The Sterling Castle

Rehearsal

Hampton Inn Calera

Rehearsal Dinner

Wedding Day

Wedding Ceremony

Cocktail Hour

Reception

Mother of the Bride's Home

Farewell Brunch

Our Wedding

So for those that don’t know, Lawrence and I met in early July 2021 by matching on not one, but two different dating apps. When I missed the notification of our match on Bumble, Lawrence sent me a message on Tinder that was just so sweet and so thoughtful I just couldn’t ignore it. Over the next few days we talked for hours, laughing constantly, and never seeming to run out of things to say (little did I know I was keeping him up WAY past his usual time—oops). A few days later we went on our very first date to a wonderful little Tex-Mex restaurant in Hoover called Habaneros and never wanted it to end. That night we decided to officially start dating. And now, more than five years later, we’re still having just as much fun!♡From the beginning, everything felt easy. We communicated effortlessly, often finishing each other’s sentences, and we just fit. A few months in, I found myself telling my best friend (and now Matron of Honor) that talking to Lawrence felt like I was talking to my future husband — something I’d never said before, but somehow already knew. Since then, we’ve shared so many adventures together: trips to Nashville, Disney World, Gulf Shores, Knoxville, Charlotte, and Wellsburg — each one adding another chapter to our story. But our biggest leap by far came in 2023, when we decided to uproot both our lives and move to the Washington, D.C. area. Being far from family hasn’t always been easy, but it’s been incredibly rewarding to watch Lawrence thrive in his career, explore new places together and with friends, and continue building a life together that truly feels like ours.♡Our relationship is equal parts love, chaos, trust, and fun. So when it came time to get engaged, we did it our way. After designing the ring together, Lawrence hid it as part of a long-running inside joke we’d played for years, turning the moment into something playful and uniquely ours. There was no big question to ask — we already knew — and that made it all the more meaningful. For us, marriage won’t change how we love or commit to each other, but it does give us a moment to celebrate it and to stand together, surrounded by the people we love, and say out loud what we're already doing: choosing each other, every day, forever.

Our Story

Photos

I met Laura in 3rd grade, Mrs. Charamonte’s class! Laura also had my mother as a 4th grade teacher and she introduced me to my husband at her Halloween party!

Holly Anderson

I met Laura in 2005 when my mom signed me up for Girl Scouts! I had just moved from Atlanta to Birmingham and Laura was one of my first new friends! We became best friends very quickly and have had SO many fun experiences together!!

Caroline Kaiser

I met Laura in 9th grade at her Halloween party and we became friends later in our Junior year running around Hoover trolling for cute guys during yearbook under the guise of taking their picture for yearbook. 

Kristin Searcy

How I know the bride? I kept getting on her mom’s roof until her best friend (now my wife) fell in love with me.

Hunter Anderson

I met Laura when I was born. We grew up together and I am so glad that we are reconnecting and I can’t wait to be in her wedding!

Samantha Hawn

Laura and I met in Tri Sigma and just clicked. We ended up being good friends and later my roommate during my final year.

Theresa Bianca

Groom: Kindergarten blood pact 
Bride: Hangout at Larry’s former Birmingham estate

Jordan Kittrell

I’ve known Lawrence for nearly two and a half decades. We met in preschool, and have been friends more or less ever since.

Lin Dempsey

I met Lawrence on Discord in a server that Lin invited me to.

Griffin Evans

I met Lawrence in high school. We sat next to each other in a class and played video games together. 

Braden Hearn

I officially met Larry because Braden invited him into a video project group. Alex told him he was going to be a turtle on a log and someone was going to pretend to shoot him and I may or may not have joked that we would get kicked out if he didn’t and he believed me. We definitely knew of each other before that, but I love the turtle story. 

Elizabeth Keefer

I have known Lawrence for what feelings like my entire life; in actuality, since like ~8 years old. I have met Laura ~3 times and it has been great each time.

Virginia Veasey

Wedding Party

We are asking everyone to dress to impress in black for this Hallowedding. Think black cocktail dresses, dressy black jumpsuits, black suit and tie, black dress pants and a nice black shirt, etc. Whatever your choice, we just respectfully ask that you help us keep the spooky-chic magic alive by wearing black.🕸️Please feel free to reach out to anyone in the wedding party with any questions.🕸️(Side note: if you have that one tux or one formal gown that you've just been dying for an excuse to wear—so long as it's black—then absolutely! Let this be your opportunity to rock it!)

Ideas & Inspo

Dress Code

We can’t wait to celebrate with you at our spooky-chic Hallowedding! Below you’ll find everything you need to know about our incredible venue, the Sterling Castle. The Sterling Castle389 Deseret DriveShelby, AL 35143 <a href="https://www.google.com/maps/dir//The%20Sterling%20Castle" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Get Directions</a>

As you arrive, you’ll wind through the grounds before reaching the castle entrance, where a cocktail (or a mocktail) and the day's festivities await you.

