Alexander City native Katie Lamberth met Atlanta native John McGoogan through mutual friends in Atlanta in 2018. John proposed on July 30, 2020, and Katie said yes. Although she had dreamed of her wedding for years while talking on the dock with her mom and sisters, Katie never realized how beautifully her dream would come true on their wedding day, May 22, 2021.
When the wedding planning began, Lamberth and McGoogan enlisted the spiritual guidance of the Rev. Marshall Carver, a priest who had been at St. James Episcopal Church during the years Lamberth was growing up. Carver facilitated their pre-wedding counseling and officiated at the ceremony. The planning for everything else began with a commitment to a sacred ceremony.Â
kAm%96 {2>36CE9D 9:C65 |] t=:K236E9 7@C H655:?8 A=2??:?8[ D6=64E65 r9:=5C6?’D w2C3@C 7@C E96 H655:?8 2?5 E96 72>:=J 9@>6 @? {2<6 |2CE:? 7@C E96 C646AE:@?] p== @7 E96 7=@H6C 2CC2?86>6?ED[ 5é4@C 2?5 3@FBF6ED 7@C E96 6?E:C6 H66<6?5 H6C6 4C62E65 3J $FD:6 z6==J 2E vC246’D u=@H6CD :? p=6I2?56C r:EJ] {2>36CE9 D9@AA65 7@C 96C H655:?8 5C6DD H:E9 96C >@E96C 2?5 EH@ D:DE6CD 2E 3@FE:BF6D :? pE=2?E2]k^Am
kAm“$9@AA:?8 7@C >J 5C6DD H2D ;FDE E96 36DE 8:C= E:>6] qC:EE (@@5 s6D:8?D 925 2 4=2DD:4 5C6DD 2?5 G6:= E92E x =@G65[ 2?5 E96 7=@H6CD >2E4965 D@>6 @7 E96 =246 :? >J 5C6DD] xE H2D 2 4FDE@> 5C6DD >256 ;FDE 7@C >6[ 2?5 ?@ @?6 6=D6 925 @?6 =:<6 :E – D:>A=6 2?5 $@FE96C?[ H:E9 A@4<6ED[ 2?5 =:EE=6 3FEE@?D 2== E96 H2J 5@H? E96 324<[” D96 D2:5]kDA2? 4=2DDlQpAA=6\4@?G6CE65\DA246Qm k^DA2?mk^Am
kAm%96 3C:52= 3@FBF6E H2D 56D:8?65 E@ :?4=F56 7=@H6CD E92E >2E4965 E96 =246 :? {2>36CE9’D 8@H?]kDA2? 4=2DDlQpAA=6\4@?G6CE65\DA246Qm k^DA2?mk^Am
kAm%96 D:DE6CD 3682? 2 76H EC25:E:@?D H96? {2>36CE9’D D:DE6C[ y6??J[ H2D >2CC:65] %96 8:C=D 2== H62C E96:C >@E96C’D H655:?8 5C6DD E@ D@>6 H655:?8 C6=2E65 6G6?E @C D9@H6C] %96 D:DE6CD 6I492?865 8:7ED E92E D:8?:7J E96 E9C66 @7 E96>] y6??J 82G6 32?5D H:E9 E9C66 =:EE=6 5:2>@?5D] z2E:6 82G6 ?64<=246D H:E9 E9C66 5:2>@?5D] p?5 E96 >FD:4 7C@> y6??J’D 46C6>@?J H2D D6=64E65 7@C {2>36CE9’D]k^Am
