We met while we were attending college in different states. I was in Massachusetts and Shaunte was in Virginia. We were both visiting Hampton University for their homecoming. It was at a boat cruise party on the “Spirit of Norfolk”. I had to muster up the courage to ask Shaunte for her phone number in fear of never seeing her again. We kept in touch as friends and I moved to California after graduation in 1999, while Shaunte stayed in Virginia. We decided to start dating in 2013 although, then Shaunte was living in San Jose, CA and I was living in Raleigh, NC.
2. Your wedding announcement was the best I’ve ever seen. How did you come up with it?
We have lived on both coasts and a in a few major cities in our adult lives (Boston, New York, Philadelphia, Washington, DC, Richmond, Raleigh, San Jose, Oakland, & Long Beach, CA). We figured that there was no way that we could have all of our friends attend an engagement party in one place at one time so we decided to go on a “tour” and see them before we get married.
3. Why is travel important to your relationship?
Travel has always been an important part of our lives. Both individually and together. It is a passion that we share. We both love to learn new things and immerse ourselves in new and interesting food, music, history & culture.
4. Where are some places you have traveled together?
Martha’s Vineyard, San Francisco, Los Angeles, New York, Asheville, NC, Charleston, SC, New Orleans, LA
Playa Del Carmen/Tulum – Mexico, St Lucia, Barbados, Dominican Republic.
* Our engagement tour will also take us to: Milan, Italy, Lake Como, Italy, Munich Germany, Prague, Czech Republic, Paris, France, Beijing, (Great Wall of China) & Shanghai, China
5. Where will your wedding take place?
Everyone expects us to have a destination wedding. However, our wedding will take place in Norfolk, VA. After traveling all over, we want to take it back to where we met and it’s important to us that our wedding is accessible to all of our family and friends.
6. What would you say to someone who may be hesitant or has never traveled together as a couple?
If you’re hesitant traveling as a couple…you should be hesitant being a couple. I think it’s very important to take time away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. Bills, work, planning, and building can easily take over as the topic of most conversations. Taking time to connect and enjoy a mutual interest keeps us grounded on what’s important and strengthens our relationship.
Have you traveled as a couple? What do you think of this wedding announcement?
