By Anita Debro
Special to the Birmingham Times
“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 nominations to Ariel Worthy at aworthy@birminghamtimes.com. Include the couple’s name, contact number(s) and what makes their love story unique.
DAVID “FLY DAVE” & TIFFANY JOHNSON
Live: The Westchester community in Forestdale
Married: February 19, 2015
Met: Tiffany, who is from Brighton, went out with her friends one night in 2013. “I had not been out in a while,” she said. “I had just gotten out of a relationship.” She danced the night away with friends at Plum Bar in Birmingham. David, a Birmingham native, was there that night and caught sight of Tiffany. “I had never seen her before,” said David, who was a fixture at the bar since he hosted open mic nights there. David, who was divorced at the time, said he thought she was beautiful and was intrigued because he had never seen her on the club scene before. The two did not meet that night formally, but Tiffany’s friend, Cookie Bailey, received a call the next day from David. He wanted Tiffany to come back to the bar the next week. “I told her, if you bring her back I am going to marry her.”
Tiffany showed up at Plum again and David made his move. “I asked her: How would it bless you if I allowed you have to have my phone number?” It was a joke, of course. “I knew if she laughed, that was it, I had her.” And she did. “I laughed and just said ‘Boy you are crazy’,” she said. “It was corny, but we have been laughing together ever since.”
First date: Tiffany and David’s first date was at Bruster’s Ice Cream in Vestavia Hills. “I didn’t really know him, so I didn’t want to go too far,” Tiffany said. The two ate ice cream and sat in his car and talked. They discovered they had a lot in common and they really enjoyed each other’s company. “That was the beginning,” David said. “And whenever we have a problem we’ll go back to Bruster’s if it ever gets too heated. That is our reckoning spot.”
The proposal: The California Pizza Kitchen in Hoover, which has since closed. Tiffany loves the butter cake there so she thought she was just going to enjoy a regular dinner. But a familiar song came on over the speakers of the restaurant: “For All We Know” by Donny Hathaway. “He had once told me if I ever heard this song playing, he was going to propose to me.” David got down on one knee and proposed to Tiffany and Tiffany’s daughter from a previous relationship.
The Wedding: The couple married at Hayes Chapel Baptist Church in North Birmingham. It was a small wedding because the two wanted to use the money that would have gone to a wedding instead to buy a house. It was a goal they proudly reached.
Words of wisdom: Tiffany and David have a saying: “We’re all we got,” he said. “We’re all we need,” she said. They believe in being open and honest with each other. “There are no secrets,” he said. “Secrets are stressful,” she added.
David and Tiffany are a blended family. He has one adult son and a teenage son and she has a daughter. They said it was challenging becoming one family, but they have spent a lot of time talking to one another. “We just talk, no television on and we talk about everything,” she said.
And the couple offered more advice specifically about finances. Again they said keep no secrets about money and also set small goals. They suggest doing something like the “100 Envelope Challenge” that calls for couples to stash money in 100 envelopes. The couple did this and will use what they have saved to take a trip to Las Vegas this year.
Happily ever after: Tiffany works for the Jefferson County Revenue Department and David works for City of Birmingham Municipal Court. They look forward to spending more time together. “Once the kids are settled and we are financially comfortable, we will travel more,” he said. For now, they enjoy going out to eat and hanging out together.