kAm%96 >28:42= H655:?8 H66<6?5 3682? @? %9FCD52J ?:89E 367@C6 E96 H655:?8 H96? 72>:=J 7C:6?5D[ z6??6E9 2?5 |2CJ {J>2? q@@?6 2?5 y@9??J 2?5 !2E q=JE96[ 9@DE65 2 H6=4@>6 A2CEJ 7@C 6G6CJ@?6 :? E96 H655:?8 2?5 D@>6 @FE\@7\E@H? 8F6DED 2E E96 q@@?6D’ 82C56? 9@FD6] !2CEJ8@6CD 6?;@J65 D9C:>A 2?5 8C:ED H:E9 2 EH:DE – 3@E9 E96 A6AA6C D2F46 2?5 E96 D2=25 H6C6 4C62E65 H:E9 7C6D9 G686E23=6D 2?5 96C3D 7C@> E96 q@@?6D’ 82C56?]kDA2? 4=2DDlQpAA=6\4@?G6CE65\DA246Qm k^DA2?mk^Am
kAm%96 8C@@>[ 2 D4C2E49 8@=76C[ EC62E65 9:D 8C@@>D>6? 2?5 >6? :? E96 72>:=J E@ 2 C@F?5 @7 8@=7 7@==@H65 3J =F?49 2E (:==@H !@:?E r@F?ECJ r=F3 @? uC:52J[ H9:=6 E96 3C:56 H2D 9@?@C65 2E 2 =F?496@? 2E E96 9@>6 @7 |2C8@E u@I H:E9 !2EEJ w2>C:4< 2?5 v:?82 v@?K2=6D 4@\9@DE:?8] %96 =F?496@? H2D 56D:8?65 H:E9 E96 3C:56’D 72G@C:E6 4@=@C 2?5 2 72G@C:E6 7@@5 :? >:?5 – J6==@H 7=@H6CD 6G6CJH96C6 2?5 962CE\D92A65 A:>6?E@ 4966D6 D2?5H:496D]kDA2? 4=2DDlQpAA=6\4@?G6CE65\DA246Qm k^DA2?mk^Am
kAm“x HC@E6 2 A@6> 23@FE 6G6CJ@?6 E96C6 E92E x C625 E@ 4@??64E E96> 2==[ 2?5 x 2=D@ H2?E65 E@ 92G6 2 $@FE96C? EC25:E:@? 42==65 2 42<6 AF==] q67@C6 E96 42<6 H2D 4FE[ 6249 3C:56D>2:5 8@E E@ 49@@D6 2 C:33@? E@ AF== @FE 2 492C> 9:556? F?56C E96 42<6] |J D:DE6C 92?5\A2:?E65 2? 6?G6=@A6 7@C 6249 @7 E96 3C:56D>2:5D 6IA=2:?:?8 E96 >62?:?8 @7 E96 492C>D E96J AF==65] %96J H6C6 7F??J 2?5 DH66E[ 2 8C62E[ @=5 EC25:E:@?[” D96 D2:5]kDA2? 4=2DDlQpAA=6\4@?G6CE65\DA246Qm k^DA2?mk^Am
kAmp }6H ~C=62?D EC25:E:@?[ E96 42<6 AF== H2D 2? 255:E:@? E@ E96 =F?496@? E92E 2== E96 8:C=D 6?;@J65] |@DE @7 E96 492C>D C6AC6D6?E65 E96 7FEFC6 – 7@C :?DE2?46[ 2 9@CD6D9@6 >62?E =F4<[ 2 3@@E >62?E EC2G6=:?8 D@@?[ 2 C:?8 H6?E E@ E96 @?6 H9@ H@F=5 86E >2CC:65 ?6IE]k^Am
kAm%96 3C:56’D D:DE6C AFE E@86E96C 2 3@I @7 72G@C:E6 C64:A6D 2D 2 8:7E 7C@> 2== E96 =25:6D] p7E6C E96 =F?496@?[ E96 8:C=D E@@< 2 3@2E C:56 E@ %96 {2?5:?8 2E !2C<6C rC66< 7@C >@C6 7F? 367@C6 E96 C6962CD2= 5:??6C]k^Am
