Robert & Joy Patterson, III
Bride
Joy J. Blackmon, 29
Groom
Robert Kenneth “Kenny” Patterson, III, 30
Parents of the Bride
Mr. and Mrs. Artis and Sandra Blackmon, Sr.
Parents of the Groom
Mr. and Mrs. Robert and Gabriele Patterson, Jr.
Hometown of the Bride
Charlotte, NC
Hometown of the Groom
Bamberg, Germany/Georgetown, SC
Wedding Date
9/5/2010
Wedding Location
Asbury Park Grove, Charlotte NC
Occupation of the Bride
Marketing Analyst
Occupation of the Groom
Global Studies Teacher
Alma Mater of the Bride
Queens University of Charlotte
Alma Mater of the Groom
South Carolina State University
How they met:
"Love makes your soul crawl out from its hiding place." ~ Zora Neale HurstonThat quote describes perfectly what happened on January 30, 2008 when Kenny Patterson met Joy Blackmon.“One of my closest friends first noticed Kenny at the middle school where he teaches social studies” explained Joy. “Her mother used Kenny's classroom for her nonprofit after school program. After a few conversations with him, she knew he would be a perfect match for me.“She mentioned Kenny to me but I was uninterested in being set-up due to a poor track record. Unbeknownst to me, she had already given Kenny my number.“A few weeks passed and Kenny called me. Of course I did not answer since he called from a strange number. After listening to the voicemail and pondering, I decided to call him back.“Our first phone call was a three-hour success. Kenny asked if I was interested in meeting the next day. I obliged, and we met at ColdStone Creamery. Although it was January, it was unseasonably warm and our first date was over ice cream.“When we first met I extended my hand and Kenny opened his arms. This was just the first of many ways that Kenny eased me out of my comfort zone.“After chatting at ColdStone until it closed, Kenny invited me out for sushi at what would become one of our favorite restaurants. From that evening on, our love blossomed into a beautiful friendship and now a marriage.
The moment they realized they wanted to be a couple for life:
“There was not a particular moment. We gradually fell in love. Beginning without any expectations, we started off as friends then it progressed into a love interest."
The Proposal:
“Kenny proposed on May 8, 2010.“Family is very important to us, so deciding when and where to propose was very easy for Kenny. He coordinated a cookout to celebrate me getting my Master’s degree. The cookout was also a celebration of my nephew’s and father’s birthdays and Mother's Day.Surrounded by friends and family, Kenny announced that he wanted to wish the honorees a happy birthday and an early Mother's Day to all of the moms. He also mentioned that he was proud of me for completing my Master’s and wanted to ask me something.On bended knee, he asked me to spend the rest of my life with him. I was unable to speak. After a simple nod he embraced me and I said yes."
The Wedding:
“Everyone thought we were crazy when we announced that our wedding would be four months after our engagement. Many people ask me how I did it, and my response is, 'We' did it! “Kenny was very active in the wedding planning, making for a stress-free four months. Everything came together with such ease, it is obvious that it was ordained by God.“Our wedding day was amazing! We chose to have an intimate ceremony in a gazebo overlooking a beautiful garden.“The ceremony area was adorned with roses and hydrangeas in our wedding colors -- eggplant purple and olive green.“We were nervous that September could still be quite warm, so we armed our guests with mini bottled waters and fans as their programs. The weather turned out to be perfect with a wonderful summer breeze.“Surrounded by 100 of our closest family and friends from near and far, I made my grand entrance to Bebe Winans’ 'I Found Love'. A band, complete with keyboard, drums, bass and electric guitar, accompanied the soloist“After exchanging vows and pouring our unity sand, we were officially joined together as Mr. and Mrs. Patterson…recessing to 'We’re Gonna Make It' as a testament to God’s place in our marriage.“Our flower girl singing her ABC’s and ring bearer requiring candy as a barter to walk down the aisle definitely stole the show.“We entered the reception to 'I Got a Feeling' by the Black Eyed Peas. Complete with wonderful food, entertaining toasts by our best men and maid of honor, line dancing and fun, it was truly a “Good Good night!” “The guests enjoyed a candy buffet as they exited for a sweet ending to an even sweeter day.“Our wedding day was particularly special to us because each and every one of our vendors was a close friend or family member. While we did not know the proprietors of our venue initially, we are proud to call them friends now. Having our loved ones provide the services for us made the day even more intimate and filled with love."
The Honeymoon:
“We honeymooned in the Caribbean on the island of Curacao. Since the island has yet to become a tourist target, we chose it as our piece of paradise for a week. We stayed at the beachfront Lodge at Kura Hulanda for a week.“We enjoyed snorkeling, relaxing by the pool, sunset dinners overlooking the turquoise Caribbean Sea, time with the dolphins, a safari of their national park and the list goes on. Most important, after a hectic few months of wedding planning, we simply enjoyed one another as husband and wife.“Since Kenny is a social studies teacher, our honeymoon would not have been complete without a visit to the island’s museums. We had many interesting experiences throughout the week and have earmarked Curacao as an island for future travel."
Their Plans:
“We are looking forward to building a life together as well as hopefully having children in the future. The future is an exciting concept because we know no matter what happens, we will endure and experience life's lessons together.”"What lies behind us, and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us." ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson
Advice to Others:
“Our advice is to never got to sleep or wake up mad at each other. You will have disagreements and other challenges, but you will also have someone to love you no matter what.“Make sure you communicate effectively and say what you mean and mean what you say. Always! Make expectations clear and attempt to show compassion when needed.“Your better half should always feel free to tell you anything without being judged.”