Photos by Taneisha Tucker Photography
“You Had Me at Hello’’ highlights married couples and the love that binds them. If you would like to be considered for a future profile, please send to Ariel Worthy at aworthy@birminghamtimes.com. Include the couple’s name, a contact number and what makes their love story unique.
Who: Donald Seay, 60, and Marietta Seay, 59, of Alabaster.
Married: Jan. 7, 1983
Met: Donald and Marietta met in March 1981 after they shared a ride with a mutual friend in Atlanta. Marietta, a Birmingham native, was living in Atlanta when the friend stopped to pick up Marietta to take her back to Birmingham for a visit. Donald had traveled from Birmingham to Atlanta with the mutual friend to meet his college roommate. The mutual friend stopped to pick up Marietta before dropping Donald off in Atlanta to see his friend.
When Marietta got in the car, it was love at first sight for Donald.
“There was something about her. She was beautiful,’’ Donald said. “And then I looked at those legs. She had big, beautiful, pretty legs. After they dropped me off, I didn’t enjoy that weekend because my mind stayed on Marietta.’’
When Marietta saw Donald, she thought he was nicely dressed and quiet. He didn’t try to hit on her or ask her for her number. She also didn’t know that he was interested.
Marietta later asked her friend about him. Marietta got his number and called him a few days later.
“I was just curious about him. I didn’t know he was going to be my husband and cause me to move back to Birmingham,’’ Marietta said. “To this day, Donald is still the perfect gentleman. He literally takes care of me.’’
First date: After weeks of talking on the phone and exchanging letters, Marietta invited Donald to join her for sunrise service at her family church in Birmingham in April 1981.
Donald had always prayed that God would send him a spirit-filled wife. So when Marietta invited him to sunrise service, he was intrigued. He got up at 3 a.m. and picked up Marietta at 4 a.m.
When the spirit came over Marietta at church that day, Donald knew Marietta was “the one’’ God created for him.
The wedding: They got married at the Arlington House in Birmingham on Jan. 7, 1983. Marietta’s twin sister was her matron of honor. Donald’s brother was his best man.
Words of wisdom: “Communication is key. Stay abreast of what each other’s needs, desires and wants are,’’ Donald said. “We don’t make individual decisions. The decisions we make, we make them together.’’
The two travel together, pray together and even share the same Facebook page.
“People have asked why we share a page. I’m so used to being as one, it doesn’t bother me for us to share that page,’’ Marietta said. “Honestly, what we have, we have it together. We have the same checking account. We share the kitchen. He cooks. I cook. It just became something that became a part of us.’’
I still “I do” after 35 years: “Being married for almost 35 years, there have been disagreements, tears and misunderstandings,’’ Marietta said. “All of these things have been key ingredients for our investment, our marriage. And when all of these things are poured into our investment, that is when our latter becomes our greater.’’ (The couple renewed their vows during their 30th anniversary in 2013.)
Happily ever after: Donald heads the science department at Birmingham’s Huffman High School and is coach of the school’s bowling league.
Marietta does ministry work and will release her self-published prayer and inspirational book, “Staying Focused,” in January 2018.
They are the parents to twins, Brian and Brittany; and a son, Brandon. They also have a daughter-in-law and three grandchildren. Brian and Brittany are pursuing their master’s degrees. Brittany is a math teacher and Brandon works in Birmingham.
For the last few Christmases, Brian, who heads his own singing group known as 8valuation and recently performed one his original songs in New York after receiving an award in honor of Quincy Jones, has created holiday videos of Brittany and him singing. To see one of their holiday videos, click here.