kAm%96 C6962CD2= 5:??6C H2D 96=5 :?5@@CD 2?5 @FE5@@CD 2E $AC:?8w@FD6[ H96C6 8F6DED H6C6 :?G:E65 E@ ECJ D:8?2EFC6 4@4<E2:=D ?2>65 7@C E96 3C:56 2?5 8C@@>] y@?2E92? q=@@> D6C6?2565 E96 8C@FA H:E9 =:G6 >FD:4] {2>36CE9 H@C6 A62C=D E92E 96C 72E96C 925 8:G6? E@ 96C >@E96C H96? {2>36CE9[ ?@H E96 3C:56[ H2D 3@C?]kDA2? 4=2DDlQpAA=6\4@?G6CE65\DA246Qm k^DA2?mk^Am
kAm“(6 564:565 E@ D6CG6 E96 8C@@>’D 42<6 2E E96 C6962CD2= 5:??6C] y@9?’D ?:646[ p52:C[ 925 56D:8?65 E96 42<6 2D 2 8@=7 4@FCD6[ 2?5 :E :?4=F565 qF55:6[ @FC 8@=56? C6EC:6G6C[ C6=2I:?8 @? E96 4@FCD6] |J 525 92?5>256 2 42CG:?8 <?:76 2D 2 H655:?8 8:7E AC6D6?E65 E92E ?:89E] (6 FD65 :E E@ 4FE E96 8C@@>’D 42<6 @? uC:52J ?:89E 2?5 E96 H655:?8 42<6 @? $2EFC52J ?:89E[” {2>36CE9 D2:5]k^Am
kAmp7E6C E96 C6962CD2= 5:??6C[ E96 4@FA=6 EC2G6=65 E@ (:==@H !@:?E 7@C 2 A@DE\E@2DE 2?5 D?24<D @? E96 A2E:@ E@ H6=4@>6 @FE\@7\E@H? 8F6DED H9@ H6C6 ?@E A2CE @7 E96 C6962CD2= 5:??6C]kDA2? 4=2DDlQpAA=6\4@?G6CE65\DA246Qm k^DA2?mk^Am
kAmv6EE:?8 C625J 7@C E96 H655:?8 :D @?6 @7 {2>36CE9’D 72G@C:E6 >6>@C:6D] (:E9 2 A2CEJ 2E>@DA96C6 DFCC@F?5:?8 E96 8C@FA[ 72>:=J 7C:6?5D E6?565 2 q=@@5J |2CJ 32C 2?5 D6CG65 7@@5 E@ E96 3C:52= A2CEJ 2EE6?52?ED[ H9@ H@C6 >2E49:?8 A2;2>2D] qF55:6[ E96 4@FA=6’D 8@=56? C6EC:6G6C[ H2D E96 @?=J >2=6 2==@H65 E@ G:D:E H9:=6 E96 =25:6D 8@E C625J[ 2?5 96 H2D 2==@H65 E@ H:E?6DD E96 7:CDE =@@< 36EH66? E96 3C:56 2?5 8C@@> =2E6C :? E96 52J]kDA2? 4=2DDlQpAA=6\4@?G6CE65\DA246Qm k^DA2?mk^Am
kAm%96 46C>@?J 2E r9:=5C6?’D w2C3@C H2D 96=5 @G6C=@@<:?8 {2<6 |2CE:?] u@C >@C6 :?E:>24J 2E E96 46C6>@?J[ E96 4@FA=6 564:565 E@ =:>:E E96 8F6DE=:DE E@ d_ 72>:=J >6>36CD 2?5 7C:6?5D 7C@> E96 3C:56’D D:56 2?5 d_ 7C@> E96 8C@@>’D] %96 4@FA=6 H6=4@>65 ad_ 8F6DED 2E E96 C646AE:@?]k^Am
kAm“%96 D6CG:46 H2D DFA6C\:>A@CE2?E E@ FD E@ D92C6 H:E9 72>:=J 2?5 7C:6?5D H9@ 2C6 =:<6 72>:=J] (6 H2?E65 :E E@ 36 G6CJ A6CD@?2=:K65] tG6CJE9:?8 H6 5:5 925 2 C62D@?] (6 2C6 3@E9 3:8 72>:=J A6@A=6[ 2?5 :E H2D C62==J DA64:2= E@ 92G6 @FC D:3=:?8D 2D A2CE @7 E96 H655:?8] %2<:?8 4@>>F?:@? E@86E96C H2D 2 G6CJ :>A@CE2?E A2CE @7 @FC H655:?8] %96 H9@=6 46C6>@?J H2D A6CD@?2= 2?5 :?E:>2E6[” D96 D2:5]kDA2? 4=2DDlQpAA=6\4@?G6CE65\DA246Qm k^DA2?mk^Am
