WEDDED Wednesdays: The James' Story
Welcome to "WEDDED Wednesdays." Each week we share our friends' stories of love and marriage with you! Real LOVE stories. This week - Meet the James!
THE JAMES' STORY
How long have you been married?
We have been married for 3 years, since 6/12/12.
How did you meet?
We met on the 4th of July in 2011 at a liquor store in the neighborhood we both lived in.
"Mesi made the first move with a wink. She was wearing white shorts with a pink and white stripped crop top. We were both leaving the store at the time and I asked her if I could talk to her for a moment. We were both with a friend and agreed to go on a date later." - Jared
"Jared was wearing a white tee, with grey jeans, and [a] white NY fitted. I was attracted to Jared's nothern style and the way he carried himself. His smile gave me the courage to flirt with him, he seemed interested." - Mesi
How long did you date?
We dated for about 9 months before we married.
"[After that initial meeting and phone number exchange] Jared called me every day for like a week. I was home from Savannah State University on summer break but I was catching up on sleep. After about a week, we arranged a double date with his friend and mine, who were with us when we first me. We went to a bar & grill, had some laughs and drinks. The next day, I invited him and his friend over to my friend's house. Ever since our first date, we have been together ever since. When I returned to school that fall, he came to see me very often.
I knew he was the one when I went back to school after the summer was over. He kept in contact with me, visited me, stayed with me, and continued to support my education in the process. I knew he cared about me, more than sexually, but emotionally, physically, and mentally. He gave me a sense of comfort and love, selflessly." - Mesi
" knew she was the one when I introduced her to my family and they loved her! Also, my two daughters loved her as well, that was more important to me than anything!" - Jared
How would you describe your wedding?
Our wedding day wasn't the usual fairy tale wedding or proposal.
Jared & Mesi James on their wedding day in 2012. They eloped! Three years later, they're married and still in love.
We were on vacation in Arkansas, visiting the Hot Springs. We noticed that photos of the courthouse were all over the hotel we were staying in, so we did a bit of research about the area. We later learned that Little rock was a popular place to elope!
The next morning, we went across the street to the courthouse and got married. [But] We had to find a minister to sign off on our marriage certificate.
We found Reverend Al Green, who was a pastor at a small community church. Reverend Green was the only person available! On our drive to his church, we joked about that fact that it could be the singer Al Green.
Jared's parents watched on Skype as we proceeded to make our marriage official. The pastor gave us a few words of encouragement and advice, then we headed home to spread the good news.
Marriage Mission Statement:
Our marriage mission statement is simple: marriage has to last forever, divorce is not an option.
Best Advice you received before marriage:
Since we didn't plan to be married, we really didn't get any advice.
Favorite activity to do together:
We bond over music. We love to light scented candles, turn on Pandora, and chill. We laugh, sing, drink, and enjoy each other's company.
Advice for engaged couples:
Put everything on the table! Address your past, needs, wants, and future.
We give more advice in detail in our ebook, Young, Black, & Married: How to Snuggle Through the Struggle, set for release Fall 2015. This literature is a playbook of rules and tips for married, engaged, and couples contemplating marriage.
Blog Link(s) or Favorite Links:
Every marriage has a story. If you or someone you know would like to share your story of love and marriage then send us mail or email me at cara@findlayhouse.com and I'll forward the questions! ;-)
