How did you two meet?
Caitlin: "Grant and I met our freshman year at the University of Alabama through my best friend, Rachel. Rachel found Grant’s roommate’s wallet in the hallway, and after messaging him to get the wallet back, the rooms became best friends.
Rachel and I were getting ready for a swap when Grant decided he would try on some of Rachel’s white jeans. Freshmen boys do interesting things but obviously, it worked for Grant! The first thing I thought about Grant was that he was literally the boy I had always imagined marrying. He had the long, swoopy hair, he was from small town Alabama, and he was his high school quarterback. Instant love for this girl!
For Grant, the first thing he remembers about me is that there was an instant special connection. He said that from the moment he met me he knew there would be a special friendship between us."
What are some things you two enjoy doing together?
Caitlin: "Grant and I love hanging out together doing pretty much anything, especially with our dog, Houser! During the week, you can typically catch us going to CrossFit together, followed by binge watching Hell’s Kitchen. We love to cook and quote Gordon Ramsay throughout. When we don’t cook, I can usually convince Grant to go for Mexican food and a margarita! On the weekends, we love going to local breweries such as Ghost Train and Trim Tab, attending Alabama football games in the fall, or going to a concert-- especially Widespread Panic."
Caitlin-- what's one of the things you admire most about Grant?
Caitlin: "One of the things I admire most about Grant is his thoughtfulness in every thing he does. Grant is one of the kindest, most caring people I know, and he always makes people feel included and loved. He will have dinner ready for me when I come home from a long shift, he will text/call people to catch up with them often, and he asks people questions to really get to know them on a deeper level. He seems to know exactly what I need before I even know, and he stops me in my tracks during hectic days to pray for me."
Grant--what's one of the things you admire most about Caitlin?
Grant: "One of the things that I admire most about Caitlin is her ability to put others in front of herself. Whether it is her family, friends, or a stranger, it never ceases to amaze me that Caitlin will always put them before herself. I admire that this trait is God centered, and that I see the Lord when she puts others before herself."
How and when did Grant propose?
Caitlin: "Grant proposed the weekend after Valentine’s Day (February 19th) in 2017. That weekend, I came in town from Augusta, and we had a very normal weekend. We had a Valentine’s date on Friday night in Tuscaloosa and went to a concert on Saturday night in Birmingham. On Sunday, we were planning to meet our friends in Birmingham to help them house hunt and have lunch. After a church, we got in the car and headed to B'ham. Grant was driving very erratically… but he told me he just had to go to the bathroom and we were running late for lunch. We even had to stop at a sketchy gas station for him to use the restroom, while truth be told, he was just calming his nerves. I called our friend Rebecca to get the address for the house we were looking at and basically led us to our engagement spot. Grant went earlier in the week to a home on the mountain in Mountain Brook to ask if he could propose there, and the homeowner said yes! When we got to the spot, Grant parked in the middle of the street (I was critiquing his parking) and started walking. He eventually convinced me to follow him, and I realized what was happening when I saw flowers and pictures waiting for us. Grant read me our Bible verse, prayed over us, and then asked me to marry him. It was absolutely perfect, and Grant had a surprise lunch planned with our family and friends afterwards!"
What was each of yall's favorite parts of the day?
Grant: My favorite part of the big day was opening the letters that Caitlin had written for me. Starting with our first date, Caitlin wrote me a letter every few months and gave them all to me on our wedding day. In some letters, she wrote about our wedding day and being obedient to the Lord’s will for us, so I loved reliving each part of our journey. Having one of my groomsmen sing 'Bump and Grind' on the stage during the reception will always be a highlight too."
Caitlin: "My favorite part of the big day was the ceremony. Every detail had a piece of us in it, which I loved. We both grew up in traditional Southern Baptist churches, so singing a hymn felt like home. I’ll never forget holding on to my Dad’s hand as we prayed before he gave me away, and with my grandfather officiating the ceremony, every word was so special and thought out. We also had the opportunity to privately take communion as our first act as husband and wife, so I loved that! Of course, the reception was an absolute blast-- from the band, to reunions with friends from all walks of life, to breaking it down with my bridesmaids on the stage!"
What's next for you two?
Caitlin: "Grant and I are excited to finally start a non-long distance life together in Birmingham. After two years of being six hours apart, we are ready to not have to say “goodbye” on Sundays! Grant has been working at Southern Nuclear about a year now, and I am about six weeks into my new job as a nurse at Children’s of Alabama. We finally found a church home in Birmingham, so we are ready to dive into a new Sunday School class. Other than that, we are just SO excited to finally be married and are ready to see all Birmingham has to offer!"
Vendors:
Ceremony: Bluff Park Methodist Church
Reception: Iron City
Catering: Iron City
Bride's dress: Bustle
H&MU: Danielle Ivy
Flowers: Flowers from the Heart by Linda Bearden
Band: 4 Barrel Funk, Music Garden
Tuxes: Jos A Banks
Videography: BEV Weddings