“I want more of the precious moments we shared together for the rest of our lives.”

BY JE’DON HOLLOWAY-TALLEY | Special edition for the Birmingham Times

KENNETH AND JESSICA REMBERT

live: Bessemer

Married: 18 December 2017

Met: Kenneth remembered Jessica from their high school days at Ramsay High School (2006-2010 and 2009-2013, respectively), but Jessica said she didn’t remember him. Somehow they had become friends on Facebook and enjoyed talking about Alabama and Auburn football. However, in August 2016, Kenneth began playing keyboards for Jessica’s home church, New Hope Baptist Church in West End.

“She was going through my Facebook inbox. We had been talking (because) I’m a huge Auburn fan and she’s a Mid-Bama fan, and we were talking about college football… Then one day she came to church and told me if I ever saw her, I better introduce myself… And since I’m not a punk, I did,” Kenneth laughed. “I was a nice person, I always walked her and her mom to her car and eventually I set her up on a date, but Jessica didn’t take me seriously,” he said.

“I was single and maybe I was so devastated at the time (from a previous relationship) that I didn’t know he was showing interest in me. My mom was the first to tell me he liked me and I didn’t believe her either. But I said if he likes me (romantically) he will show me and I agreed to the date,” Jessica said.

First date: October 1, 2016, at the Perfect Note in Hoover. “The atmosphere at the Perfect Note, the live music and being there with someone who was also musically inclined was just incredible. I felt like he could be a good creative partner for me and that he would show me and do things that were outside the box…” Jessica said. “The highlight of the date was that Kenneth was such a gentleman. He opened the car doors, pulled out my chair and at one point he got his food first and said you can have some of mine and I thought he’s feeding me too? He must be the one,” she laughed. “I could really feel God on him, he’s a godly man. I thought maybe this could really be something. I remember feeling so safe…”

“I had no idea how much fun she was having because I play live music for a living. Maybe I didn’t realize how much fun she was having, but I used my knowledge to woo my friend,” Kenneth said. “I thought it was a great date and we had a chance to get to know each other and we liked each other quickly… there was a good vibe, she was understanding of me and I thought it was going to be a great night.”

The turn: November 2016. “After a nice few months of dating, we had no real problems or disagreements, (I knew) Jessica was a good fit for me. One night we were out and met a relative on my father’s side, and she introduced me as her boyfriend, but we hadn’t discussed that, so I said let me tackle this head on, and when we got back in the car I said, ‘I didn’t know I was your boyfriend,’ and she said, ‘You’re not,'” Kenneth laughed. “But in December she posted a picture of me on Facebook, and our relationship started to catch fire, and I said this is (going to be official), and I asked her if she wanted to be my girlfriend, and she said ‘sure,'”

Jessica admitted she was “messed up. I was happy, but a little scared at the same time, just because of the past relationships I’d been through… I was OK with him asking me to be his girlfriend, but I tried to play hard to get. I acted soft and vulnerable, but when it came to (putting my feelings into words), I tried to protect myself by being casual. I felt like he came into my life to help me unlearn these things,” Jessica said.

The application: September 2017, at Jessica’s mother’s house in Crestwood, on the living room sofa.

“We didn’t have a traditional proposal, we had talked about getting married and one Saturday we went out to lunch and stopped at a jewelry store and I asked her what kind of ring she wanted. And I really knew she was the one because I gave her a budget of $10,000 for the ring and she picked out a ring that was $800. The ring came three weeks later and the same night I got the ring I went to her mom’s house to propose. I gave the speech and said, ‘Jessica, I am so in love with you. You are the best thing that has ever happened to me and I want more of the precious moments we shared for the rest of our lives. Will you marry me?’ and she said ‘yes.’ But we didn’t post the ring (or announce it on social media) until she had her nails done. Then we took the picture and let the whole world know,” Kenneth said.

“I cried and said ‘yes’. That was the first time I’d ever been proposed to and I just thought ‘wow’. I felt loved, like someone in the world really loved me for who I was and not for my looks or my abilities, but genuinely loved me,” Jessica said.

The wedding: New Hope Baptist Church in the chapel, led by their pastor, Dr. Gregory L. Clarke. It was a small private ceremony with 10 of their closest family and friends. Their colors were blue and cream. Jessica wore a blue wedding dress and Kenneth wore a gray suit. Although the ceremony was intimate, there was a large reception at The Perfect Note in Hoover. “It was great,” Kenneth said.

What was most memorable for the bride was “the kindness of everyone, that was overwhelming to me. (Friends and family) gave from the heart, with no strings attached… I felt like a princess that day, I was euphoric, I was on cloud nine the whole day and felt amazing. I thought, ‘OK, God, I see you.’ Our marriage had just begun, but God gave me a vision of the things Kenneth and I would do together, and I knew God was involved in it…” Jessica said.

What was also most memorable for the groom was the generosity that was shown to them. “A lot of people did a lot of favors for us. We weren’t the richest couple at the time and a lot of people (donated) and it looked great, like we paid for the best wedding planner. Even my band that played for us didn’t want me to pay them… Jessica and I were excited from that day on as we received all the well wishes and kindness from the band to the person who made the cake,” Kenneth said. “My family stayed behind to clean up and they cleaned it up like they were a professional cleaning service.”

They didn’t go on a honeymoon because they went back to work the next day, Jessica said. “We’re still working on it (going on a honeymoon), Kenneth is constantly traveling for work and we took a working holiday, but we need to plan our honeymoon.”

Words of wisdom: “Don’t go to bed angry. When I’ve done that in the past, I’ve been anxious, anxious, and that mess still bothers me even though I could have talked it out. So communicate your feelings and express yourself, no matter how difficult you find it,” Jessica said. “You have to do that (have difficult conversations) because that’s how you’re going to build and grow your marriage. And put God above all else.”

“The best excuse you can give someone is to change their behavior. But I try to teach my wife that behavior change only happens at a human pace. You may not notice the change right away, but be patient with your partner and let them show you how they have changed their behavior. Let them grow and enjoy the development…” Kenneth said.

Happily ever after: The Remberts have a daughter, Kennedy, 3.

Jessica, 32, is a native of Crestwood/Woodlawn and graduated from Ramsay High School. She attended Jefferson State Community College (Center Point Campus) where she majored in psychology. Jessica works at Urban Community Montessori in Birmingham where she is the lead Montessori caregiver, has a virtual assistant business where she also provides notary services, and works at St. Luke Episcopal Church in Mountain Brook where she is the lead kindergarten teacher. Jessica is also pursuing a career in modeling.

Kenneth, 29, is a native of Overton, Alabama, and graduate of Ramsay High School. He attended the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB), where he studied IT management information systems, and works as a touring musician, music producer, and music director for Rebirth Christian Fellowship.

You Had Me at Hello highlights married couples and the love that binds them. If you would like to be considered for a future Hello column, or know someone who would, please send your suggestions to Barnett Wright [email protected]. Include the couple’s name, contact number(s) and what is special about their love story.

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