“The Love Experience” is an editorial project that features dynamic couples in love. The series, shot by fashion photographer Bryce Lennon, celebrates diversity through the perspective of underrepresented relationships.”
Planning a wedding during the pandemic: Jenerra + Raven
Introducing married couple Jenerra and Raven. They spent most of 2020 navigating through the pandemic together, while preparing for a wedding. Find out how it all went down below:
Where and how did you two meet?
Jenerra: I was helping my friend dj at this bar, and in comes this woman with red lipstick. I’ve never seen her before, and was intrigued right away. So, I went up to her and said, “You look like you’re having fun,” in the cheesiest way. She smiled, and then asked to see my I.D. She didn’t believe that I was older than her. We ended up going to a few places after, and I’ve seen her everyday since.
When did you two realize you loved each other?
Jenerra: I had to ask myself: If something were to happen today or tomorrow, would I be okay with the person that I’m with? That’s when I knew, and I was confident with my decision!
Raven: For me, it was when Jenerra experienced me at my worst, and still loved me the same. When I realized that she would be with me through thick and thin, that’s when I knew I loved her.
Jenerra, at what point did you realize you wanted to marry Raven?
Jenerra: Similar to the first question, I knew when I only wanted to be with her. After five years, “Girlfriend” sounds cute, but I wanted to make her my wife. In all honestly though, I got tired of calling Raven my girlfriend. It got really old.
Raven, what made you accept the proposal?
Raven: After a couple years of us building a relationship and foundation, we experienced life together (We been through things, we got through things, we prayed for things). At that point, this is the person I felt comfortable spending the rest of my life with because of who Jenerra is as a person.
How has your relationship grown through the pandemic?
Jenerra: At the beginning of the pandemic, we were still engaged and planning a wedding. Luckily, we were seeing a marriage counselor at the time, which prepared us for the pandemic. She helped us navigate into our new journey. So, we did a lot of different activities and date nights. We had some great times, and arguments too, which brought us closer together.
Raven: We navigated the pandemic really well. At the end of the day, Jenerra and I are best friends (They always say you should marry your best friend). So, we were two best friends trying to navigate everything together. Like Jenerra said, we did a lot of date nights and respected our time apart from each other.
For anyone struggling in the dating world, what advice would you give them in regards to sustaining a healthy and loving relationship?
Raven: My advice is to be patient, communicate, respect each other, and make sure to hold on to the person you originally met. When things aren’t working out, you have to focus on the person you met, and remember why you’re together.
Jenerra: Keep your relationship fresh, and be adaptive to change. Both parties will continue to change over time. Also, don’t forget to communicate. That’s one area I’ve worked on myself.
Where can we reach you?
Instagram: @j_marks_the_spot @raeashleyb