Glenn & Ben: A Southern Charming Gay Wedding
“We met like any modern-day love story... on a dating app!” Glenn’s dating profile cited the desire to find a man to help stabilize his baby’s life—which was a 9-month-old miniature pinscher puppy named Duchess. Glenn reached out to Ben and the conversation just flowed. They continued talking for several days until Ben asked Glenn out on a date.
“We met at one of Charlotte”s staple Italian restaurants that Glenn had been wanting to try since moving to Charlotte in late 2016, Mama Ricotta’s. We enjoyed a delicious dinner with one another and shared more information about ourselves.” Glenn included the disclosure, “I’m very sassy”. Once dinner came to an end, Ben asked if Glenn would be interested in watching a live production of Mama Mia at the local community college. “We had a great time at the show and grabbed drinks afterward at a local craft beer tasting room. The first date lasted for about 7 hours!”
"We both felt sparks by the end of the first date.” Glenn thought Ben was a real southern gentleman. The two continued to see each other, and they could tell that something was different about the relationship. However, it wasn’t until Ben was away on a trip in Europe that they realized they were in love. “It was that time while we were apart and trying to talk anytime we had a chance that made us both realize what we had found in each other." Once Ben arrived back home, he immediately shared that he was in love with Glenn. Those meaningful words were returned.
Ben’s favorite place to going to Cherry Grove, South Carolina where his parents have had a beach home since before he was born. “After spending Thanksgiving with Ben’s family we traveled to Cherry Grove for the weekend. We had plans to watch the sunrise on Saturday morning but when we woke up we were greeted by a hail storm. We decided to stay inside and wait for the storm to pass. We later had lunch, had a couples’ massage, and then enjoyed Wine Sweetzers (slushies) at a local winery. Once we arrived back home, I asked Glenn to go for a walk on the beach. We were walking towards the pier.” As they were walking, Ben held back and called out to Glenn from behind. As soon as he heard his name, he turned around and saw Ben on one knee. “I was in shock and so excited! I barely heard what Ben had said, but just yelled back, “yes!” We spent the following days sharing the exciting news with our closest friends and family.”
Agreeing to have a decently long engagement, the two wanted plenty of time to plan their wedding day. After much deliberation and attention to detail, the COVID-19 pandemic hit the US and disrupted their plans. “Our wedding wasn’t what we had originally planned, but we wouldn’t change a thing. We believe it turned out even more magical! Within 60 days of our wedding, we had to make the decision to change the venue from North Carolina to South Carolina due to state regulations. We were so lucky that we found our venue which happened to have our October 3, 2020 wedding date available. We got married at The White Home in Rock Hill, South Carolina.” The White Home is a picturesque southern home that is listed with The National Registry of Historic Places. Five generations of the White family lived in the home from 1837 to 2005. Throughout that time, the home evolved from a one-room cottage to an 18 room two-story manor with double front porches. The home is surrounded by acreage adorned with delicate gardens and fountains. The theme of the day was Southern elegance.
Glenn and Ben joined hands in the presence of their closest friends and family to declare their love for one another.
Looking at his soon-to-be husband, Glenn read his vows. “Benjamin, you’re my best friend, my confidante, and my greatest gift. I prayed so long for love and happiness. I didn’t exactly know what I was praying for or what that would look like. In fact, I never truly knew what love felt like until I met you. When I see you, I see the love of God. Waking up beside you each day is a constant reminder of God’s presence within our life.”
Ben read his vows in response. “When I think about our past and imagine our future I think about us, where we have been and where we are going and I could not be happier or fuller than I am right now, in this moment here with you. I thank God every day for placing you in my life. I could not have designed a more perfect match for myself and for that I am forever thankful.”
It was a very emotional day, to say the least. The ceremony was by far the grooms’ favorite part of the wedding day. “We never knew that we would have the opportunity to legally marry the love of our lives being two gay men. We were so blessed to be able to get married in front of the love and support of the most important people in our lives. Being able to look into the rows and see the pure joy of our guests, and seeing them have such a wonderful time was the best part.”
As far as wedding advice goes, the longer engagement allowed these two to plan a party they wouldn’t change for the world. “We were able to focus on one category of vendor each month allowing us ample time to conduct interviews, read reviews, and select our top vendor. Make sure to book venues and vendors early.”
“We heard it so much from other couples that the day goes by so quickly. I was surprised how true this was. Take in every moment of your special day. Just be present in the moment and don’t worry about small details. One of the most special things we did during our ceremony was taking a moment to turn and face the rows of our loved ones while they took a vow to support and guide us through our marriage.”
Venue — The White Home (Rock Hill, SC)
Photography — Kevin DeMassio Photography @kevindemassiophotography
Videography — Wanderblues
Virtual Wedding Platform - LoveStream
Wedding Planner — Matt Starnes with Hospitality Butler
Officiant — Rev. John Cleghorn
Wedding Painter — Maggie Smith Kühn
Catering — Capital City Catering
Cake Design — The Wow Factor
Apparel — OMJ Clothing, Christian Louboutin, Lanvin, Kendra Scott
Floral Design — The Fresh Blossom
DJ — Quinn Russell with Carolina DJ Professionals
Live Music — Musically Yours
Rentals — Carolina Charm Rentals
Makeup & Hair — Wink Inspired Beauty
