BY JE’DON HOLLOWAY-TALLEY | Special to the Birmingham Times
MARANDA & JAMES KELLEY
Live: Forestdale
Married: Jan. 14, 2024
Met: Nov. 11, 2018, at James’s father’s church, Rising Star Baptist Church in Dora, Alabama. The church threw a Musician’s Appreciation in James’s honor, and Maranda was invited to sing along with his friends’ then girlfriend, who was on program to perform. Both recall their respective friends talking them up to each other.
“My friend was telling me Maranda was interested in me and his girlfriend (Maranda’s friend) was telling Maranda that I was interested in her,” James said. “So, I reached out on social media … I thought Maranda was beautiful, and I definitely loved her voice; I thought it was amazing.”
The music appreciation for James left a good impression on her, Maranda recalled. “The program that they put on for him was really good. They spoke well of him and I thought that was nice,” she said. “I’m a really traditional girl, so I was not going to make the first move, but my friend asked if it was okay to give him my information and he reached out, and we’ve been talking every day since then.”
First date: Two weeks later, the pair went on a lunch date at Surin West on the Southside. Maranda worked in the area so they met there.
“My job was nearby, and I liked to walk on my lunch break so I walked there.” Maranda said. “And James was standing on the corner waiting for me while I was at a stop light waiting to come across the street, and he looked up and smiled at me and that was it. It was like there was no one else on that street but him and I, and we just locked eyes and smiled at each other until I reached him. And when I got to him, he took my hand in his like a gentleman and put me on the inside of the sidewalk.”
“I remember the conversation inside the restaurant … It was nonstop, and we could tell the people around us were enamored with our conversation. And at one point, the waiter called me Maranda’s husband,” James said. “Our connection could be felt by the others in the restaurant and that’s what stuck with me the most.”
“It was like the conversation and connection resembled a married couple and it was just a first date,” Maranda laughed. “It was the best ‘first’, and last ‘first’ date I ever had. He also prayed on the first date, and I was impressed that he initiated that and we’ve been praying together since.”
The turn: January 2019, they brought in the new year together. “It was a natural evolution,” James said. “Since we had both been married before we wanted to be clear to each other what this really was.”
“We were spending all of our free time together, and [exclusivity] was kind of instant because of the connection we had,” said Maranda. “We cut to the chase. We talked about everything and didn’t dodge anything. It was like ‘what’s your end goal? ‘What’s your relationship with God look like’ I’m a traditional church girl and I’m not a casual dater so we were both dating with purpose.”
The proposal: Nov. 13, 2022, in Destin, Florida. They were celebrating their dating anniversary at the San Destin Resort. James proposed to her at sunset.
“We were out eating lunch, and I knew that this was the trip, the time and the opportunity. We were walking around in Destin, and went into a jewelry store, and I asked her to pick out a ring that she liked with no mention or promise of getting it for her. She chose one, and I had a sidebar conversation with one of the employees and told them I’m going to buy it and to wrap it up. We left the store without the ring and went across the street and had lunch, and I was anxious the whole time trying to figure out how I’m going to break away and get the ring without giving away the surprise,” James said.
James came up with an excuse after lunch. He told her he needed to go back to the jewelry store to ask some questions about some of the rings she picked out. “The salesperson was very helpful in helping me get the ring out of the store unnoticed. I got in the car, hid the ring [box] under the seat and we proceeded back to the resort, and I started planning out how I was going to do it. I knew I wanted to do it that day at sunset, but the only problem was I didn’t have anyone to take any photos of me proposing to her. So I found another couple who was out there, and while Maranda was gazing at the sun, I asked them [to assist] …” Just so happens the wife was a professional photographer and captured the sunset and the proposal on James’s phone perfectly.
“Maranda was speechless, I thought she was gonna pass out,” James laughed. “And when she came out of shock, I told her I needed an answer because she still hadn’t answered me.”
“I just thought we were posing for a picture, and when I turned around I saw him on his knee and I started screaming ‘oh my God!’, I was squeezing his neck so hard I was about to choke him,” Maranda laughed. “And he said, baby, you haven’t even seen the ring yet. Then he said, ‘Maranda, I can’t see my life without you, will you marry me?’ and then opened the ring and I went crazy.”
Maranda was so elated because she had no idea that the ring she picked out in a hypothetical fantasy world would be presented to her mere hours later. “In the jewelry store, he told me to pick out a ring I liked, and I [picked out some smaller ones], and he said, ‘no, if you could have any ring in this store and you didn’t have a budget, what would you pick? So I went down to this section of the store that called the Queens Collection, that’s where all the big rings were, and I picked out my dream ring, tried it on, and put it back. I never in a million years thought I was going to get that ring,” Maranda said.
The wedding: At The Star Church’s Birmingham campus, officiated by Pastor Thomas Beavers. Their colors were dusty blue, navy, and cream.
Most memorable for the bride was her two adult sons walking her down the aisle and giving her away. “I do have a father, but I felt like it was them giving me away more than anybody else, and they were like ‘mama you got this.’ And when I looked up and they gave me over to James, it was an emotional moment because I felt blessed to finally get to that day, and for what we always knew would happen between us for so long finally became official,” Maranda said. “And my brother, Isaac Jones, sang me down the aisle. He sang ‘Stay WIth You’ by John Legend, and that song is my favorite song and really resembles the love that we have and my commitment to James.”
Most memorable for the groom was his mother being at the altar with him during the nuptials. “My mother was a minister and she did the prayer as well and stood on the stage with me, the pastor, and my wife for the entirety of the wedding,” James said. “And my mom just passed in June of this year, so that moment is very special to me. It wasn’t as much about the prayer as it was her presence. There was a picture taken and I had tears in my eyes, and it was just a great moment.”
“That moment was special to both of us,” Maranda said.
They honeymooned in New Orleans. “The day we got married there was a snowstorm, and the roads were iced and all the flights were canceled, so we changed our plans and pushed our trip to New Orleans,” said Maranda. “We had a great time in New Orleans, it was both our first time there, and Mardi Gras was also going on.”
Words of wisdom: “Besides keeping God first, communication and consideration for each other is important,” Maranda said. “Always communicate openly and honestly. And lastly, always consider how your words and actions will affect your spouse, and never stop dating each other.”
“Let your spouse be your best friend, and always spend quality time together with no distractions,” said James.
Happily ever after: The Kelley’s attend the Star Church in Pell City, where Maranda and James both serve in the music ministry, Maranda as the praise and worship leader, and James as the music director and keyboard player. They are a blended family with five children: Nicholas, 22, Ashton, 22, Noah, 20, Naomi, 19, and Nathan, 18.
Maranda, 43, is a Pinson native, and Huffman High School grad. She attended Florida Tech University, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in business management, and works as a property manager in Birmingham. She has a prayer organization called Pray Here Prayer Partners, where they provide daily spiritual support to those in need. To learn more, visit www.prayer.org
James, 41, is a central Birmingham native, and Minor High School grad. He attended the University of Alabama where he earned a bachelor’s degree in commerce and business administration and works as a banker for Regions.
“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.
