Michael and Cecilia met at Sam Houston State University in the fall of 2004. The two began to seriously date in the latter part of 2010 and Michael proposed in February of 2013. The couple made their union official with a summer wedding on June 14, 2014 at Cy Fair Christian Church, followed by a romantic reception at the Chateau Polonez, in Houston, TX. The newlyweds recently celebrated their one year anniversary with a fun outdoor anniversary session. "This year, we had an intimate weekend getaway to celebrate our first year wedding anniversary. Our weekend took place at Travassa Hotel and Spa in Austin, Texas. Our anniversary dinner took place at Trulucks. After dinner, we ate a portion of the top of our wedding cake. We also exchanged gifts and wedding anniversary cards to celebrate our one year milestone. In Michael's card, he wrote in part, 'patience, communication, and love, is the foundation to a solid path.' I would add that prayer in conjunction with patience, communication and love builds the foundation," said Cecilia. Michael and Cecilia worked together to create a fun DIY anniversary styled shoot. Cecilia styled all of the decor and Michael, who is a photographer and owner of Mike Charlton Photography, captured the special moment. Check out their fun session below.
Wife: Cecilia Cooper- Charlton, 29 yrs. old, 3L Law Student
Husband: Michael Charlton, 34, Accountant and Owner of Mike Charlton Photography
Place of residence: Houston, Texas
Wedding date: 6/14/14
Honeymoon Destination: St.Fajardo, Puerto Rico
How did you know your partner was the one?
Cecilia: I knew he was the one because we could talk for hours. I felt extremely comfortable with sharing my feelings with him. I didn’t feel as though he would judge me. He made me smile and he was my friend. I felt safe with him. That is when I knew he was the one.
Michael: I knew she was the one when everything that I thought about (including my future plans) concerned her.
What makes your love special?
Our love is special because we complement each other.
Tell us about your partner, and what you find special about them?
Cecilia: I find his forgiving spirit, and optimism about life special about him.
Michael: I find her drive, passion for her family and friends, and her “girly girly” ways to be special about her.
Engagement Story:
We were in the process of taking “couples pictures,” when he proposed. I didn’t expect him to do it then. Prior to taking the photos, he asked me several weeks in advance to participate in them. I was reluctant to do so, but I complied because he persisted. I remember being uncomfortable when we began taking the photos. The photographer (who would become our wedding photographer) turned to me at some point during the photo session, and told me, “now we are going to focus on you, “ after a moment and a few snaps later, he said, “now turn around.” When I did, Michael was on one knee and he said, “I love you. I want you to be my wife. Will you marry me?” I said, “Yes!”
From the Wife:
My wedding planning experience was beyond stressful. However, my wedding day was better. When I walked down the aisle, all my worries about the wedding day subsided. I was nervous and I trembled a bit. I remember thinking to myself, (when my daddy and I met for him to walk me down the aisle, and the doors opened for the bridal procession to begin), “this is really happening.” I felt beautiful and I felt relieved when I saw Michael waiting on me at the end of the aisle. His comfort level assured me that everything would be okay.
From the Husband:
I felt calm on our wedding day. I knew that some things might not go as planned, and some things did not go exactly as planned, but it was okay. My wife was beautiful and our friends and family surrounded us with love and support on our big day.
Wedding Details:
Nuptials: Cy Fair Christian Church, we wanted to have a church wedding and the church was located near the venue.
Reception: Our wedding reception was at the Chateau Polonez. Chateau Polonez is a beautiful structure and offers an intimate and elegant atmosphere to host a wedding celebration.
Wedding Songs:
I walked down the aisle to “One and Only,” by Adele. The song was special to us, because while we were dating, he sent that title of the song to be and told me to listen to it. He said, “This is our song.”
Our first dance was to “Not Even the King,” by Alicia Keys. The song is soft and intricate and imitate our feelings of love for one another.
Favorite Wedding Detail:
Our treat boxes that accompanied our candy bar was engraved to read, “Cil and Mikes Sweet Beginnings.”
Were there any cultural or spiritual elements that you added to make your wedding unique?
We exchanged gifts prior to the ceremony beginning.
Favorite Wedding Moment:
Our favorite wedding moment, was when the preacher said, “you may now kiss your bride.” Prior to our wedding day, we talked about this very moment and how we would react. I was very reserved about kissing him passionately in front of everyone. So, when the preacher said, “You may kiss the bride,” I gave him a 5 second kiss and I saw his face and I hugged him and kissed him again. He still talks about this moment today.
The couple's most memorable moment as a married couple so far :
One of our most memorable moments as a married couple took place when we completed an obstacle course together. An obstacle course was completely out of her comfort zone, because her idea of fun is shopping at the mall. I was hesitant about completing the tight robe portion of the obstacle course. However, with his encouragement, I was able to do so. We also zip lined together at the end of the obstacle course.
What's the best part about being a married couple?
The best part about being a married couple is having the ability t
o grow our friendship by sharing laughs with one another and learning more about one another daily. We support one another’s pursuit of accomplishing our individual goals.
What’s the best advice you received about marriage that you actually use?
Cecilia: I was advised to pray for our relationship and to listen and respect him.
Michael: I was advised to financially provide support for her, pray for her, and listen to her.
Congrats to the happy husband and wife duo Cecilia and Michael Charlton. We wish you many more years of wedded bliss!