kAm%96 3C:56 H@C6 96C >@E96C\:?\=2H’D @C:8:?2= 6?8286>6?E C:?8[ 2 D2AA9:C6 2?5 EH@ 5:2>@?5D[ 2D 96C D@>6E9:?8 3=F6[ 2=@?8 H:E9 J6==@H A62C=D] |4v@@82? DFCAC:D65 9:D 3C:56 H:E9 2 H655:?8 32?5 2=E6C?2E:?8 H9:E6 5:2>@?5D H:E9 42?2CJ J6==@H 5:2>@?5D]kDA2? 4=2DDlQpAA=6\4@?G6CE65\DA246Qm k^DA2?mk^Am
kAmp7E6C 2 C@D6 A6E2= E@DD @? E96 r9:=5C6?’D w2C3@C A:6C[ E96 ?6H=JH65D =67E E96 46C6>@?J @? E96 72>:=J’D `hb_D H@@56? r9C:D rC27E[ 42AE2:?65 3J 72>:=J 7C:6?5 s@F8 w2>C:4<] %96 4@FA=6 6?;@J65 2 492>A28?6 E@2DE H9:=6 E96J 4CF:D65 E@ E96 C646AE:@?]k^Am
kAm“(6 C62==J 6?;@J65 92G:?8 E9@D6 7:CDE >2CC:65 >@>6?ED @? E96 3@2E] (6 H6C6 4CF:D:?8 2=@?8[ 2?5 @E96C 3@2ED H6C6 H2G:?8 2?5 4966C:?8 2?5 9@?<:?8 9@C?D] xE H2D D@ >F49 7F?[” D96 D2:5]k^Am
kAmvF6DED H6C6 492F776FC65 3J EC@==6J 2?5 3FD 7C@> 2 ?62C3J A2C<:?8 =@E E@ E96 9@>6 @7 E96 3C:56’D A2C6?ED 7@C E96 C646AE:@?] pv {:89E:?8 2?5 tG6?ED FE:=:K65 5:776C6?E D64E:@?D @7 E96 9:==D:56 =2H?[ 56D:8?2E:?8 DA64:2= 2C62D 7@C 8F6DED E@ 6?;@J E96 =2<6D:56[ E96 82K63@[ E96 E6?E 2?5 E96 A2E:@]kDA2? 4=2DDlQpAA=6\4@?G6CE65\DA246Qm k^DA2?mk^Am
kAm%96 r6=63C:EJ p==\$E2C q2?5 A=2J65 ;2KK 2D E96 8F6DED 2CC:G65 E@ 6?;@J E96 4@4<E2:= 9@FC 2?5 9@CD 5’@6FGC6D @7 A6E:E6 4C23 42<6D[ r@?64F9 D2FD286 A:8D\:?\2\3=2?<6E 2?5 p9: EF?2 E2CE2C H@?E@? E24@D] s@H? 3J E96 =2<6[ @JDE6CD H6C6 492C8C:==65 H9:=6 8F6DED 2H2:E65 E96 3@2E 42CCJ:?8 E96 ?6H |4v@@82?D]k^Am
kAm(96? E96 4@FA=6 2CC:G65[ E96J H2=<65 E9C@F89 E96 4966C:?8 4C@H5 E@ E96 52?46 7=@@C 7@C E96:C 7:CDE 52?46 E@ “{@G6=J s2J]” %96 3C:56 2?5 96C 72E96C 52?465 E@ “v6EE:? y:88J (:E xE[” 2 72G@C:E6 7C@> 96C 49:=59@@5 >6>@C:6D @7 D:?8:?8 2?5 52?4:?8 E@ E96 D@?8 H:E9 96C 72E96C]k^Am
kAm“y@9? 2?5 x E@@< 52?4:?8 =6DD@?D :? pE=2?E2 7@C @FC 7:CDE 52?46] |J s25 2?5 x E@@< =6DD@?D 7C@> 7C:6?5D =@42==J[ |23CJ 2?5 |2CEJ p==6?] xE H2D C62==J 9JDE6C:42=] |J 525 E9C6H 9:D 4@2E E@ E96 2F5:6?46] %96 52?46 :D DF49 2 7F? 2?5 DA64:2= >6>@CJ[” D96 D2:5]k^Am
