As I’m sure many of our guests know, this union has been a long time coming. Unlike most couples, we have the unique privilege of thanking our parents for introducing us, due to their long history of friendship. Our moms, Susan (Mary Layton) and Carrie (Thomas), met each other at Wake Forest University. They became fast friends as they joined the same Society/Sorority and attended many social events together. After graduation, the two ultimately married distinguished Wake Forest grads. Susan and Carrie continued their friendship as Pete (Mary Layton) and James (Thomas) became close friends, playing golf, cheering on the Demon Deacons, and running Triathlons together. While Susan and Pete lived in Greensboro, and Carrie and James lived in Winston-Salem, the couples stayed in touch especially after kids came along. It’s hard to pinpoint the exact date that the two of us first met, but circa 1998 is likely correct. We first spent time together growing up at various Wake Forest tailgates, Member Guest Golf Tournaments and playing “Duck, Duck, Goose” at family cookouts. While we went years without seeing each other, we ultimately reconnected at Wake Forest’s Accepted Students Day in the Spring of 2015 when Mary Layton was a prospective new student and Thomas was wrapping up his Freshman year. While Mary Layton was confident she had left Thomas in the “Friendzone”, we ultimately began the college version of our relationship in the Fall of 2015, where we dated for 3 years. After graduation, we both found ourselves living in the Southend neighborhood in Charlotte, North Carolina and we couldn’t stay away from each other. After some time apart, we officially re-launched version 2.0 of our relationship in the Spring of 2022, although some (Thomas) would say the soft launch began much earlier. Over the last 10+ years, our relationship has grown and matured in more ways than we can count. We have learned to play to each other’s strengths and support each other through our weaknesses. It’s clear that Mary Layton is the visionary and dreamer of the couple, while Thomas focuses on details and execution, and we wouldn’t have it any other way. After many months of planning and organization, Thomas proposed in the fall of 2023, which was quite a surprise to Mary Layton to say the least. The special moment occurred outside of Forsyth Country Club in Winston-Salem, North Carolina (a venue that hosted some of the Member Guest tournaments mentioned above). Afterwards, the couple celebrated at dinner before continuing the festivities later that evening with extended family. We are so excited about the life we are building together, surrounded by the love and support of friends and family. Thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule to celebrate with us as we start this next chapter together!