10 Year Vow Renewal – Tonya and James

11.18.21

Tonya and James – November 1, 2021

10 Year Vow Renewal

Tonya and James were our second couple of the day and joined us for a 10 year Vow Renewal along with their two kiddos. They dressed the chapel in champagne with our bohemian fall florals. She looked amazing in her gorgeous dress from JJ House, and he looked very spiffy in his suit. They brought a super cute little cake. He kept getting choked up from all of the emotions, and I won’t lie, I teared up a little bit, too. Congratulations, Tonya and James!!

From the Bride:

James and I were introduced by a mutual friend. One Friday, James drove 6 hours from Dallas to Baton Rouge after work to meet me. Many people talk about love at first sight, but this is truly our story. We both knew from the moment we laid eyes on one another, that we had something special. James always tells the story that when I stepped out my door, he saw an angel. And for me, when he got out the car and gave me a hug, I just knew he was going to be my husband. We spent the entire weekend staying up until daylight talking about life. It went so well that James moved his life to Louisiana within a few weeks to begin our life together. Our first official date was at Copeland’s Cheesecake Bistro. We enjoyed some Cajun food and turtle cheesecake for dessert. We often go back o this restaurant on anniversaries and reminisce.

James proposed after only 3 months of dating. He reserved a private space at “The Melting Pot”. There were roses, champagne and chocolate covered strawberries waiting. It was the beginning of the most “special” days in my life. We chose East Tennessee to have our wedding because we fell in love with the mountains and the serenity it brings. We visited Gatlinburg for our 1st year anniversary and it holds a special place for us. We love the views. The fresh air. The color changing leaves in fall. And the crisp fall temperatures that we don’t get much of in Louisiana.

We are most looking forward to renewing our vows and commitment to one another. The first ten years of marriage bring so many memories and life changes. We are looking forward to having our two children present to witness our love for one another.

We chose Chapel in the Hollow because of the beautiful venue and the fabulous photos. I was looking for something with a mountain view and James like the idea of a chapel. When I found Chapel in the Hollow it was the PERFECT of both!

We truly enjoy spending time together whether its binge watching tv shows, going to church, or dancing in the kitchen while we cook dinner. We love to take vacations with and without the kids. The beach and mountains are our favorite to visit. We love watching our kids play sports on weekends and enjoy family nights together. We also enjoy spending time with our family and friends as well as church family.

We are looking forward to 100 more years together.