When it came to planning their wedding, Pepi and Zach wanted the celebrations to reflect their Nigerian and Southern roots and bring their loved ones together from around the world. “My family is based in the UK and Nigeria, so no matter where we held the wedding, it was going to be a destination for them,” shares the bride. “We rooted the celebration in Tennessee, where Zach’s family lives. It felt like the most thoughtful way to bring our worlds together.” Hosted over the weekend of July 12, 2025, the celebrations would include a traditional Nigerian wedding at The Brookside in Knoxville, followed by a Western wedding the next day at the Nichols Heir Estate in Sevierville. “The venue felt like a dream, surrounded by nature, with a sunlit garden overlooking the mountains where we held our ceremony, a wooden gazebo for cocktails, and a grand hall for the reception that felt both regal and full of heart,” says Pepi of the estate. “It gave us the exact feeling we hoped for: a blend of heaven and home.”
The bride planned the wedding herself, knowing that her creative drive and type-A personality would be perfectly suited for the job. “Honestly, I knew I would have helicoptered over anyone I hired, so I decided to go it alone,” Pepi laughs. “For over a year, I dreamed up every element. From the crest on our stationery to the floral palette, the pacing of the weekend, and the colors and fabrics for the Nigerian outfits, every detail was chosen with intention. Most days, I was like a mad scientist in my cave, fully consumed with planning, and Zach would slide food and drinks over to me from the door like I was on lockdown. We still laugh about it.” Since Pepi was aware she would need a partner when the wedding arrived, she hired coordinator Emma Claudio to help with the final details—and to run the show over the weekend. “She helped refine some of the design elements, took the reins on logistics, and made sure the entire weekend flowed beautifully,” says Pepi. “It was such a gift to hand over the pieces I had built to someone who genuinely cared.”
As the couple was planning for both a Nigerian and Western wedding, they had to put extra time into crafting their fashion looks for each event. For the Nigerian ceremony, the couple each wore two looks representing Pepi’s shared Yoruba and Igbo backgrounds. “In Nigeria, tradition says a child is from their father’s village, which makes me Yoruba,” she explains. “But my mother has been such a central force in my life, and has shared the beauty of Igbo culture with me for as long as I can remember. It was deeply important to me that I celebrate her heritage as well.”
