Hasaan & Tiffany Kirkland
Bride
Tiffany Nicole Peters, 34
Groom
Hasaan Amiri Kirkland, 37
Parents of the Bride
Pastor Sam Rachal Jr. & Cherry Ann Rachal
Parents of the Groom
Rev. Raymond E. Kirkland & Jovaunda Kirkland
Hometown of the Bride
Bremerton, WA
Hometown of the Groom
Sacramento, CA
Wedding Date
3/6/2010
Wedding Location
Charlotte Center City Hilton
Occupation of the Bride
Business Analyst, Bank of America
Occupation of the Groom
Assoc. Prof. of Fine Arts, Johnson C. Smith University
Alma Mater of the Bride
University of Washington
Alma Mater of the Groom
Washington State University
How they met:
Hasaan and I first met at Washington State University in 1993. I was a freshmen and Hasaan was a senior. Unlike him, who couldn't tell you exactly how we met, I will never forget!In my eyes, Hasaan was the "dreamy" upperclassman who truly took my breath away. Moments after my parents dropped me off at WSU, I saw this fine and unquestionably confident cocoa brother walking across the street from the student union who truly stopped me in my tracks. With the help of my college counselor, who was Hasaan’s older brother, Choge, I did meet Hasaan. But the entire freshman year went by and I never told him how I felt. In 1994 Hasaan graduated and moved to California and later to Charlotte. I transferred to the rival state school, the University of Washington.The next time I saw Hasaan was eleven years later when my former counselor and his older brother, Dr. Kipchoge Kirkland, passed away. I attended the memorial service and gathering afterwards, where we spoke briefly and I offered my condolences. We took a picture along with other old college friends, exchanged numbers and that was it.It was three years later when we reconnected for the third time. A friend pretty much forced me to join Facebook. It was through social networking that Hasaan and I met again. One email led to one instant messaging conversation which led to one eight-hour phone call over Labor Day weekend which led to a romantic courtship reaching from Charlotte to Seattle. The third time around was truly a charm!
The moment they realized they wanted to be a couple for life:
Tiffany: After one month of endless telephone conversations, text messages, and emails we decided to meet at Disneyland for our first date. From the very moment we saw each other we both knew in our hearts that God had performed a marvelous work and connected two souls who were uniquely and wonderfully made for each other.After 6-8 months of courting across the miles, we decided that in order for our relationship to grow and mature to the next level, I would move to Charlotte. On April 10 2009, during the midst of a recession, I resigned my job as a senior business systems analyst at Starbucks Coffee Co., a company I really loved, and prepared to moved from Seattle to Charlotte… all in the name of love.Talk about a walk of faith! Despite the flood of emotions that I was experiencing, I was also at peace with my decision because I knew in my heart, beyond a reasonable doubt, that Hasaan was the one.Hasaan:
On August 30, 2008, God faithfully and exceedingly delivered. It was the day I, for the third time, reconnected with Tiffany Nicole Peters. She was the same vibrant, cute, energetic, power to the people, intelligent, bright-eyed soul sister, Wazzu Freshman who had in time become the beautiful woman of my dreams. Now she was glowing.She had a timeless, classic beauty. She was accomplished, kind, sexy, funny, grounded, familiar, and she was fun. On the day before my birthday...Tiffany and I reconnected in a new manner, a kairos manner. Our connection was uncommonly easy. It was filled with humor, spirit, compatibility, shared mutual experiences, intelligence, attraction, and the overwhelming presence of peace that just felt right. Even before we actually spoke anything about what was happening, I knew. Not "If," but "When." I had never been in so much peace and confidence about my dealings with a woman. It was truly a Kairos moment.
The Proposal:
Hasaan: A couple of weeks before Tiffany resigned from her job, I strategically planted my plan to propose to her. I told her that a mutual friend would be calling her about some frames he needed for his sets. I called Tiffany in the morning and left a message but didn't call her again until almost 11p.m.Tiffany: I was getting a l'il attitude because I had not heard from Hasaan, and he was not returning my calls. The fact that he was unreachable was not acceptable, especially on that night…and I had to meet our friend at a restaurant to deliver those frames.Hasaan: Little did she know, I was on a plane to see her. I passed Tiffany’s car on my way to the restaurant where she was supposed to deliver the frames. After passing Tiffany at the light, we sped up and drove to a parking lot just down from the restaurant. It was near a boat dock. This must have been the spot God had planned for us. It was awesome! It was right by the water. There was an empty bench under a small tree and boats docked nearby. Lake Union was calm with the night lights reflecting ever so romantically. There was no rain. It was perfect! To add my own spin to what God had already put together, I hung nine lanterns from a tree to reflect the nine months of our courtship and pushed play on my Mp3 player. Then I called Tiffany and told her she needed to deliver the frames to the restaurant where I was waiting. After waiting for a few minutes I saw Tiffany waiting by the pier. I shouted out her nickname -- "Delicacy!" Startled, she looked to see where the sound was coming from.Tiffany: I heard someone shouting,”Delicacy.” Then I noticed that by a bench under a small tree with lights on it was a man…my man. Hasaan was standing with his arms open wide professing his feelings; his love, embarrassingly, wonderfully, and amazingly loud in front of strangers and a few onlookers. I was speechless and dazed that he was in Seattle. All I could think was, "What are you doing in Seattle? How did you get here?”Hasaan: I told her to come over to where I was. I had to tell her like twice because I think she was frozen by the cold and the shock of my being in Seattle instead of Charlotte. As she finally approached me, I shared with her my thoughts, love and honor with hopes of hearing one answer; her saying yes to my request.
The Wedding:
Our wedding was a unique, classic, modern, soulful experience. Hasaan and I designed the entire wedding. We handmade the invitations and Hasaan made my hair piece. Our colors were chocolate, coral and slate blue. Hasaan's father officiated the wedding ceremony. His grandmother and my aunt blessed us with two beautiful gospel favorites. During our social hour Hasaan displayed some of his own original works of art. We had a live gospel concert during the reception. LA recording artists Herb and Amyre (my sister and brother-n-law) performed a special love ballad along with a special group of gospel singers.
The Honeymoon:
We went to the Grand St. Lucian Island with Sandals resorts for a 5-night, 4-day stay. This experience was also amazing. We toured, zip lined 250 feet in the air over the rain forest, climbed a mountain, swam and jet skied, received couples body massages, ate home cooked Caribbean cuisine, danced until the early hours to reggae and island music, had breakfast by the pool, enjoyed our lagoon room with swimming pool just outside our private quarters, took naps out on the beach in a hammock, relaxed on a boat cruise, enjoyed rum punch and enjoyed hours of no cell phone communication. We had a wonderful time.
Their Plans:
Become more acquainted with one another...marriage doesn't reveal all. Spend time becoming closer. Start a family, create a business, buy property, sell art, travel, eat good, live strong and healthy, pray, and pray some more, love God and each other and enjoy what we have in each other and in the world around us.
Advice to Others:
Make the wedding yours -- not your mom's, not your girls', not the wedding planner's, but your own. This is your day with your soon-to-be spouse, and most importantly, God. Aside from remembering each other throughout the planning, be mindful to pray. Marriage is a covenant, created by God. So if you say you believe in Him, be purposeful in your effort to include him. Be honest with each other. Communicate, laugh, budget.