Charline Ogbeni and Taiwo Ajibodu (pictured above) School counselor and factory worker, St. Albans and Bushwick
Who do you have with you there? Charline: My daughter, Sofia-Michele. She was a little distracted because one of the volunteers, who was wearing wings, was passing around bubbles. So she blew bubbles for the majority of the ceremony.
When did you two meet? Charline: During the pandemic. I’d been trying to separate legally from my former husband, but the court system was too chaotic. To cheer me up, my friend introduced me to Taiwo.
Taiwo: She needed a shoulder to lean on. I can’t help but be a support for her during her trying times.
When did you know the other was the one? Taiwo: The first time I met her in person, June 6, 2021. I saw her and I said to myself, That’s my wife.
Charline: When I forgot to leave my daughter’s breast milk at the day care. Taiwo came to my job to pick up the milk and dropped it off for her, then went to work. That’s Brooklyn to Queens and back to Brooklyn. I myself wouldn’t do that for anybody.
Any highlights today? Joella: I really enjoyed seeing Eric Adams there. He got up onto the stage and said, “You folks make me want to get married.”
Monique and Damian Watson
Nonprofit program manager and electrician, Jamaica, Queens
Jordan and Rohita Land
Physical-education teacher and financial controller, Upper East Side
Barry L. Riggins and Joella Glaude
Retired and nonprofit fundraising manager, Cypress Hills and Riverdale
Any highlights today?
Joella: I really enjoyed seeing Eric Adams there. He got up onto the stage and said, “You folks make me want to get married.”
Leah Miles and John Seroff
Schools administrator and performing-arts publicist, Kensington
Colin Boothman and Deborah Lewis-Boothman
Teacher and adjunct professor, Prospect–Lefferts Gardens
How did you get here?
Colin: We took the subway from Brooklyn and got off in Manhattan. We weren’t quite sure exactly where it was being held. But we started seeing all these wedding dresses.
Deborah: So we were like, “Follow the white wedding dress!” Until one actually went the wrong way.
Robert Burrett and Vincent Wu
Imaging technologist and breast surgeon, Upper West Side
Brian Dailey and J.Q. Whitcomb
Fundraiser and musician, Harlem
Kaki King and Jessica Templin King
Musician and set decorator, Greenpoint
Maria and Max Sugerman
Teacher and marketer, Long Island City
How did you meet?
Maria: On the Coffee Meets Bagel dating app, which has this rule that if you haven’t spoken after a week, the chat will close. It did, but then a couple days later, I got a notification that Max had paid to reopen the chat. I figured, Well, he paid $2 and he’s cute. Okay. Now we joke that $2 can’t get you anything in New York City, but it did get Max a wife.
Joseph Morris and Rebecca Cardwell
Artist and nonprofit recruiter, Kensington
Sheryl Wilson and Jennifer Melendez
Fitness professional and health-care executive, Upper East Side
Sela Adegbile and Lucie Kruger
Server and clinical researcher, Chelsea and East Harlem
Where was your first wedding?
Lucie: I have a little confession. We’re not actually married. We’re just best friends. I told Sela, “We’re getting fake-married. There’s free Levain and Champagne.”
Sela: We had to hold hands and kiss and exchange vows. Which is funny because we’re the least touchy people of all of our friends.
Pian and Jon Rockfeld
Teacher and nurse practitioner, Washington Heights
Mariely del Valle and Clarisa Alayeto
Teacher and charter-school manager, Mott Haven
How did you propose?
Clarisa: I ran the New York City Marathon and proposed to her at mile 20, which is right by where we live. I wanted to quit so many times, but I had to get there. I distracted her by asking her to get me a leg roller and then I got down on my knees.
Kem Reyes and Qi Wu
Pharmaceutical director and payment-operations manager, Sheepshead Bay
Anthony Schiesz and Chloe King
Real-estate agent and social worker, Park Slope
Susan and Isaac Alston-Voyticky
Circus artist-director and law student, Prospect Heights
Did you ever think you’d do something like this?
Susan: Oh, we’re planning on having five ceremonial weddings. Our first was traditional — church, band, white dress — but the next will be in California, and it will be a nude wedding. We both love being au naturel.
