Chinenye “Chiney” Ogwumike has tied the knot!
via: BET
Earlier this month, the two-time WNBA All-Star revealed she and heavyweight boxer and mechanical engineer Ethasor “Raphael” Akpejiori had exchanged vows in Houston, TX, per The Knot. Their lavish Nigerian-Western-themed ceremony spanned five days and welcomed approximately 1,000 guests.
The traditional African festivities kicked off on Wednesday (Nov. 15) when the couple’s families gathered together before the big day.
Their first ceremony, which honored their Nigerian heritage, was held at the Igbo Catholic Community Center a day later. “Even though we’re both Nigerian, we come from two different cultures within Nigeria. [Raphael] is Edo, and I am Igbo,” Chiney explained. “These cultures have different nuances when it comes to weddings.”
The bride told the outlet it was a “beautiful and colorful display of unity in our own authentic way as Nigerians.”
While their dream wedding wasn’t in Nigeria, H-Town proved an ideal alternative.
“Because there’s a strong Nigerian community in Houston, the venue served as a symbolic representation of my father’s ancestral house. So, according to tradition, this wedding was open to the public to some degree,” she said.
As we know, African culture is rich in fashion and style; for these two, their wedding was the perfect setting to show out.
The pair walked down the aisle in custom African garments accentuated in silver and gold. They also wore other ensembles that made a statement. In one photo, Ogwumike poses in a bright red gown with feathers and an orange headpiece while her man wore a long, vibrant wrap with a similar hat. “African attire is very bright, so the people were the color,” Ogwumike said.
The day after their first ceremony, the couple surprised their loved ones with tickets to see Burna Boy live in concert. Of that serendipitous moment, the WNBA star told the publication “It’s totally fate,” that the concert took place during their wedding weekend.
Ogwumike and Akpejiori said their second I-dos on Sunday (Nov. 19) in a traditional Western ceremony punctuated with white flowers and gold details. The bride donned a beautiful gown with cut-outs that accentuated her core, while her hubby donned a white sports coat and black trousers.
The multi-day event wrapped with a farewell brunch that the bride and the groom hosted.
