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 Barnett Wright bwright@birminghamtimes.com. Include the couple’s name, contact number(s) and what makes their love story unique.
TIFFANIE AND WALTER ALEXANDER JR.
Live: Hoover
Married: Feb. 14, 2024 | Wedding Ceremony: May 3, 2025
Met: February 2023, online on Facebook Dating. “There used to be this function that I don’t even know if it’s still there, but a dating icon popped up one day, so I started a profile,” said Tiffanie, who had an active profile for about a month when they met, while Walter was fairly new to Facebook dating and had only been active for a week.
“Tiffanie popped up on my suggested matches, and when I went through her profile pictures they caught my eye because they were like fashion model pictures, and I was like ‘this is different’,” Walter laughed. “So, I messaged her and we started talking through messenger for a few days and then we exchanged numbers and started texting.”
“Honestly, I didn’t think talking to Walter would lead to dating or marriage, I thought it was going to be casual. But in a short period of time I started having feelings for him,“ Tiffanie said.
First date: Two weeks later, at the Fish Market in Hoover. Tiffanie and Walter decided to meet at the restaurant, and when Tiffanie got out of the car, Walter said, “The pictures on Facebook were accurate, she was very pretty.”
Tiffanie said they had typical first date chatter. “He was asking me questions about my family, and I asked about his. We talked about how we ended up on Facebook dating and how long we had both been on there… it was interesting, he wasn’t boring at all,” she said.
“What I liked about Tiffanie was her personality. She had a good sense of humor, she wasn’t stuck up and was real down to earth,” Walter said. “Her personality is what stuck out to me the most on that first date.”
The turn: April 23, 2023. “That day he asked me to be his girlfriend while we were hanging out at my apartment in Avondale,” Tiffanie recalled. “I said ‘yes’, and we made it Facebook official.”
“Prior to dating Tiffanie, I was dating other women, but after the first date, we talked to each other every single day, and all my attention [gravitated] to her and I wasn’t seeing nobody but her,” Walter said. “It was easy to make the decision to be with her. I enjoyed her company. We were doing things together several times a week, so it was a no brainer. The connection grew real fast and strong.”
The proposal: Sept. 23, 2023, the day before Tiffanie’s birthday, at The Cherokee Grill in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. Walter had planned a birthday trip for her.
“I had been planning this since June, I knew she was the person I wanted to spend the rest of my life with so I bought the engagement ring in July. I talked to her mom and dad before we went on the trip and asked for her hand in marriage and both of them gave me their blessing,” Walter said.
“I did some research about restaurants down there and Cherokee Grill had excellent reviews, so I called and told them what I wanted to do and they were excited and said they’d have everything arranged for us. When we got there, they had a special table reserved with candles, the waitress knew about the plan, and everything went smooth.
“When I was ready to propose, I signaled to the waitress and she brought out a bowl of ice cream that had ‘Will You Marry Me’ written in caramel around the side. Tiffanie was in shock. I got down on one knee and I said ‘Bae, will you marry me?’ She said ‘yes’, we kissed and hugged, and everybody in the restaurant was clapping and checking out the ring and saying I did a good job.”
“It’s crazy because I was actually hoping he would propose to me on my birthday, but he told me ‘don’t be expecting a ring because I’m not proposing’,” Tiffanie laughed. “And when I saw the ring, I really could’ve just passed out, because it is not a small diamond at all. I was very excited.”
The wedding: The couple married on paper on Valentine’s Day, 2024, but had their wedding ceremony on May 3, 2025, at Sixth Avenue Baptist Church in Birmingham. It was officiated by pastor, Dr. John Cantelow III, and their colors were rose gold, cream and navy.
Most memorable for the bride was a moment during their ceremony, while saying their vows. “It was a surreal moment for me because all of our family and friends were there, and it was nice to see my husband in a suit. He looked really good in his cream suit and rose gold jewelry. It was just exciting, and a dream come true,” said Tiffanie.
Most memorable for the groom was watching his bride walk down the aisle. “She looked really beautiful and it got me teary eyed. Her walking down the aisle with her dad, shaking his hand and receiving her as mine and walking her up the steps to the altar was the most memorable part for me,” said Walter.
Honeymoon: The couple will honeymoon in September for Tiffanie’s birthday on a Royal Caribbean cruise to the Bahamas for three days.
Words of wisdom: “Have open communication with your spouse, and always tell him what’s going on. Keep God first and keep other people out of your business, and if you think you need help with your marriage, don’t be afraid to seek professional counseling,” Tiffanie said.
“The biggest thing is communication,” Walter said. “Try not to go to bed angry with your spouse and always date. A lot of time when people get in marriages they stop doing the things they did to get the person. Don’t get complacent because you’re married. Go places, do things, and keep each other first,” Walter said.
Happily ever after: The Alexander’s attend Sixth Avenue Baptist Church in Birmingham, and have twins Walter Alexander III, and the late Wesley James Alexander, who died in utero at 23 weeks.
Tiffanie, 37, is a Titusville native and Ramsay High School grad. She attended Jefferson State Community College, where she earned an associate’s degree in child development, the University of Alabama where she obtained a bachelor’s degree in fashion design, and LIM [Lavatory Institute of Merchandising in New York, New York] online, where she received a master’s degree in the business of fashion. Tiffanie works as a special education teacher for Jefferson County Schools.
Walter, 39, is a Pratt City native, and P.D. Jackson Olin High School grad. He attended Miles College, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration, and is a member of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity Incorporated. Walter is a truck driver for Publix.
“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.
