From a viral proposal to getting married in front of millions of television viewers, one couple with a tie Bladen County has had a whirlwind past few months.
Last Friday, Joshua and Kiana Powell, both of Fayetteville, got married on Good Morning America’s third-hour show “Strahan, Sara and Keke” for the “Our big fast TV wedding” segment. The two had come on the show for their viral proposal, which was a “Family Feud” style.
He is a youth pastor at Pleasant Union Missionary Baptist Church in Riegelwood.
“It was honestly just going up on Facebook to share with family who weren’t able to get to the game night,” Joshua said. “But then it just kept growing and my jaw dropped that something that I thought was for lack of a better word simple went viral.”
The two met at Seventy-First High School in Fayetteville, where they have been together since the end of their freshman year — and even won a high school pageant together. The couple was invited to GMA to talk about the viral proposal when the producers asked if Joshua wanted to surprise Kiana once again.
“They said let’s make a surprise for Kiana and get married on the show,” Joshua said. “I said yes and everyone there was great in helping and showing me what to do for it. All I wanted was for it to be special for Kiana as long as it was special for her I was OK with anything.”
Kiana agreed to get married in five days and was whisked away by a wedding and stylist expert into the streets of New York to get ready for the big day. Viewers of GMA were able to help pick her dress, makeup and hair for her big day.
After saying their vows the two were given an even bigger surprise — a honeymoon to Hawaii. Which had Joshua speechless.
“I had been the one doing the surprises all week so I was like are you serious, is this a joke, where is Ashton Kutcher?” Joshua said. “I was completely speechless and we’re so grateful to them and hopefully we’ll be able to take the trip very soon.”
One question that both have been asked a lot since the big day is how does it feel to be married now and, for Joshua, there isn’t much of a difference.
“We’ve been together eight years,” Joshua said. “The only thing that’s really different is the spiritual aspect and that I was able to give my vows in front of God. This has been incredible because she is my best friend and the love of my life.”
The two are very thankful for the experience and for the show for giving them the opportunity. Both are still in school and are trying to plan when the best time will be to take their honeymoon.
Both are set to graduate in December, Kiana from Duke and Joshua from North Carolina A&T.
Joshua and Kiana Powell, both of Fayetteville, got married on Good Morning America’s third-hour show ‘Strahan, Sara and Keke’ for the ‘Our big fast TV wedding’ segment. He is a youth pastor at Pleasant Union Missionary Baptist Church in Riegelwood.