Becoming Bettis
"Love recognizes no barriers. It jumps hurdles, leaps fences, penetrates walls to arrive at its destination full of hope."
Maya Angelou
Welcome to our love story! We hope you enjoy our photos and learning more about us and how we met. -Gregory + Kourtney
Welcome
Our Love Story
Kourtney had not seen The Carswells since she was a little girl and they just so happened to be in Savannah, GA one weekend in June of 2021. Harold & Countess Carswell are a loving Christian couple that Kourtney has known since she was a little girl. Mrs. Carswell taught Kourtney in a summer Bible class for kids while her mom attended the adult class. It had been over 15 years since the last time Kourtney saw them. The Carswells were visiting the Garden City Church of Christ one Sunday in June of 2021, where Kourtney attends worship. After catching up on life, Mrs. Carswell asked Kourtney if she was dating anyone at the time, which Kourtney replied “No.” Mrs. Carswell’s wheels started turning and she immediately thought of Gregory who lives in Mobile, AL.
The phone rang. It was from a phone number Gregory did not recognize. The caller left a voicemail and a text message that read “Hey Bro. Gregory! This is Sis. Countess Carswell, Bro. Harold’s wife. We got your number from Bro. Jonathan Page. We have a question to ask you when you have a few minutes and you can call me at this number, 205-***-****. Thanks. :) ”
Gregory had not spoken to either of them since about 4 years ago when they all met up in Orange Beach, AL for the holidays. He picks up the phone and gives her a call. She answers and they did a bit of catching up. Then, Mrs. Carswell said she wanted to get to the real reason for the call. She asked if he was dating anyone and Gregory said he wasn’t. She continued and said that while they were vacationing in Savannah, GA, she ran into a young lady she knows named Kourtney and wanted to know if he was interested in getting to know her. Mrs. Carswell told him a little bit about her and he agreed to get to know her. She told Gregory that she will talk with Kourtney about it and will let him know if she is interested.
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The next day, Mrs. Carswell texted Gregory and told him that Kourtney was in fact interested. Gregory replied back and told her to send him her phone number and he will give her a call on the following day. Kourtney was traveling to Birmingham, AL for her niece’s birthday and would not get there until later that night.
When Gregory called, Kourtney was very nervous and talked rapidly for the first few minutes of the conversation. They found that they had a common interest in music and they both participated in their high school’s marching band. They spent the time recalling their moments at band camp and a few hours later it was almost 2 o’clock in the morning. They said goodnight and agreed to talk again once Kourtney was back in Savannah.
Over the next 2 months, Gregory and Kourtney continued to get to know each other and the phone conversations got longer and longer. On July 4th, they both had the next day off and they ended up talking on the phone until 6am. After a while, they had to establish a time limit due to both of them being tired at work the next day from talking on the phone for hours at night. (The time limit did not last very long.) Eventually, they felt that it was time to meet in person, so they decided to meet in August on the weekend before Kourtney’s birthday.
They went on their first date on August 12, 2021 after Gregory made almost an 8 hour drive from Mobile, AL to Savannah, GA. Their first date was at Chili’s since it was the only restaurant open when Gregory arrived that night. They were both nervous and could barely look each other in the eye, but after a few awkward silences, they were able to establish the same chemistry they had over the phone for the last couple of months. After the date was over, they made their relationship official. The next few months, Kourtney and Gregory began to navigate a long-distanced relationship and saw each other every other month. They had to get creative by establishing virtual dates which included virtual escape games, watching movies, and their favorite, studying the Bible. In spite of the distance, Gregory and Kourtney were sure that God had blessed them with the person they were going to marry.
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Proposal
On February 12, 2022, Gregory took Kourtney to Fairhope, AL where they coincidentally met up with a photographer Megan and her husband Kory. They are members at the Saraland Church of Christ where Gregory also attends. Kourtney was oblivious to the plan and thought that this was a chance encounter. Little did she know that Gregory was about to propose.
Megan suggested that Kourtney and Gregory be her “test couple” to practice taking some shots. Megan and Gregory traded tips on different poses they use during their photography sessions with other couples. Kourtney was going along with it as if everything was normal. Once they had Kourtney nice and distracted, the plan for the proposal began. Megan had them stand back-to-back and then take a few steps away from each other. When prompted by Megan, they were to turn around and Kourtney was to “skip hop” into Gregory’s arms as if they had not seen each other for a long time. This was easy for them since they were in a long-distance relationship. They did it the first time and it worked out well, but Megan wanted them to do it again.
They stood back-to-back again, and Megan said to Gregory, “Is that your phone in your pocket?” This was the cue for Gregory to go and get the ring out of his camera bag. Still, Kourtney was oblivious to what was about to happen. After getting the ring, they went through the pose again, but when Kourtney turned around, Gregory was down on one knee. Kourtney was completely shocked. She knew the proposal was coming, but did not know where, when, or how. Of course, Kourtney said “yes.” After her tears subsided, Kourtney learned that Gregory planned the proposal back in December after buying the ring in November.
The next day, Mrs. Carswell texted Gregory and told him that Kourtney was in fact interested. Gregory replied back and told her to send him her phone number and he will give her a call on the following day. Kourtney was traveling to Birmingham, AL for her niece’s birthday and would not get there until later that night.
When Gregory called, Kourtney was very nervous and talked rapidly for the first few minutes of the conversation. They found that they had a common interest in music and they both participated in their high school’s marching band. They spent the time recalling their moments at band camp and a few hours later it was almost 2 o’clock in the morning. They said goodnight and agreed to talk again once Kourtney was back in Savannah.
Over the next 2 months, Gregory and Kourtney continued to get to know each other and the phone conversations got longer and longer. On July 4th, they both had the next day off and they ended up talking on the phone until 6am. After a while, they had to establish a time limit due to both of them being tired at work the next day from talking on the phone for hours at night. (The time limit did not last very long.) Eventually, they felt that it was time to meet in person, so they decided to meet in August on the weekend before Kourtney’s birthday.
They went on their first date on August 12, 2021 after Gregory made almost an 8 hour drive from Mobile, AL to Savannah, GA. Their first date was at Chili’s since it was the only restaurant open when Gregory arrived that night. They were both nervous and could barely look each other in the eye, but after a few awkward silences, they were able to establish the same chemistry they had over the phone for the last couple of months. After the date was over, they made their relationship official. The next few months, Kourtney and Gregory began to navigate a long-distanced relationship and saw each other every other month. They had to get creative by establishing virtual dates which included virtual escape games, watching movies, and their favorite, studying the Bible. In spite of the distance, Gregory and Kourtney were sure that God had blessed them with the person they were going to marry.
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Friday, July 22, 2022
The Sonnet House
1487 Montevallo Rd SW,
Leeds, AL 35094
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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
FAQ
When should I arrive for the ceremony?
Please arrive 30 minutes to an hour before the ceremony is set to begin. We will be starting on time!
Are kids allowed at the wedding?
Yes, please include them in the number of guests when you RSVP.
Do I need an invitation to attend?
Yes, we have a strict guest list to stay on budget. We will only be able to accommodate those listed on your invitation.
Will I need to pay for parking?
No
What should I wear?
The attire is cocktail/semi-formal. The wedding and reception will be outdoors so please dress accordingly. However, we will have areas where guests can cool off if necessary.
Can I take and post pictures of the wedding on social media?
This is an unplugged wedding. Pictures and video taken by guests are strictly prohibited during the ceremony to give our photographer and videographer the opportunity to get the best shots of our wedding. Pictures can be taken at the reception. Thank you in advance for your cooperation!