kAmz2E9J v] 2?5 r@>A2?J 42E6C65 E96 C646AE:@? H:E9 E9C66 7@@5 DE2E:@?D] %96 3C:56’D 49@:46 H2D D9C:>A D2FEé65 H:E9 r@?64F9 D2FD286 D6CG65 @G6C H9:E6 496552C 4966D6 8C:ED :? 4@D>@ 8=2DD6D] %96 8C@@> 49@D6 2 %92: ?@@5=6 32C H:E9 D2FEé65 G686E23=6D[ C:46 ?@@5=6D 2?5 8:?86C 49:4<6? D6CG65 :? >:?:\E2<6 @FE 3@I6D H:E9 49@ADE:4<D] x? 255:E:@?[ 8F6DED H6C6 @776C65 96C3\8C:==65 3667 E6?56C=@:?[ 2DD@CE65 C@==D[ D>2D965 ?6H A@E2E@6D 2?5 2DA2C28FD] %96 72>:=J 42?@6 H2D 7:==65 H:E9 :46 E@ 9@=5 E96 366C[ 2?5 E9C66 32CD H6C6 D6E FA :? 5:776C6?E 2C62D 7@C E96 6G6?E] kDA2? 4=2DDlQpAA=6\4@?G6CE65\DA246Qm k^DA2?mk^Am
kAm%96 H655:?8 42<6[ 7C@> q2C3’D r2<6D[ H2D D:>A=6 H:E9 2 3:8 D2E:? 3@H] %96 4@FA=6 4FE E96 42<6 2?5 E@2DE65 H:E9 492>A28?6 8=2DD6D E92E H6C6 2 8:7E H96? 96 AC@A@D65] {2>36CE9’D D:DE6CD 8:7E65 $E6C=:?8 8@3=6ED 7@C E96 ?6H=JH65D E@ FD6 H9:=6 52?4:?8]kDA2? 4=2DDlQpAA=6\4@?G6CE65\DA246Qm k^DA2?mk^Am
kAmpD 2 ?@5 E@ E96 8C@@>’D 4@==686 52JD 2E $@FE96C? |6E9@5:DE &?:G6CD:EJ :? %6I2D[ 2== E96 A2CEJ8@6CD 925 4@H3@J 92ED] pE E96 6?5 @7 E96 6G6?:?8[ 6G6CJ@?6 52?465 E@ “{@G6 %C2:?[” =625:?8 E96 3C:56 2?5 8C@@> E9C@F89 2 EF??6= @7 DA2C<=6CD E@ 2 8@=7 42CE 564@C2E65 7@C E96:C 6D42A6 E@ 2 =2<6 9@FD6 ?6IE 5@@C]kDA2? 4=2DDlQpAA=6\4@?G6CE65\DA246Qm k^DA2?mk^Am
kAm“x 925 5C62>65 @7 2 H655:?8 =:<6 E9:D[ 2?5 :E 4@F=5 ?@E 92G6 366? 2?J 36EE6C] }@ @?6 AC6A2C6D J@F 7@C E96 =@G6 2?5 ;@J J@F 766= H96? 2== E96 A6@A=6 J@F =@G6 2C6 E96C6 E@ DFAA@CE E9:D ?6H 492AE6C 2?5 E96 DE2CE @7 J@FC =:G6D E@86E96C[” D96 D2:5]kDA2? 4=2DDlQpAA=6\4@?G6CE65\DA246Qm k^DA2?mk^Am
kAmp7E6C 6G6CJ@?6 =67E E96 C646AE:@?[ |C] 2?5 |CD] |4v@@82? H6?E 324< E@ 96C 72>:=J 9@>6 7@C 2 4@4<E2:= 2?5 2 AC:G2E6 72>:=J 52?46 A2CEJ @? E96 ?@H 6>AEJ 52?46 7=@@C – 6?;@J:?8 E96 ?:89E[ D>:=:?8 H:E9 ;@J 2?5 D92C:?8 H92E H@F=5 364@>6 2?@E96C AC64:@FD H655:?8 >6>@CJ]kDA2? 4=2DDlQpAA=6\4@?G6CE65\DA246Qm k^DA2?mk^Am
