Amberly and Richard say that Tyler Perry couldn't have written a better serendipitous love story like their real life love. Amberly and Richard met while they were both out at a restaurant with friends. Richard spotted Amberly from a far and immediately devised a plan to get to know her that night. "So, I walk downstairs and sat there in a daze trying to reconstruct this image of this stranger that I saw upstairs. At the same time I knew she’d eventually have to come downstairs. She eventually came down the steps and I gazed at her like a puppy seeing their owner through the window. Now, I knew the layout of this place like the back of my hand, so I knew where she was going. I figured I had one chance to make this happen," recalls Richard. However, Richard who was devising an elaborate plan to meet a beautiful stranger would soon find out that he knew her all along. "I got my nerve up (I’m not the nervous type), and my opening line ready as I strategically walked where I knew she had to come through. Then I see her, and then I said: “Hey, I know you”. No, that wasn’t the opener that I was going for, but I really did know her. She looked at me and gave me that ‘boy bye’ look. Then I said “No, I know you from running track," said Richard. It was at that moment that he realized that he remembered Amberly from his childhood. The two were on the same track team when they were small children; and like they say in the movies, the rest was history! Amberly and Richard celebrated their serendipitous union with an elegant "Lace and Pearl" themed wedding at the Reedy River Church in Greenville, SC. Check out their romantic wedding day captured by Hope Ballenger of Hope Ballenger Photography!
Bride: Amberly Nesbitt Winley, MD, 27, Obstetrician and Gynecologist
Groom: Richard Allen Winley, III, 31, Director of Texas with Iron Yard Coding Academy
Place of residence: Houston, TX
Wedding date: 07/14/2013
Honeymoon Destination: Dominican Republic
Engagement story:
The planning of our engagement was one of my best-executed plans to date. It was tough because she is naturally inquisitive and questions everything that doesn’t seem normal to her. So, I had to get her mother on board and my father as well. She knew that she was going to get a ring, but she didn’t know when. I had convinced her that I hadn’t gotten her ring just yet. I also convinced her that we should at least taste some food at our potential wedding reception venue. This was the same place that I met her. Now, this was a lot of coordination to get her mother to get her to the exact area that I needed her to be. This was almost a blunder because her mother can’t lie to her and almost missed the drop point. Anyway, she came through the zone that I set up and this was the same exact hallway that I met her at 1 year and about 12 days earlier. When I saw her all the words that I planned to say left me because I was shaking out of nervousness and I just dropped down to one knee with the ring. I actually had the restaurant prepare a meal almost identical to our wedding meal. They cleared out the entire upstairs (where I first saw her) for us to have a dinner with just her and me.
From the Bride:
In a word, Surreal! I have experienced many extraordinary events in my life. However, walking down the aisle to unite my life with Rich was truly a dream come true.Every step I took was filled with praise to God for creating someone so perfect, "just for me" the one “I have waited for."Marrying Rich that day was extra extraordinary. I had married him a thousand times in my dreams so as real as this day was, it was still extremely surreal.
Your best/most memorable moment:
The most memorable moment for me (groom) was when she was dancing with her friends. She was just so happy and that’s my life’s mission, to make her happy.
The most memorable moment for me ( bride) is when he got down on his knee at the end of his vows.
From the Groom:
Oh man, this was the best day of my life. I’m pretty sure that over the weekend leading up to our big day I was asked 200 times, “Are you ready?”. I walked down the aisle as smooth as I could. As I stood up there my leg started trembling as I tried not to look into the crowd. Then the doors opened. I was so taken away by the beauty of my soon to be wife, but also a calmness came over me as I looked at my life partner. I saw our kids, our first 10 years, our rocking chairs, and our entire life before my eyes. Now, you couldn’t tell that by looking at me because of the tears rolling out of my eyes like the summer rain. To put it in the words of someone who attended the wedding; “This is like the perfect ending to a Tyler Perry movie."
Favorite wedding detail:
Cake with diamond embezzled “W”
Wedding song:
The One He Kept for Me – This song best explained our journey to one another. Our journey molded our hearts in preparation for one another. We trusted and believed that God had the perfect person waiting on us.
What makes your love special?
Most people say opposites attract. We’re opposite in a lot of things, but she’s everything that I’m not and we truly complete one another. When you put us together we’re as perfect as it gets
What are you most looking forward to as a married couple?
Growing together. We’re both at a stage in life where our hard work is starting to pay off and I’m excited to see how we grow emotionally, spiritually, and mentally.
Congrats to newlyweds Amberly and Richard! We wish you many more years of wedded bliss!
Vendors:
Photographer: Hope Ballenger Photography!
Ceremony location: Reedy River Baptist Church
Reception location: Nose Dive
Bridal gown: Demitra Designs
Bridal party attire: Carolina Traditions
Groom’s tux: Men’s Wearehouse
Favors: Wedding Favor Discount
Music: Whitney Walters and Band
Hair and makeup: Renee Sumpter
Flowers: Mirrian Lindsay
Curated by our Wedding Features Editor, C.K. Alexander. C.K. is the owner and founder of Love Ink and Brownstone Bridal. Keep up with C.K. on Twitter here: @Love_Ink