Weather permitting, our ceremony will take place here, in the Castle's timber frame open-air chapel.

After the ceremony, the party will move inside the castle's great hall for appetizers, dinner, drinks, music, and dancing deep into the witching hour.

We fell in love with the castle the moment we saw it, and we can’t wait to gather here with all our favorite people for one unforgettable night of magic, mischief, and celebration.

Venue Details

We have partnered with two hotels just 20 minutes from our venue to hold rooms from Thursday, October 29 through Sunday, November 1. If you don’t need to arrive early, please don’t feel obligated to—you can adjust arrival and departure dates when booking. We will have a shuttle service running between these hotels and the venue. There will be one pickup on Saturday ahead of the ceremony (around 3:30 pm) and three drop offs that evening (leaving the Castle at 8pm, 9pm, and 10pm). There are other hotels and AirBnBs in the area that are listed and linked below. However, please be aware that we do not have any room holds or special discounted rates with them and they will not have shuttle service to/from the venue. If you have any questions or concerns about hotels or travel, please reach out via email to <a href="mailto:Hallowedding26@gmail.com" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Hallowedding26@gmail.com</a>.

We have a room block reserved at Hampton Inn Calera for October 29, 2026 through November 1, 2026. You can edit your arrival and departure dates as needed when you book your rooms. We're looking forward to seeing you in October!&nbsp;

We have a room block reserved at Home2 Suites by Hilton Calera for October 29, 2026 through November 1, 2026. You can edit your arrival and departure dates as needed when you book your rooms. We're looking forward to seeing you in October!

Home2 Suites by Hilton Calera

Other local hotels (and driving distance from the Castle):<a href="https://www.ihg.com/holidayinnexpress/hotels/us/en/calera/bhmca/hoteldetail" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Holiday Inn Express</a> - (20 minutes)<a href="https://www.choicehotels.com/alabama/calera/quality-inn-hotels/al347" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Quality Inn</a> - (20 minutes) Local AirBnBs (and driving distance to the Castle):<a href="https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/786315106281805686?guests=1&amp;adults=2&amp;s=67&amp;unique_share_id=7e93f952-17c6-4f84-96dd-788b431d18e6&amp;source_impression_id=p3_1774976813_P3eje38cYZ-HfZIg" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Eagles Nest on Lay Lake</a> - (15 minutes)<a href="https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/930774217871370113?source_impression_id=p3_1774976867_P3x6cDUb3al3FJgA" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Magnolia Meadows</a> - (10 minutes)<a href="https://www.vrbo.com/5008679?chkin=2026-10-29&amp;chkout=2026-11-01&amp;d1=2026-10-29&amp;d2=2026-11-01&amp;startDate=2026-10-29&amp;endDate=2026-11-01&amp;x_pwa=1&amp;rfrr=HSR&amp;pwa_ts=1774976998559&amp;referrerUrl=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cudnJiby5jb20vSG90ZWwtU2VhcmNo&amp;useRewards=false&amp;adults=2&amp;regionId=6344405&amp;destination=Columbiana%2C+Alabama%2C+United+States+of+America&amp;destType=MARKET&amp;selected=124191606&amp;latLong=33.178173%2C-86.607208&amp;searchId=bd376818-c4e6-426e-b243-b9e7f185a2bb&amp;sort=RECOMMENDED&amp;top_dp=320&amp;top_cur=USD&amp;userIntent=&amp;selectedRoomType=124191606&amp;selectedRatePlan=000483c8b74b3ee54a399bd8d6e773222c14&amp;expediaPropertyId=124191606" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Magnolia Manor</a> - (15 minutes)

Travel

Registry

Your presence at our wedding truly means the world to us. We're so grateful to celebrate this day surrounded by our favorite people. Since we've already built a home together over the past few years, we have most of the things we need. Now our biggest dream is to enjoy an unforgettable honeymoon together in Japan! So, in place of a traditional registry, we've decided to create a honeymoon fund. Contributions can be made by cash, check, credit card, or Venmo. <a href="https://withjoy.com/laura-and-lawrence-oct-26/registry" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Shop here</a>. We truly appreciate any gift of any size, but please know that no gift is ever expected. Having you celebrate with us is the greatest gift of all!

Laura & Lawrence

Laura & Lawrence

L&L

Wedding Day

4:30 PM–4:45 PM

Wedding Ceremony

4:45 PM–6:00 PM

Cocktail Hour

6:00 PM–10:00 PM

Reception