ASHLEY & LARRY RUSSELL
By Sym Posey | The Birmingham Times
Live: Gardendale
Married: Dec. 29, 2016
Met: For Ashley and Larry Russell, love didn’t arrive with fireworks or a grand proposal. It grew quietly in the hallways of middle school, strengthened through life’s detours and heartbreaks, and blossomed into a marriage rooted in faith, friendship and intentionality.
The Birmingham natives and proud graduates of Minor High School (Class of 2008) have known each other since their school days—though they jokingly disagree on exactly when they first met.
“It was middle school,” Larry insists with a laugh. Ashley believes it was high school.
Ashley, smiling, offers a different version. “I remember becoming friends and knowing who he was in high school,” said Ashley, smiling. “We had mutual friends, but I don’t remember Larry until then.”
However, they both agree that their friendship took root early. By ninth and 10th grade, they were inseparable, spending afternoons piled into Larry’s dad’s Ford Explorer with friends, talking about life, relationships and dreams for the future.
“We started as really, really good friends,” Ashley remembered. “We’d talk about everything — his girlfriends, my boyfriends, family, all of it.”
Prom came and went without them attending together. Instead, their bond deepened in quiet, ordinary ways — conversations in parked cars, double dates to the movies, and supporting one another through family milestones, including the passing of Larry’s grandmother.
The turn: Somewhere between senior year and their first year of college in Jacksonville, friendship turned into something more.
“I don’t remember a particular moment,” Larry said. “It just kind of clicked.” After high school, the couple attended college together in Jacksonville before transferring to the University of Alabama at Birmingham. But their love story wasn’t without challenges.
In 2010, the pair briefly broke up. “He broke my heart,” Ashley said, only half joking. “I had to call my mom in the middle of the night.”
Larry describes it as “a slight misunderstanding,” but both agree that time apart gave them clarity and they reconnected.
First date: The couple doesn’t remember a dating phase. When they reconnected, they skipped the casual dating phase.
“We said, ‘We’ve already dated. What do we need to get married?’” Ashley recalled. The two created a timeline and a savings plan, approaching their future with the same intentionality they now encourage other couples.
The proposal: Larry proposed on Nov. 21, 2016, in an intimate setting at Ashley’s sister’s home. Candles, flowers and family filled the space — exactly the kind of private, meaningful moment Ashley had hoped for.
“I didn’t want a big grand display,” she said. “He did it so flawlessly.”
Larry’s favorite detail? “She never said yes,” he joked. “She said, ‘Is there food?’” Ashley laughs at the memory. “I’m sure I said yes!”
The wedding: Just days before New Year’s in 2016 — the Russells were married.
“We wanted a holiday to celebrate around,” Ashley said. Though they initially hoped for a New Year’s Eve ceremony, the 29th was the closest date available.
Instead of a traditional wedding, the couple opted for a courthouse ceremony surrounded by immediate family and a pastor. The decision was intentional: rather than spending money on a large celebration, they invested in their future.
“Everything we would have spent on a wedding, we put toward our house and building our life,” Ashley said.
Larry admits he felt a few nerves that day. “You’re making a big decision and confirming it,” he said. “But once you see your family, you realize what opportunity you have in front of you.”
For Ashley, Larry’s heart made the difference.
“He was always caring and intentional — about his family, his friends, even his girlfriends before me,” she said. “I never had to question his character.”
Larry says clarity came when he reflected on what he wanted in a life partner.
“Everything I wrote down, she fit the criteria,” he said. “It was that lightbulb moment.”
Words of Wisdom: Their advice for newlyweds? “Talk about everything,” said Ashley, about her advice for newlyweds. “Don’t leave any stone unturned. Do the work. We’ve read the books, gone to conferences, surrounded ourselves with other married couples. You have to invest in it.”
Larry echoes that sentiment with one key addition: patience.
“You’re on the same team,” he said. “It’s not you versus them. Remember why that’s your person.”
Happily Ever After: Ashley and Larry are parents to 2-year-old Navy, a mini golden doodle, who keeps them laughing and on their toes. “She’s very loud and very vocal,” Ashley said affectionately.
Ashley is a K–5 reading and math interventionist with 11 years in education, while Larry teaches seventh-grade social studies at Erwin Middle School. Before entering the classroom, Larry worked in banking and retail for several years, making education his second career.
When they’re not teaching or hanging with Navy, the couple chases a shared goal: Visiting all 50 states. So far, they’ve checked off 11 and are currently planning trip no. 12 to a state they’ll decide on soon. They enjoy mapping their travels by region and narrowing down options each year.
“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 editor@birminghamtimes.com. Include the couple’s name, contact number(s) and what makes their love story unique.
