“The Love Experience” is an editorial project that features dynamic couples in love. The series, shot by fashion photographer, Bryce Lennon, aims to highlight diversity within the world of fashion.”

As they say, relationships are hard work! This is especially true with a few years under your belt as a couple. Today, we are introducing Todd and Acira to “The Love Experience.” In more ways than one, this dynamic duo has been working hard to strengthen their relationship, and it will definitely pay off in the long run. Want to know more? Check out their story below!

When they first met a few years ago, Acira completely dismissed Todd’s friendly advances. Wait, why? For one, they were both at work saving lives (Seriously). Two, Todd was a complete stranger. Lastly, Acira was grieving the discharge of her client. She wasn’t in the mood to engage with someone new, let alone a stranger. It wasn’t until a conversation about religion came up, that Acira began to slowly let her guard down.

She had this to say, “Todd and I crossed paths in the suburbs of Robbinsville, NJ, while we were both working with at risk youth. One day, he had to pick up one of clients as a favor for his colleague. When he arrived, my client was so excited because she recognized Todd’s face, and he previously taught at her school. Todd was trying to make small talk with me, and I was not interested at first. He mentioned seeing me at church, and he immediately received my attention. He was sweet, well mannered, and had a decent sense of humor.”

The fun didn’t stop there! “After the conversation ended, I told one of my staff members that I was interested in Acira, and eventually gave her my number,” Todd says.

Fast forward to 2020, Todd and Acira have maintained their relationship through mutual respect and personal space. Those two factors alone lead to a healthy love experience. Acira states, “Give each other the space and freedom to be yourself in a relationship. So frequently, we put on a facade, and can’t maintain it as the relationship progresses. Todd and I give each other space to be nerdy, awkward, or occasionally distant without being penalized for being our authentic selves.”

Hey, if it’s works for them, it works for us! Be sure to come back on Monday for the last week of “The Love Experince!” Todd and Acira, we wish you two love birds the best of luck! Thanks for reading.

“The Love Experience” is an editorial project that features dynamic couples in love. The series, shot by fashion photographer, Bryce Lennon, aims to highlight diversity within the world of fashion.”

We’re more than half way through the month, and there are still quite a few couples to get through. That having been said, we have another dynamic duo ready to take their former platonic relationship to new heights. Yes, they were friends first! Cute, right? Now that we have your full attention, join us in welcoming Kassiah and Meese to “The Love Experience!”

The happy couple originally met back in high school, which cemented their friendship early. It wasn’t until years later that Kassiah would begin to pursue Meese romantically. Why all of a sudden now? What’s the whole story? According to Meese, “Kassiah and I met in 2002 at an anti-smoking convention aimed at high school students. It wasn’t love at first site since we were friends for almost seventeen years. Kassiah began to pursue me romantically, and it took me a while realize he wanted to be more than just friends.  He began hanging out more, taking me out to dinner, and before I knew it, we were in a relationship.”

You hear that everyone? Use a healthy friendship to start planting seeds in your future relationship. Remember, it only takes time and consistently to keep the ball rolling. Kassiah and Meese agree, and had this to say, “For all the hopeful lovers out there, make sure you develop a strong foundation through friendship. This will give you the opportunity to get to know each other on a deeper level, one that you may not reach if you jump right into a romantic relationship too fast. It definitely creates a stronger foundation for your journey together.”

Thank you Kassiah and Meese for sharing your love story with us! If everything plays out correctly, we hope to see you at the wedding alter very soon. Best of luck!

How did you meet your significant other? Feel free to share with us in the comments section below. Thanks for reading!

“The Love Experience” is an editorial project that features dynamic couples in love. The series, shot by fashion photographer, Bryce Lennon, aims to highlight diversity within the world of fashion.”

From swiping right to the first date, our next featured couple on “The Love Experience” made an instant connection after matching on Bumble. A year and some change later, this couple found themselves in a full-fledged relationship! Without any further delay, we would like introduce everyone to Keigan and Imani!

Let’s rewind back to the previous point. Keigan and Imani actually found love through online dating? Please, don’t believe all the negativity associated with online dating since some of us have actually found true love and happiness on some of these digital platforms. When Imani matched with Keigan on Bumble, she didn’t know what to expect. It wasn’t until they met in person that Imani realized she had a true catch, “I remember seeing his photo Bumble, and thought he was so cute! When we met in person, I thought the same exact thing. We continued to date, and we’ve been together ever since.”

Although they met over a year ago, Keigan and Imani have some knowledge regarding relationships. According to Keigan “You should seek examples and resources from other successful relationships to see what has worked for them. You should adapt their tools into your current situation.”

Great idea Keigan! There’s nothing wrong with utilizing your resources. If you know of any long-term or married couples, sit down and pick their brain. More than likely, they may be able to provide new ideas on how to resolve conflict, maintain intimacy, and keep an open line of communication. Knowledge is power!

In addition, Imani provides a different form of advice. She states, “Don’t force anything. If you’re not feeling a connection, there is no need to force an interaction early on or later down the line. If things don’t feel light and fun, then wait until you find the right person.” We hear that Imani! If it’s not working, find someone that is working for you.

So, there we have it! Keigan and Imani have taken their previous cyber connection to the next level. We are excited to see what their future holds. Thanks for reading!

“The Love Experience” is an editorial project that features dynamic couples in love. The series, shot by fashion photographer, Bryce Lennon, aims to highlight diversity within the world of fashion.”

In honor of Valentine’s Day, we had the opportunity to sit down and chat with the first married couple of “The Love Experience,” Clyde and Janay Hawthorne! Hailing from Philadelphia, this couple has been rocking together for over ten years (Thirteen to be exact). They’ve spent most of that time has been dedicated to raising a family together.

After meeting through mutual friends, the Hawthorne’s took things slow at the beginning of their relationship. According to Janay, “Clyde and I met through our best friends who knew each other. We had somewhat recently left previous relationships, and weren’t really looking for a relationship, but it flourished into something real and everlasting.”

A decade later, Clyde and Janay have managed to develop  a strong foundation of love, mutual respect, and trust. Yet, behind this beautiful love story, there were many obstacles to overcome. That’s where hard work comes into play!  The Hawthorne’s state, “Don’t expect marriage to be all sunshine and roses. It takes work to maintain a healthy relationship. Be willing to learn your partner’s love language and communication style.”

To that point, married couples experience moments of conflict as well. Everything is not always perfect. Regardless, it takes a lot of time and effort to create a healthy, family dynamic. For that, we truly admire Clyde and Janay for holding their tribe down. Go Hawthornes!

We hope you enjoyed this post as much as we did! Be sure to check back next week for our next group of couples. Thank you for reading!