We are so excited to introduce you to our 2017 blogger couple (yes couple! we have a blogger groom y’all!) Ruth and Ayo! Ruth is the fabulous mind behind MAGNIFY magazine and she and her husband-to-be will be taking us along their journey down the aisle. We can’t wait to see everything unfold. Learn more about this dynamic duo below and check out their new site The Afolabis.
How did you meet?
We actually first connected 8 years ago through a mutual guy friend. For the first MAGNIFY event, we needed guys to usher so I asked my friend to ask his boys and Ayo was one of them so we connected on Facebook. Sadly (lol!) Ayo didn’t turn up in the end. We met again in 2014 at a friend’s wedding but only really said hi. Then in Jan 2015 we connected again. Although we’d known ‘of’ each other, I thought he was a lot different to how he is. That first day we ended up chatting for 2 hours then a week after that he messaged me on Facebook for my number. For 3.5 weeks we then spoke everyday for like 2, 3 hours about everything (we only met up once in between that time which was good so it was like a proper interview process ha!) and then he asked me out on March 8th 2015.
How did you know ?
Before we met, I’d had a bit of an annoying situation with someone who messed me around and I prayed and said to God ‘I don’t want any more false starts. Even if I have to wait 10 years, I only want someone who is serious’. Ayo and I connected 10 days after this but from day 1, we connected in a way that I knew was purpose and our values as people aligning which I’d never had before. The first day he called I pretty much knew he was the one.
How did he ask?
I knew it was coming within the next few months but I didn’t think it was around then as he was soooo chilled I thought this isn’t how guys behave when they are about to propose! That day, we were going for lunch but before I was debating whether to do my nails and was reluctant to but then he made up some excuse to encourage me to do so. We were then going for dinner but then in the car he ‘called’ the restaurant to say we were running late. Anyway when we got to the restaurant (which overlooks London and where we had our first date) he was like oh we should take some photos. I was cold so I was like can we just go inside! And then he was like no this is a great spot I’ll take a photo of you and then we can swap. Then as he was adjusting the camera he got down on one knee and I was just in such shock. This happened in February this year.
What is marriage to you ?
Marriage to me is about partnership. Ayo is my greatest encourager and biggest supporter. Even as individuals, our passion has always been about impacting people and we see marriage as an alignment of that purpose. Also it’s about friendship and commitment – Ayo shows me that everyday and there’s no one I’d rather get to do this journey of life with.
What are you most looking forward to about marriage?
Firstly seeing each other everyday! We both lead very busy lives and live opposite ends of London so really looking forward to building that friendship daily and creating a home together. I know that marriage is a journey of discovery about yourself and your spouse so that’s something I’m looking forward to.