Angel and Mildred Aponte
Doorman and data-entry clerk, Glendale
Photographs by DeSean McClinton-Holland
Monique and Damian Watson
Nonprofit program manager and electrician, Jamaica, Queens
Jordan and Rohita Land
Physical-education teacher and financial controller, Upper East Side
Barry L. Riggins and Joella Glaude
Retired and nonprofit fundraising manager, Cypress Hills and Riverdale
Any highlights today?
Joella: I really enjoyed seeing Eric Adams there. He got up onto the stage and said, “You folks make me want to get married.”
Leah Miles and John Seroff
Schools administrator and performing-arts publicist, Kensington
Colin Boothman and Deborah Lewis-Boothman
Teacher and adjunct professor, Prospect–Lefferts Gardens
How did you get here?
Colin: We took the subway from Brooklyn and got off in Manhattan. We weren’t quite sure exactly where it was being held. But we started seeing all these wedding dresses.
Deborah: So we were like, “Follow the white wedding dress!” Until one actually went the wrong way.
Robert Burrett and Vincent Wu
Imaging technologist and breast surgeon, Upper West Side
Brian Dailey and J.Q. Whitcomb
Fundraiser and musician, Harlem
Kaki King and Jessica Templin King
Musician and set decorator, Greenpoint
Maria and Max Sugerman
Teacher and marketer, Long Island City
How did you meet?
Maria: On the Coffee Meets Bagel dating app, which has this rule that if you haven’t spoken after a week, the chat will close. It did, but then a couple days later, I got a notification that Max had paid to reopen the chat. I figured, Well, he paid $2 and he’s cute. Okay. Now we joke that $2 can’t get you anything in New York City, but it did get Max a wife.
Joseph Morris and Rebecca Cardwell
Artist and nonprofit recruiter, Kensington
Sheryl Wilson and Jennifer Melendez
Fitness professional and health-care executive, Upper East Side
Sela Adegbile and Lucie Kruger
Server and clinical researcher, Chelsea and East Harlem
Where was your first wedding?
Lucie: I have a little confession. We’re not actually married. We’re just best friends. I told Sela, “We’re getting fake-married. There’s free Levain and Champagne.”
Sela: We had to hold hands and kiss and exchange vows. Which is funny because we’re the least touchy people of all of our friends.
Pian and Jon Rockfeld
Teacher and nurse practitioner, Washington Heights
Mariely del Valle and Clarisa Alayeto
Teacher and charter-school manager, Mott Haven
How did you propose?
Clarisa: I ran the New York City Marathon and proposed to her at mile 20, which is right by where we live. I wanted to quit so many times, but I had to get there. I distracted her by asking her to get me a leg roller and then I got down on my knees.
Kem Reyes and Qi Wu
Pharmaceutical director and payment-operations manager, Sheepshead Bay
Anthony Schiesz and Chloe King
Real-estate agent and social worker, Park Slope
Susan and Isaac Alston-Voyticky
Circus artist-director and law student, Prospect Heights
Did you ever think you’d do something like this?
Susan: Oh, we’re planning on having five ceremonial weddings. Our first was traditional — church, band, white dress — but the next will be in California, and it will be a nude wedding. We both love being au naturel.
This email will be used to sign into all New York sites. By submitting your email, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy and to receive email correspondence from us.
Password must be at least 8 characters and contain:
Lower case letters (a-z)
Upper case letters (A-Z)
Numbers (0-9)
Special Characters (!@#$%^&*)
This password will be used to sign into all New York sites. By submitting your email, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy and to receive email correspondence from us.
You’re in!
As part of your account, you’ll receive occasional updates and offers from New York, which you can opt out of anytime.
or
Already a subscriber?
What is your email?
This email will be used to sign into all New York sites. By submitting your email, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy and to receive email correspondence from us.
Password must be at least 8 characters and contain:
Lower case letters (a-z)
Upper case letters (A-Z)
Numbers (0-9)
Special Characters (!@#$%^&*)
This password will be used to sign into all New York sites. By submitting your email, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy and to receive email correspondence from us.
You’re in!
As part of your account, you’ll receive occasional updates and offers from New York, which you can opt out of anytime.
