By Je’Don Holloway-Talley
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, please send nominations to Ariel Worthy aworthy@birminghamtimes.com. Include the couple’s name, contact number(s) and what makes their love story unique.
EMMETT AND TIFFANY DAVIS
Live: Center Point
Married: November 3, 2006
Met: Met at a Birmingham skating rink in 2003 that has since closed. Both were 18 year-old high school seniors, Tiffany at Woodlawn High, and Emmett at Jackson Olin High School. Emmett recalls grabbing Tiffany’s attention with his “superior skating skills” as he danced circles around she and her best friend. Tiffany remembers things differently, “uh-uh, he wasn’t even my type,” she said with a laugh.
First Date: Eastwood Movie Theater. They saw ‘Gotham’ and had dinner at Taco Bell afterwards.
The Proposal: After Tiffany’s family’s home burned down the two lived together and Tiffany had their first child. In 2006, Emmett had re-committed his life to Christ and “got saved.” He says he was no longer comfortable “shacking up” and they slept in separate bedrooms. However, it was his ‘Nane’ [grandmother] that would ultimately get Emmett to see that he was holding back his own progress in his life, his ministry and, relationship by waiting on “perfection” before proposing. He prayed for a way to take care of the mother of his child and “the love of my life.” The following Monday he got a raise at work. “And, I was the only one out of the whole company in the Southeast region to qualify for this raise.” His prayers were answered. Emmett headed for the jewelry store the next day, and shortly thereafter proposed. Tiffany was both shocked and surprised. “He came home from work with some McDonald’s for me, and as I was eating I discovered the ring in my french fries. We weren’t rolling in money so I thought that gesture was very sweet. I said ‘yes,’ and he said let’s go down to the courthouse tomorrow!”
The Wedding: “We got married at the [downtown Birmingham] courthouse,” Tiffany said. “I wore my black high school graduation dress. Emmett wore a simple suit.” Tiffany says the most memorable moment from her wedding day is running across the street hand-in-hand as husband and wife. “I was so excited.” Most memorable for Emmett was when the minister who married them told him not to pay him, but instead, to take his “new wife somewhere nice,” Emmett said. Ask where that was neither said they could remember.
Words of Wisdom: Never leave the house after an argument, they both said. “Sleep on the couch if you have to,” Emmett said.
“We came up with what we call ‘the puppy dog’,” Tiffany said. “When we have disagreements or an issue, one of us comes to the other and lays in their lap in total submission and tells them what was bothering them that way one can speak without the other trying to defend their actions.”
Emmett said, “God is the biggest part in keeping our marriage together. Every time we pray concerning our marriage, big or small, God answers. We also read books on marriage and attend small marriage groups when possible.”
Happily Ever After: Emmett and Tiffany have two children, Alyse, 12, and Jeremiah, and now live Center Point. They own two businesses, ‘Loved before Furniture and Decor’, a home based reupholstering company and, ‘Turnkey Tax Properties LLC’, a real estate firm in downtown Birmingham. The Davis’s love zip lining and horseback riding, and the pair have plans to expand both of their businesses, do more charity work, and enjoy family travel.
