Madiva Kennesha Denny and Nicholas Andrew Bishop wanted a serious relationship when they met in May 2017 through a matchmaking service dating ring. Denny has been a member since early 2016, and Bishop joined in 2015. The now-deprecated business was accompanied by matchmakers who interviewed singles in person to suggest the best potential partners.
“A year after becoming a member, Nicholas was my first match,” Denny said. “The matchmaker said he's a feminist and works at a startup to reuse his old laptop for school. He was a world-conscious person like me.”
“I wasn't clicking with anyone,” Bishop said of the other women he was founded with. “The matchmakers told me that Madiba and I have a common interest in science fiction and helping people. It grabbed my interest.”
They sent messages through the dating ring site for several days before Bishop asked Denny about a coffee date. They met on the afternoon of May 25th at Think Coffee near Washington Square Park in Manhattan.
Denny said he walked over to find Bishop waiting for her and realized “how cute.” “He had a big smile,” she said.
It didn't take long for the two to decide they liked each other. They fell into a lengthy conversation about their profession, similar upbringing in rural areas, and a common passion for social justice.
“I was drawn to Madiba being someone who wanted the world and the possibility that humans could take care of each other,” Bishop said. “We joked and laughed too.”
The three hours they spent together were passed by “flashes,” they said, and they parted ways.
Their second date took place less than a week later, with drinks and dinner at Cask Bar & Kitchen in Murray Hill. “There was something about Madiba and it wasn't opening me completely and filtering me out,” Bishop said. “I'm not usually like that.”
By the third meeting, Bishop said he is confident he wants a dedicated relationship with Denny. They shared Korean fried chicken at Bunzmis, a now-closed restaurant in Crown Heights, Brooklyn, before heading to Mr. Bishop's apartment nearby for more conversation and drinks. “We sat on the couch in the living room and kept getting closer to each other. “Our resolve broke quickly.”
The following summer they began to discuss marriage and in early 2019 they moved to “dream” rentals, as both explained.
Denny, 33, was born in St. Vincent and Grenadine and grew up in Leonard Town, Maryland. She holds a bachelor's degree in politics from Princeton and a law degree from Columbia. She works as an associate editor and senior contributor for Balls and Strikes, a Washington, D.C.-based legal commentary outlet.
Bishop, 37, is originally from Cleveland, South Carolina, earned a bachelor's degree in computer science from the University of Maryland and works as a senior software engineer at Google in New York.
The pair said the Black Life Matter protests in the summer of 2020 were even closer because of Bishop's actions in March. “Nicholas marched with me, and there was a moment when the police were trying to pin me to the barrier,” she said. “Nicholas blocked him to keep me safe. I realized he really really loves me.”
Bishop said protecting Denny came naturally. “The police weren't chasing blacks, not just white people,” said Bishop, a white person. Denny is black. “I raised awareness of how her race puts her at risk.”
They got engaged in April 2024 during a picnic at Prospect Park. “When Nicholas suddenly sat down and asked me to be my wife and I was eating a bite of a hot ham, cheese and egg sandwich,” Denny said. “I knew this was coming, but I wasn't expecting it at the time.”
They got married a year later, on April 26th, before 100 guests at the Picnic House in Prospect Park. Denny's younger sister, Nuneka Denny, took the opportunity to receive a one-day ordination certificate from New York State, and was the host.
The park is close to their hearts, so they chose the place.
Their reception included several tributes to Denny's Caribbean roots and the upbringing of Maryland. This includes St. Vincent, grenadine and crab cakes made with old Bay seasonings.
“Nicholas' family had never heard of Caribbean music before,” Denny said. “But they were unleashed on the dance floor with my family and friends.”
