I've know Jay almost my whole life. His dad and my mom were friends in high school. Jay's family started coming to our church, Wellford Baptist, when he was a teenager. He is the same age as my brother. Jay is three years older than me so he was a senior when I was a freshman. I've always know him. He was just Jay Byars to me back then. He played football and baseball, was real good looking, and always had a girlfriend.
In December of 1995 I was in my junior year at College of Charleston, and was at a friend's party. Someone behind me said, "Well, Amber Johnson." I turned and saw Jay and said, "Well, Jay Byars." And the next words out of my mouth could have been, "I'm going to marry you." I knew it in an instant, just like that. It couldn't be love at first sight since I've always know him but we saw each other for the first time at that moment.
We dated from there on out and continued dating through my graduation and Jay's two years of Georgia grad school.
Jay proposed sometime in June, 1999. He took me out to eat at the Charleston Grill. After dinner he handed me a photo album. As I flipped I saw photos of all our favorite places around town and our hometown. The last two photos were of the entrance to the Charleston Grill which had a card that said, "Tonight's Dinner" and then a photo of the table we were sitting at with a card that read, "The Proposal."
A waiter walked up to our table with a silver tray. The ring box sat in the middle. Jay got down on bended knee, took the box, opened it, and proposed. I said an immediate YES and the restaurant quartet played "Here Comes the Bride."
Some proposal? I know!
We got married a little over a year later. We had a beautiful, but very long, ceremony at Wellford Baptist and then a rocking reception at the Student Life Center Ballroom at USCS.
Here are a few photos from that memorable day!
My Dad, me and my Mom
Jim (Jay's Dad), Jay and Amy (Jay's Mom)
Jim, Jay and Sarah (Jay's Step mom)
My Dad and I right before going down the isle
The ceremony
The recessional
Signing the marriage licence
Our official wedding photo as husband and wife
Our Party
Jay and I with our cake
Doesn't every girl dream of a bride doll that's a replica of herself and her dress? I know it's a little creepy and cool at the same time.
Leaving the reception
Ready to start our new life as husband and wife!
2 comments:
Happy Anniversary! Hope you have a great day!
I can't believe it's been nine years... that's awesome! Congratulations!
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