Inspiration

Real Weddings {Atlanta}: Connie & Toby! – Blackbride.com

Connie and Toby did have to look too far for love, after all, they have known each other all of their lives. "Our mothers have been friends since grade school and our families have been close for decades. We dated briefly in 1998 when I was a sophomore and he was a junior in high school. Although we decided to mutually split, we remained good friends," said Connie. In 2001, Toby and Connie decided to reunite and give their love another try. The two have been inseparable ever since. "We knew we were soul mates and meant for each other and that our lives were meant to become one." Check out their special 10-year vow renewal captured by Kima Golden of The Sweetest Thing Photography 

Bride: Connie Mayo, 31, Bank Examiner

Groom: Toby Mayo, 33

Place of residence: Bride – Fort Sill, OK Groom – Columbus, GA

Wedding date: May 23, 2014

Wedding location: Callonwalde Fine Arts Center

Wedding theme: Real Love

Honeymoon Destination: Cancun, Mexico

 

Engagement story:

Toby and I had plans from the very moment we reunited of getting married one day. This was a constant topic of discussion for us. The week following my graduation from Albany State University Toby asked me to be his wife and we were married two days later.

From the Groom:

I felt so excited that I could barely contain myself. I was getting ready to dedicate my love to the love of my life. Connie and I are so much alike yet so different and all I could think about was how blessed we were that the third strand held us together and that we were be able to celebrate 10 years of marital bliss. I just felt like the luckiest man alive.

From the Bride:

I was so happy and overjoyed on our wedding day. This was our 10 year anniversary and we decided to renew our vows and rededicate ourselves to one another in a public ceremony with our family and friends present. This was our first wedding and it was like a dream come true. I recalled all of the challenges we had gone through (from being married at 21 and 22 years old to loosing several children) and how we made it through with God’s help. It made our renewal so much more memorable as I reflected on our love and how unconditional it is.

Most memorable moment:

Our most memorable moment was our vow exchanges. We wrote our on vows and they were tear jerkers, sweet, loving, yet funny and entertaining.

 Wedding song:

Eric Benet Real Love was our wedding song. We chose this song because we consider our love to be real. It has stood the many tests of time, even as life presented a whirlwind of changes our real thing held on no matter what. We don’t have a fairy tale story we’ve got something real!

Favorite wedding detail:

The décor. Both of our favorite colors is red and red was the color of love. We wanted to have our love, fire, and personalities with a touch of uniqueness shown through our day and it was truly captured by our décor.

What are you most looking forward to as a married couple?

Spending the rest of our lives with the love of our lives.

Advice for a Bride/Groom on their wedding day:

Enjoy yourself because it goes by fast and all you will have are your memories. So, go big and do what makes you happy.

Congratulations to Connie and Toby! We wish you many more years of wedded bliss.

Vendors: 

Photographer: Kima Golden of The Sweetest Thing Photography

Ceremony & reception location: Callanwolde Fine Arts Center

Bridal gown: Exclusive Tailoring and Alterations

Bridal party attire: Mori Lee, Marie’s April Showers

Groom’s tux: Jim’s Formal Wear, Marie’s April Showers

Cake: Perfect Wedding Cakes

Caterer: Events by Juanita

Wedding planners: Niq Williams Event Management, LLC

Music: Fred Grant with Premier Entertainment Atlanta

Hair and makeup: Stephanie Dotson

Flowers: Niq Williams Event Management, LLC

Stationery: Papered Wonders

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