BY JE’DON HOLLOWAY-TALLEY | Special to the Birmingham Times
ASHLEY AND CAMERON DAVENPORT
Live: Bessemer
Married: July 20, 2019
Met: Although Ashley and Cameron attended Auburn University at the same time, their paths never crossed. In 2017, Ashley’s uncle, Walter, tried to play matchmaker, and told her about a ‘nice young man’ he knew who would be great for her. Then, Cameron’s cousin Danny, who worked with Ashley at the City of Birmingham in the Division of Youth Services, also tried to set the two up, but neither attempt worked.
However, in May 2018, the City of Birmingham hosted the Nusa [Neighborhood USA] Conference at the Sheraton Hotel in Birmingham. Ashley and Cameron’s cousin Danny worked the event, and Cameron attended as a chaperone for the youth group from his church, 45th Street Baptist Church in East Lake.
“I was aware that he may show up because I made the name tags, and when he came in I recognized him from the picture my uncle had shown me and my nerves started popping,” Ashley laughed. I felt like ‘OK, girl, get yourself together.’ I had some excitement to see what was about to happen. During a panel, I needed a little help, and I asked him to take some pictures of the panel for me… and to get those pictures I put my number in his phone so that he could send them to me, and after he sent me the pictures, we didn’t converse. But the next day I texted him to say thanks for helping me out and it was nice to finally meet you.”
Cameron recalls Ashley’s uncle trying to play matchmaker and showing him her photo as well and after meeting her at the conference Cameron inquired about her through his cousin, Danny, who had also tried to set them up.
“He said, ‘Oh yeah, I was supposed to hook y’all up’,” Cameron laughed. The next day when Ashley contacted him, Cameron was pleased.
“I was excited to see a text and asked her out a week later.”
First date: May 2018, at the Hoover Tactical Firearms in Hoover, Alabama and Purple Onion.
“I wanted to do something unique and exciting and learn more about her. So I texted her and asked her how she felt about guns, and she responded ‘It depends…’, I wanted to ask her out on a date and I wanted to see how she felt about the gun range, and she agreed to go,” Cameron said.
“I asked her if she knew how to shoot and she said ‘yes’, and I gave her the gun and she didn’t know what to do with it,” Cameron laughed. “I got behind her and showed her how to use it.”
“I had been to the gun range before with my dad, so I was somewhat familiar, but I don’t know a whole lot about them… and Cameron just handed me the gun and was like ‘OK, go’?’,” Ashley laughed. “And when he got behind me and showed me how to use it I felt like, ‘OK, cool, maybe he is feeling me.’”
“After that, we went to Purple Onion and talked for like three hours,” said Cameron.
The turn: Late July 2018. “After the third date, we had a conversation about our intentions with each other and we both said we were dating with intention. And for me, there was a shift because Cameron wasn’t dating other people and we weren’t dating just to date,” Ashley said. “And later in July, we spent the whole day together doing sweet things, walks in the park, lunch, and then he drove me to the top of a mountain on the southside that overlooks the city and we talked, he asked me to be his girlfriend and we shared our first kiss.”
“I was intending on asking her to be my girlfriend that day, so I wanted to make it special and let her know how her future with me was going to be — special,” Cameron said.
“After we shared our first kiss, he was like ‘I only kiss my girlfriends’, and I was like OK, he’s for real.”
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The proposal: April 7, 2019, under the Magic City sign on the Rotary Trail. Ashley attended church that day with Cameron and his family at 45th Street Baptist Church in East Lake, and after service, they all went to dinner. After dinner, Cameron blindfolded Ashley for a drive around town where she called out locations, they were at based on her memory of the area and the turns Cameron was making. Once they arrived at the Rotary Trail, Cameron got a blindfolded Ashley out of the car and led her to the sign.
“We got out of the car and continued playing on foot. She’s walking blindfolded and she’s guessing where we were on the Rotary Trail and once we landed at the Magic City sign, all our family and friends are there waiting for us,” Cameron said. “I got down on one knee and told her to take the blindfold off and at first, she was stunned by everyone being there — about 30 to 40 people — and I said, ‘I would love for you to go on this journey of life with me. Ashley Stuckey, will you marry me?’ and she said ‘Abso-freaking-lutely!’.”
“When I took the blindfold off I was blinded by the sun, and [after my eyes focused I saw] everyone standing there with their phones pointed at me. I was completely shocked, I was oblivious to what had been happening,” Ashley said. “And when we were taking pictures I whispered, ‘Did you talk to my dad?’ and he said he did so I was relieved. It was a great feeling. The ring was pretty, he did really well, and I was overwhelmed with joy. So much so, afterward, I was like we gotta go sit down and marinate on this,” she laughed. “I wanted to know the details, like how did I miss this?”
The wedding: At Vulcan Park and Museum in Homewood overlooking the city, officiated by Pastor Andra Sparks of 45th Street Baptist Church in East Lake. Their colors were blush and sky blue, and their wedding reception was at the Birmingham Botanical Gardens.
Most memorable for the bride was the ride around town after the reception in the convertible Camaro they rented. “We rode around with the top down and he drove me back up to the top of the mountain where he asked me to be his girlfriend and we just sat there and took it all in,” Ashley said. “That was where it all began and it came full circle. And after that we went and got Waffle House and took it back to the hotel [Home 2 Suites by Hilton, downtown Bham] and were sitting there thinking this is the beginning of our lives together,” Ashley said.
Most memorable for the groom was first laying eyes on his bride. “I hadn’t seen her all day, and our wedding was an evening ceremony at 5 p.m., so finally getting to lay eyes on her when she came walking down the aisle felt surreal,” Cameron said.
They honeymooned in Hawaii and Las Vegas. “We had a 10-day honeymoon. We went to Hawaii for six days and then Vagas for four more days. It was nice,” Ashley said. “It was full of adventures and relaxation. Hawaii was the adventurous part, and Vegas was more chill, it was the vacation from the vacation.”
Words of wisdom: “Be intentional with keeping God at the center of your marriage and as your foundation. Over-communicate. Continue kissing goodnight. I know it sounds cliche, but if anything is on your mind or going on, that kiss refocuses you and you remember nothing is bigger than your marriage,” Ashley said. “And always go for double sinks in the bathroom,” she laughed.
“Communication is key to making sure you’re on the same page,” Cameron said. “Have patience, neither person is perfect so make allowances [for mistakes] for the other person. And make sure you’re intentionally loving each other and actually bestowing love on one another. Think about them more than you think about yourself.”
Happily ever after: The Davenports attend 45th Street Baptist Church in East Lake, where Cameron serves as a Deacon, and teaches youth Bible study. They are expecting their first child in October 2024.
Ashley, 35, is a Vestavia Hills native, and Vestavia Hills High School grad. She attended Auburn University where she earned a bachelor’s degree in human sciences, and Liberty University [online] where she obtained a master’s degree in elementary education. Ashley is a fourth-grade teacher at I3 Academy in Woodlawn.
Cameron, 35, is a Forestdale native, and Minor High School grad. He attended Auburn University where he earned a bachelor’s degree in kinesiology and is currently pursuing a master’s degree in education from Grand Canyon University [online]. He is a high school history teacher and football and basketball coach at Banks Academy in the Huffman area.
“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.
