As wedding/lifestyle photographers we come across many amazing people and different personalities. We are so blessed to do what we love for a living and are so humbled by our clients who trust us and let us in to capture the most amazing and intimate moments in their life. We always ask our couples how they met and what brought them take this amazing next step. As Tarik shared with me their story it became evident that Cami + Tarik are indeed a fairy tale love story.
Cami and Tarik met 7 years ago on a Royal Caribbean cruise upon the Enchantment of the Seas. They shared a common family friend who coordinated a group cruise for all of them to enjoy. One evening on the cruise they hosted a family interactive game show called “The Quest” that they all attended. This game show would have families preform crazy tasks to win points and claim victory. Cami and Tarik ended up on the same team along with their whole group. The first time they met was during the game when they called out for a male from each group to take off their shirt, put on lip gloss and and skip around to the front of the room to earn points for the team. Before anyone could even move, Tarik took off his shirt and turned to see where he could find some lip gloss. Right behind him was Cami, with a lip gloss in her hand and a smile/smirk on her face. He grabbed the lip gloss and put it on as he ran to the front to win first place in the event for his impressive skipping skills. He returned back to the table with his shirt half way on and extended Cami’s lip gloss back to her. She hesitated, then told him that he could keep. He took it as a sign that she liked him and wanted to keep it as a token of when they first met, but later on he laughed when he found out she didn’t want it back because he apparently didn’t know how to put on lip gloss and shoved half of it into his mouth when applying it to his lips! From there they started talking and to this day Tarik has held onto, and still has the lipgloss she gave him the very first night they met on the Enchantment of the Seas.
Tarik had always had marriage on the radar, even as he had to do it old school and ask Cami’s father if he could date her, and just like everyone else on the first date asked himself 20 times if Cami was the one for him. He knew there was something different, something special between him and Cami from the beginning, but it wasn’t until later in their relationship that it become 100% clear. Tarik was going to to Pharmacy School and wanted to pursue a career as a pharmacist. He knew Cami before he knew he wanted to go to pharmacy school and all along the way Cami was his number one fan and supported him in every way imaginable. From giving him wake up calls, to making and bringing him food, to sacrificing her time with him so he could develop his career. Never in his life had he found someone that allowed him so much personal growth, and the personal freedom that she gave him drew him all the closer to her. They would see aim to see each other at least once a week, but a lot of times it was more like every two weeks. There came a point in his pharmacy school curriculum when he had to go on rotations around the greater florida region, meaning he would be working 40-60 hours a week and in areas that were far away from where Cami and Tarik called home. He knew in his heart that quality time was one on the most important things to Cami, and knew that going into rotations was going to consume his time and take away from what Cami needed in their relationship. He knew going into rotations that he would not have the time that Cami needed for their relationship to grow and thrive. Not much was said before going into rotations about it but they both knew it was a big deal. During Tarik’s first rotation, things were going really rough and he told Cami about it. Later that day when Tarik was done with work, Cami had drove out to his rotation site and was waiting for him outside by his car. She just hugged him and Tarik got emotional and couldn’t find it in himself to let go. She told him that no matter what he went through, she would be there for him and supporting him, even if he didn’t have all the time to give her during his rotations. Right then she prayed for him in a way that no one else had ever prayed for him. It was an intimate prayer, and a prayer spoken with power, that spoke to the deepest parts of his soul. A prayer of blessing, peace, and most importantly a prayer over them. It was the first time all of their cards were on the table in prayer, and the first time in Tarik’s life that he knew that this was the person he wanted to spend the rest of his life with. Tarik had never found joy in that capacity before, nor had he ever in his life found someone to meet his needs spiritually alongside his other needs. In that moment he knew he had found what he was looking for, and he knew it would be everything he would need for the rest of his life.
Thank you Tarik + Cami for allowing us to be part of your big day! It truly has been the most amazing blessing meeting you both and seeing how amazing love is when God is at the center of it. Bless you both and congrats!
A New Chapter in their Love Story!
Thank you to all the amazing vendors that contributed to making a perfect day for this perfect couple!
Ceremony Venue: Faith Assembly Stephens Chapel
Makeup Artist: Mandilyn Co. Makeup & Hair Artistry
Hair: All Ways Hair Studio
Reception Venue: Eagle Creek Golf Club
Cake: Sofelle Confections
Candy buffet: Florida Candy Buffets
Videographer: Escapade Production Co
