“I Pulled Out the Ring … And Said ‘[To Her], Would You Be ‘My Forever?’

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

TIMOTHY & ALLYSON PERRY

Live: Pelham

Married: Aug. 17, 2002

Met: December 1999, at Timothy’s parent’s home in Trussville. Allyson was coworkers with Timothy’s ex-sister-in-law, when Allyson asked him to ride along with her to drop something off at his parent’s home. Timothy had recently finished earning his master’s degree from Alabama A&M University and had just moved back home when he came upstairs and bumped into Allyson.

“On the way over there she [the ex-sister-in-law] began talking Timothy up, telling me about all the degrees he had and how he was a teacher… I was not interested and was wondering why she was telling me all of this. And about 45 minutes into the visit, Timothy came upstairs to the kitchen where we were looking rusty,” Allyson laughed. “He had on a baggy oversized t-shirt and said he had been downstairs playing video games and that was a huge no-no for me – a grown man playing video games?

“He started staring at me and wouldn’t take his eyes off me and said, ‘it’s nice to meet you, are you married?’ And I said, ‘no.’ Then he said, ‘do you have any kids?’ and I said, ‘no.’ Then he said, ‘I can see you in my kitchen’, and I said, ‘sir, you’re just hungry. And then in front of everybody [his parents and the ex-sis-in-law, and other family members], he told me I was ‘beautiful’ and told [the ex-sister-in-law] to give me all his numbers, it was so awkward. I’m sitting there thinking ‘the audacity of this man.’”

The part she didn’t tell you was my response to her telling me ‘I was just hungry.’ I said, ‘what I mean is, ‘I’m gonna buy you a house one day, and you’re gonna have your own kitchen.’ She was staying in an apartment at the time, and I took her from somebody [she had a boyfriend but was not married].” Timothy said.

First date: Watch Night service, Dec. 31, 1999. Timothy had invited Allyson to attend the service at his home church, Greater Emmanuel Temple Holiness Church in East Lake.

“He came and picked me up around 9:30 [p.m.], we got to church around 10 [p.m.] and we didn’t get out of church until 3 [a.m.] They had testimony service, did a foot wash, served communion, did a prayer walk around the church, and served breakfast afterwards. His whole family was there. I had no idea I would be there until 3 [a.m.], it was nothing I had ever experienced before,” Allyson recalled.

“I just wanted her by my side, I wasn’t thinking about nothing else,” Timothy said.

Allyson said Timothy’s family made up half of the church and she got a chance to meet everybody. “Here ‘chile, go over there and meet [so and so], ‘this is Timmy’s friend,’ ‘come over here and meet Timmy’s friend’. It was kind of awkward because I didn’t know what to expect,” Allyson said.

The turn: Timothy and Allyson became exclusive very quickly, but just as quickly broke up a few times within the following months. However, at Timothy’s nephew, Terry Jr.’s first birthday party, the two reconnected for good.

It was summer 2000, said Allyson. “I made sure I was extra cute, had on some cute tight jeans because I knew he was gonna be there. I made my appearance and sashayed past him with my little gift. I could tell it worked because of how he was looking at me … I stayed for a little while and when I left, Timothy came outside and chased me down asking me why I was leaving,” Allyson laughed. “He told me he missed me, we kissed, and after that we were back together [for good this time].”

“She’s correct, that’s how it went. She was dressed up and looking beautiful as ever and I had to have her back. I went begging like [‘90s R&B singer] Keith Sweat,” Timothy laughed.

The proposal: March 2002, at Allyson’s apartment in Center Point. The two were headed to Timothy’s first cousin’s birthday party when he decided to pop the question before they left.

“We were sitting at the dining room table, she had just finished cooking and I proposed to her. I pulled out the ring she had picked when we went ring shopping and said ‘Allyson, would you be ‘my forever?’ and she said ‘yes’.

“It was a ring that I liked, so I said ‘yes’,” Allyson joked.

Timothy and Allyson petty met in December 1999 and married in 2002. (Provided Photos)

The wedding: At Allyson’s home church in Mobile, Alabama, Liberty Missionary Baptist Church, officiated by her childhood pastor, Dr. Clyde Maye. Their colors were fuchsia and platinum.

Most memorable for the bride was a bevy of guests she did not know. “All of these people were coming up to me hugging and congratulating me and I had no clue who they were,” Allyson said. “These were friends of family members, and our parents’ coworkers… Our list went from 75 people to 200 people.”

Most memorable for the groom was his bride’s entrance and a moment while taking their vows. “I got tickled and started laughing so hard when my wife was walking down the aisle because she didn’t have her bouquet in her hand and was walking down waving at folks and about 10 steps later somebody came running her bouquet down the aisle trying to hand it to her. Then while we were taking our vows, she didn’t want to say that she would obey me.”

“That’s because he was talking mess under his breath to me when it got to that part, saying ‘that’s right, you gonna obey me, you gonna do what I say’,” Allyson laughed, “so I wouldn’t say it at first. It was a little [inside joke] between us,” before she said it.

They honeymooned in Ft. Walton Beach, Florida. “We were so stressed out from the wedding that we were too tired to do anything. We literally laid around and slept, and talked about how we made it to this point and were so glad it was over,” Timothy said.

In 2022, The couple renewed their vows in Missouri at Allyson’s aunt and uncle’s estate where they had an intimate ceremony with their children as the wedding party to celebrate their 20th anniversary.

“Over the years the kids would always look at our wedding photos and say they wished that they were there so we did a renewal and only had about 10 guests. We enjoyed that so much more than our first wedding, it was so meaningful,” Allyson said.

Words of wisdom: “Keep an open line of communication. We’re not a perfect couple, we’ve been through many stages in our marriage– the vinegar, the lemon, and the cayenne pepper stage, but the main ingredient is God, keep Him first and talk. Life gets busy but you gotta talk things through. Those [sour] stages are real. Most couples jump out the window during the cayenne pepper stage when they don’t like each other and get divorced. But we stuck it out and we’re still here. We’re in our honey stage now and it’s worth it,” Timothy said.

“Keep God first in everything you do, in every decision you make, and remember that your marriage is built off love. Understand what love is – love is patient, love is kind, and at the end of the day remember your spouse is your helpmate and you all have to fight together to make it work. Walking away is easy, but staying in the fight and working hard is worth it in the end,” Allyson said.

Happily ever after: The Perry’s attend Birmingham Bible Church in Birmingham, where Timothy serves as an elder, and Allyson, an associate pastor. They have three children: Madyson, 18, Morgan, 14, and Mayci, 11.

Allyson is a Port City/Mobile, Ala. native, and John L. LeFlore High School grad. She attended Lawson State Community College where she received an associate’s degree in early childhood education, the University of Alabama where she earned a bachelor’s degree in leadership studies, and Walden University [online] where she obtained a master’s degree in leadership management. She is a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc. and works in management with the U.S. federal government.

Timothy, 54, is an Ensley native, and Ensley High School grad. He attended Alabama A&M University where he earned a bachelor’s degree in zoology with a minor in chemistry, and a master’s degree in secondary education. He also attended Gupton Jones Mortuary College [Atlanta, GA], where he earned a mortuary science degree, the University of Montevallo, where he obtained an ED.S in Education Leadership, Samford University where he received his administration degree and Nova Southeastern University [Ft. Lauderdale, Florida], where he earned a Doctorate in Educational Leadership. Timothy is a member of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity Inc. and Principal of Fairfield High Preparatory School.

“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 Barnett Wright bwright@birminghamtimes.com. Include the couple’s name, contact number(s) and what makes their love story unique.

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