THE DREAM CAME TRUE

STORY BY LONNA UPTON & PHOTOS BY REBECCA LONG

Emily and William Gray met in Sunday school class when they were 2 years old

EEmily Edwards and William Gray were married at Church in the Pines on Lake Martin June 12, 2021. The two were introduced in their 2-year-olds Sunday school class at Briarwood Presbyterian Church, and their parents were friends throughout Emily and William’s lives. They started dating in their sophomore year of high school.

“Our parents were already friends when we met as babies, and it’s really great to have that history together. He went to Alabama, and I went to Auburn, but I think the distance matured our relationship in many ways. We were waiting on God’s timing and taking our lives one step at a time. I knew I would only tell the man I planned to marry that I loved him.

William had told me he loved me before and I was waiting until I knew for sure he would be my husband. The moment came, and I knew I loved him. We slow danced to Bennie and the Jets that night,” Emily

Edwards Gray said. The couple became engaged at SpringHouse during the height of the coronavirus pandemic. Her family’s many visits to their lake house in Dadeville during quarantine became a blessing. On one of their afternoon boat rides, her father, Mark, recommended

Church in the Pines for the wedding, and they knew it would be perfect. “We were so excited to have everyone else see the beauty of the lake and truly have a Lake Martin experience. I knew it would be a dream come true,” she said. Gray’s sister, Catherine Barber, is a professional wedding planner, so plans were under way quickly.

“It was such a blessing planning my wedding with my wonderful mother, Julie, and my big sister. We had so much fun planning every little detail together.” said Gray. Eric Reebals, an associate pastor at Briarwood, provided pre-marital counseling and officiated the service. Gray shopped with her mother and two sisters,

Lauren and Catherine, to find the perfect wedding dress. Her sister set up appointments in Birmingham over a two-day period, but when Heidi Elnora’s

Build-a-Bride came to the Edwards’ house for an inhome wedding dress shopping experience, the search ended. “I felt like a princess in every dress in every store, but I knew I was waiting on the one. They bring all the pieces that can be put together to customize a dress, but ironically, I found one on the rack that was perfect, and that’s the one I ordered. I decided buying a wedding dress was about putting all the pieces together – I found out I liked a sweetheart neckline, a fit-and-flare style, no lace. It was just beautiful and even had a little flare at the bottom, so I could twirl,”

Gray said. The wedding party consisted of 16 bridesmaids and two flower girls, Gray’s nieces, Annie and

Emma. The bridesmaids wore off-one-shoulder dresses with a slight fit-and-flare and a slit in a rose gold

They were excited to share Lake Martin with their family and friends

The ceremony was set for June at Church in the Pines

The couple enjoyed a few moments alone between the ceremony and the reception

Montgomery artist Kevin King painted a keepsake picture of the ceremony

The bride felt like royalty at the Marsgate reception

color. The 14 groomsmen wore black tuxedos.

With a nod to the proposal location, the Carriage House, an intimate setting at Russell Crossroads served as the location of the rehearsal dinner. Brad and Nancy Gray planned a beautiful night with delicious food catered by SpringHouse and a wonderful time of words and fellowship.

The ceremony was at Church in the Pines with 400 guests. Bonnie Furuto coordinated a string quartet and a harpist for the music in the outdoor setting. Gray’s sister, Lauren, along with two other singers, graced the attendees with How Deep the Father’s Love.

Birmingham designer, Julie Howard, created the bouquets, boutonnieres and ceremony décor – such as light pink roses and greenery – that complemented the natural beauty surrounding the outdoor chapel. The flowers were dedicated to the loved ones who could not be there that day. Gray’s grandmother, Ann, represented for both William and Emily’s loving grandparents.

“Our service was so special because it was a Godhonoring service. At one point in the service, all the members of our immediate families came up to lay their hands on us and pray for us. Everyone was quiet, and we could hear the water lapping on the shore. It was definitely the most special part of the day, a heavenly moment,” Gray said.

The reception was just a few miles away at Marsgate, a colonial mansion in Eclectic. The Edwards worked with Rita Falk, who coordinated the reception and provided the flowers. The Edwards reserved the entire venue for the weekend, so they were able to host the bridesmaids’ luncheon there, and the family stayed in rooms available on site. DeAngelo Ziegler and WOW Catering in Eclectic catered the reception.

“A bus took the whole wedding party, including William and me, to Marsgate. That beautiful place and Rita are just incredible. She did everything to make my dreams come true,” she said.

The newly married couple enjoyed a private dinner and a few moments alone when they arrived at Marsgate, while guests enjoyed the cocktail hour. Hors d’oeuvres included bacon wrapped sweet chicken and fried ravioli.

Four stations were set up for dinner – chicken and waffles with maple syrup and butter; an international fruit

and cheese station; a shrimp station with grits and low-country shrimp, shrimp scampi, tri-shrimp and green beans; and the fourth station featuring honey mustard barbequed pork tenderloin and slider rolls. A dessert table of white chocolate pecan clusters, strawberry mousse shortcake and sweet chocolate tarts was presented in addition to the groom’s cake and the bride’s wedding cake.

Sweet Gaga’s Bakery in Alexander City created both the bride’s and groom’s cakes – a key lime cake with key lime pie shooters. The bride’s cake was a four-tier cake with a crumb coat decorated with white and pink roses.

Gray’s father stood on a staircase to thank everyone for coming and to pray over the food; then, he announced the couple as they appeared at the top of the stairs.

“We felt like royalty. We had a great, big dip kiss at the top and headed down the stairs to the dance floor for our first dance to My Girl. To have everyone there who loves and cares for us was so special. To know that they were a witness to our marriage and will keep us in their prayers made me so happy,” she said.

As a keepsake from the beautiful wedding, Montgomery artist, Kevin King, took a photograph at the ceremony and painted it on canvas during the reception.

Everyone danced under twinkle lights on the outdoor dance floor until time to cheer and wave sparklers. As the guests lined up, Mr. and Mrs. Gray had one last dance alone to Bennie and the Jets. The newlyweds were whisked away in a shiny, red convertible.

“I am so close to my family. My parents are my heroes, and I want to be just like them. They made me feel so special, and I am so grateful for every effort that went into making this day so joyful. It was not about worldly things, but about honoring God and our marriage. Everything was in God’s plan, and I wouldn’t change a thing,” Gray said.

WINTERTIME IS FAMILY TIME, IS YOUR HEART HEALTHY?

The cooler weather means more time with family – whether it’s bundled up outdoors or staying cozy inside.

Make sure your heart is healthy and ready for the season with an appointment at the UAB Heart & Vascular Clinic at Russell Medical.

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Our clinic is backed by the knowledge and expertise of UAB Medicine, including: • Advanced ultrasound testing • Nuclear medicine imaging in fully accredited labs • Management of cardiac rhythm disorders • Interventional cardiology care

HEART & VASCULAR CLINIC AT RUSSELL MEDICAL

Make an appointment today by calling (256) 234-2644. 3368 Highway 280, Suite 130 • Alexander City, AL 35010 uabmedicine.org/HeartRussell