Lori + Thomas' Wedding - Lisa Shelby Photography

Lori and Thomas’s wedding was gorgeous, as were they! I loved the red they chose for their wedding color and oh my the bouquets were amazing! Each bouquet was different and they were all stunning! They were married at a gorgeous historic church in Goodlettesville that holds a very special place with the bride’s family! This was actually the same church where the bride’s mother and father were married! After the ceremony everyone headed over to The Depot Square in Gallatin for their awesome reception! Seriously Lori and Thomas’s fall wedding was absolutely gorgeous! Oh and they decided they didn’t want to see each other before the ceremony, but they had a special time before the service where they exchanged notes, held hands behind a door, and prayed… It was so beautiful!

Ever wondered how these two met or think you know their love story?! Read on to learn a bit about their history! Just think truly their love story is just getting started, but this is the story from the beginning….

How did you first meet and what were your first impressions of each other? All the details! 🙂

Thomas: We first met at the Tennessee-Florida game in 2008. We were in a big group of people and were sitting near each other. I first thought that she was really pretty and I had to figure out who she was and get to know her better. But she was with a different guy that I thought was her boyfriend (turns out it was just one of her friends from architecture) so I didn’t talk to her too much. I talked to her more after that because some of our friends would have dinner at their apartment and Lori would drive me back to my dorm room after that so I didn’t have to walk across campus.

Lori: Thomas and I first met in the Fall of 2008 at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville. My close friend since 6th grade has been Kyle. Thomas’ close friend since 9th grade has been Nikki. Nikki and Kyle met at the University of Tennessee and became good friends. They invited Thomas and I to come hang out with them and some of their friends. Thomas and I met each other through hanging out with all of those friends. My first impression was that Thomas was funny and a true southern gentleman. We met in the Fall of 2008, but we started actually talking in January 2009. Although I was very busy with school, Thomas kept trying to hang out with me. We got along very well. We started going to basketball games with our group of friends.

The first time I knew that he was interested in being more than friends was the night before the UT vs. Florida basketball game. I pulled an all-nighter in the architecture building. He was working the 11pm-3am desk shift at Gibbs Hall. We messaged each other on facebook during his entire shift. He asked for my number so that we could go to the basketball game together the next day. We spent the entire next day together going to ESPN game day, the basketball game, eating together, and listening to music outside the arena. He asked me to be his girlfriend on February 15, 2009, and the rest is history!

When did you know that he/she was the one?

Thomas: I don’t really remember when I knew that but I knew she was definitely special one day before we started dating. I worked at my residence hall through college and the second semester of my Freshman year I had an 8AM class that got me up early on Friday. A lot of the time when I came back from that class my boss would be sitting at the desk working because the secretary called out sick and he would ask me if I wanted to work for the rest of the day. And because I figured I would play on my computer and watch movies upstairs I always said yes so I could get paid for it.

That particular day it had snowed so the secretary called out because she couldn’t get to work. Lori had her architecture studio class from 1 to 5:30 on Fridays so a lot of the time when I would work I would talk to her on Facebook or text her during that time. Somehow we were talking about snow and having a snowball fight. So when I got off work at 5 I decided to surprise her and walk her to her practice from her class. So I go over to the architecture building (right across from my dorm) and wait for her to come out. I decided to surprise her with a snowball too 😉 so I wait and wait and wait and she finally comes out and I throw a snowball at her and we laugh and then I walk her to her rehearsal. At that point I thought I might be stupid and just annoying her until I see her stop and bend over and realize she is making a snowball to throw back at me!! So I walk her to her rehearsal and we are throwing snowballs the whole way! That’s kinda when I realize that she is one that I can’t let get away….

Lori: There was not a particular moment, it just happened over time. Thomas knew I was studying abroad in Spring 2010, so when he asked me to be his girlfriend, he knew we might end up in a long distance relationship. The first 6 months of our relationship went so well! We discussed the fact that I would be studying abroad and there was no doubt that we were going to stay together for those 4 months. That was when I knew that we were going to stay together through anything.

Tell us all about your proposal!

Thomas: I was trying to work out a way to propose to her but I figured out how to do it when I was with her at Academy one day. She saw this nerdy Smokey doll and said “Awww that’s really cute” so I thought I could use that to help me propose. She was coming up to Knoxville for a football game fall semester of 2012. It was her second game to come up for that season. The first game I had given her a t-shirt to wear for the game, so when I told her I had something to wear for the game this time she thought I had gotten her another t-shirt or something. Then I pulled out a gift bag and handed it to her. In the bag I had gotten her the nerdy Smokey doll. She thought it was cute and was trying to figure out why I had said I had something for her to wear to the game when she flipped the doll over. Around its neck I had tied the ring. Then I untied it and got down on one knee and the rest is history!

Lori: Honestly, I had been waiting on Thomas to propose for a while. I graduated in May 2011 from UT, but Thomas did not graduate until December 2012. We were dating for almost 4 years by the time he graduated. I was living in New Orleans from August 2011 to June 2012. I finally got a job in Nashville in June 2012 and moved home. Thomas and I got to be in Nashville together until August, when he moved back to Knoxville. I went to Knoxville to visit him twice in Fall 2012. I knew that he was going to propose at some point, when he was ready, but the way he did it surprised me. I went to Knoxville for the Tennessee vs. Missouri football game. We were watching TV in his room before the noon game. Thomas said that he had something for me to wear to the game just like last time (when I went to visit him last time, he surprised me with T-shirt to wear to the game). Thomas pulled out a gift bag with ribbon on it for me to unwrap. It took me a little while to unwrap it (while he waited anxiously). Under the tissue paper was the stuffed nerdy Smokey dog that I mentioned was cute a few weeks before while we were shopping. Smokey is Tennessee’s mascot and this dog had glasses and a pencil behind its ear. It was adorable. I turned the dog over to look at its face when I noticed that it had an engagement ring tied around its neck!! Thomas untied the ribbon, got down on his knee, and proposed! I said YES!!

What is the one thing you love most about each other?

Thomas: I love how easy it is for me to be around her. She makes me relax when I’m around her. Some of the best times we have had were when we just hang out together and don’t have anything to do. Half the time that means one of us (me) falls asleep on the couch because we are exhausted. But I love how comfortable I am around her and how sometimes it hits me like a ton of bricks how amazing she is and how much I love her.

Lori: I would say that I love his thoughtfulness. I said before that he is a true southern gentleman and I meant it. He always opens doors for me, calls everyone ma’am and sir, and continually helps people. It is much more than that though. He constantly brings me my favorite foods and flowers because he knows that I like them. He anticipates what I want or need before I even need it. I know he will always take care of me in sickness and in health.

Lori and Thomas are one of the sweetest couples I have met! I have absolutely loved every minute I have worked with them and have really enjoyed getting to know them! I am honored to have been chosen to photograph their journey to Mr. & Mrs! Congratulations Lori and Thomas! I pray God blesses your life together!

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aUVj5wf5_AA ]