being ostentatious,” Maya says.
The day was packed with love, from a foot-washing moment reminiscent of Jesus washing the disciples’ feet in the Bible to signify their vow to serve one another to John singing Stevie Wonder’s “Ribbon in the Sky” to Maya’s surprise and his heartfelt vows for her daughters: “The look in their eyes as I promised to love them will stay with me forever,” he says.
With so many unforgettable moments, how could the couple choose a favorite? Take a look into their special day and learn more about those moments and their love story as a whole in this week’s Bridal Bliss.
We love a happy bride! Maya flashed a smile as she came down to show her bridal party her beautiful, off-the-shoulder gown.
A Que dog (a nickname for members of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc.), John took his love of the color purple to the next level by wearing a purple tuxedo for the big day.
A close-up of the bracelets John had made for Maya’s daughters. They read: “I may not have given you the gift of life, but life gave me the gift of you.” More on the sweet way he gave them the gifts during the ceremony in a bit…
One of the highlights of the day for John included the time he spent getting ready with his groomsmen. “Each of these men are special to me; they all had been significant along my journey. They all sacrificed something to be present for me. So being able to express my appreciation and have them stand with me was special,” he says.
John was focused and ready once the ceremony began at Watson Grove Baptist Church.
Maya was also ready to enjoy the celebration of her and John’s love, sporting another bright smile on her way down the aisle.
As she got closer to the altar, Maya was joined by her parents, who surrounded her as she was led to her husband-to-be.
“Watching Maya walk down the aisle absolutely melted me,” John says. “She was stunning in her dress, flanked by her parents on both sides. So many memories of our journey rushed to my mind. I could not help but cry as she walked towards me to become my wife.”
We told you purple was everywhere! Including the bridesmaids’ gowns, on the bowties of the groomsmen, and in a lot of the decor in the church and at their post-ceremony venue. Peep the lighting!
Maya reads off her vows with a full heart for her love.
Early on, John knew that to be in Maya’s life, he had to have a strong presence in her daughters’ lives. Their father cut contact with the girls as he and Maya divorced, and John became a father figure once he entered the picture. So, he designed those aforementioned bracelets for her three girls and shared them, at the altar, after delivering his vows to their mother. “The family vows John shared with my daughters where he professed his love for and commitment to each one of them was a moment I will replay in my memories forever,” Maya says. “John is an amazing father so knowing that my girls were going to have the opportunity to experience his love and protection made my heart burst with joy.”
According to the couple, the feet-washing ceremony was meant to communicate that they were going to serve one another in their union. “It demonstrated a vulnerability that I’d never quite experienced before,” Maya says. “For me, it served as a symbol of our desire to serve and honor each other both privately and in public.”
The two wrapped up the ceremony, filled with so many beautiful moments, including a serenade from John (“Everyone loves a talented, handsome man who can sing, right?” Maya asks), with a kiss.
They headed back down the aisle, happily, as husband and wife, to the thrill of their guests. (Check out the purple petals!)
Go ladies (and little ladies, too)!
“I am most looking forward to building a future with Maya,” John says. “She is an incredible woman. Her mind and spirit are illuminating. She is my best friend. And I believe we will create and execute incredible visions together.”
The couple’s post-ceremony bash took place at the event space Saint Elle, also in Nashville. Instead of a conventional sit-down dinner situation, guests were encouraged to be on the move, mixing, mingling, dancing throughout the night, noshing on Southern-inspired hors d’oeuvres and enjoying cocktails as DJ NEMO spinned.
“We did not want a stuffy dinner environment,” John says. “Maya and I wanted a party that would culminate our amazing day. That is exactly what we had! Everyone had a great time, especially us. That was important to us.”
“I have always wanted someone I could build with, not just build for,” John says. “That is what I found in Maya.”
In her second look of the day, Maya had the girls on their feet (or better yet, off of them) to get their hands on her bouquet.
While Maya had the ladies on their feet, she had John on his knees to remove her garter. Both in their purple Nike Dunk Low sneakers, he made sure the moment was fun, and just a little risqué, of course.
John wouldn’t be a true Que Dog if he didn’t put on a show in his purple ‘fit during the party.
So what’s next for the couple? Building the life together that they’ve always wanted. “I am looking forward to having a true partner for the first time in my adult life,” Maya says. “Someone to grow with, dream with, create with, thrive with until death do us part. This is especially exciting knowing that my life partner is also my best friend.”
Vendors
Florals, Decor and Planning: Weddings Unlimited by Danielle
Photography: Elle Danielle
Videography: Shot by Sheka
Ceremony Gown: Adorn Nashville
Alteration Specialist: Gabby’s Alterations & Gabby’s Formals
Reception Gown: The Showroom Nashville
Makeup: Artistry by JaTesa Mayberry and Kayla Alana Beauty
Catering and Dessert: Coley’s Jook Junt and Tiff’s Treats Cookie Delivery
Ceremony Space: Watson Grove Baptist Church
Event Space: Saint Elle
DJ: DJ NEMO
Audio Visual Specialist: Dynamic Entertainment