The Lucky Lady: Brittany Williams, 31, English Teacher
Her Dream Guy: Patrick Ferguson
The Big Day: June 11, 2016
Wedding Location: Palos Verdes Peninsula, CA
How did you meet your man?
We met my freshman year at Talladega College, an HBCU in Alabama, back in 2001. The first time he tried to talk to me I totally brushed him off because I thought he was joking. Two weeks later after researching more about him, I bid $5 on him during an auction that was serving as a fundraiser for one of the sororities on campus and I won. We were inseparable after that. We dated for several years, but after graduation I moved back to California and he was focused on his military career, which sent him all over the world. We decided to end the relationship then, but three years ago he moved to Los Angeles and we’ve been together ever since.
Were you looking for love?
Not really. I was just waiting on God to lead me to my future mate.
What was your first impression of him?
Well, when we reunited, he actually just showed up at my church one Sunday while I was teaching Sunday school. I hadn’t seen him in almost five years and was completely caught off guard. He looked the same, but older and muscular. He looked good and his warm smile was still the same.
At what moment did you know he was “The One”?
I think I knew it the day that he walked into my church three years ago. After we broke up, I really didn’t meet a man that I liked well enough to become seriously involved with. I remember having conversations with my girlfriends about online dating and going out more because I had been single for at least four years. I just remember praying and asking God to lead my mate to me, and then a few months later Patrick was smiling at me while I was teaching Sunday school. God has a way of working things out right on time.
Who said “I love you” first?
He did. He’s very honest and vocal. He doesn’t hold back how he feels so as soon as he felt it, he said it.
How did he pop the question?
Last year on my birthday my mother threw me a small party at my grandmother’s house—nothing too fancy, with immediate family and a few friends in attendance. After work, I went to my grandmother’s house and we all ate, laughed and talked. Right after everyone sang Happy Birthday and I blew out the candles, he told everyone that he was about to make one of my wishes come true. He got down on his knee, declared his love for me and asked me to be his life partner.
What was really going through your mind as he proposed?
I could tell that he was really nervous and I just wanted him to breathe and get through his speech so I could see my ring. (Smiles.)
Photos: Jeff Lewis Wedding Photography