Mallie and Albert’s wedding was a December dream. They were married in a little chapel in Germantown that Mallie grew up attending church at, and finished the day with a Peabody reception! The Peabody at Christmas is absolutely beautiful and set the scene perfectly for some of their bride and groom portraits. Both of their families were so kind and such a joy to work with throughout the entire process. Trying to plan a wedding during COVID is stressful enough, but trying to plan a wedding during a pandemic while in Medical School is almost impossible. Mallie and Albert managed to do exactly that with such grace and excitement. It was a perfect day.

“Like most little girls, I was obsessed with Disney princesses, and no less so when it came to my wedding dreams. Though most of my friends were shocked I didn’t get married at Disney World (my family is a little obsessed), they were not at all surprised at the big dress I chose. But more important than feeling like a princess, I knew I wanted to get married in a church. For us, the centerpiece of that day was the worship service. Though I never pictured sharing it over zoom, I’m so thankful we could share that sacred moment with our loved ones who couldn’t be there in person.” – Mallie

“My favorite family tradition at our wedding was the jewelry. My engagement ring is a combination of Albert’s mom’s sapphire and his grandmother’s diamonds. I always wanted a sapphire engagement ring, and it worked out perfectly! It’s my Cinderella ring. I also wore my mom’s diamond necklace, which is actually made from my paternal grandmother’s engagement ring. I loved that I was honoring so many family women on my day.” – Mallie

“Our meeting is all thanks to our medical school friends! Albert and I are in the same medical school class at UT, but it is the matchmaking skills of my anatomy lab group (we called ourselves Earl’s Girls) who put us together. My friend Jennings had her eyes on Albert as a good match for me, and after she learned his Dad was from France, she knew it was meant to be. Before I decided to go to medical school, I was a French major and taught English in France after graduation. It turns out his dad is from the city I taught in! After awkward talks at after test parties and study sessions (and lots of scheming from my friends), we finally became official!” – Mallie

“Albert did a perfect job with his proposal. After I took one of my clerkship exams, he said he was taking me out to celebrate. We went to Collierville Square, not too far from where we both lived in Germantown; after a great dinner, he popped the question in the gazebo! His twin sister and her husband were waiting in the bushes taking pictures. But the best surprise was the family party at his house. The house was all decorated, and he had French Disney movies playing in the background. I remember crying with so much happiness- it was the best!” – Mallie

“The thing that surprised me most about the day was how smoothly it went! After months of stressing and worrying about the pandemic, the day honestly felt so effortless. I have the most supportive family. My mom and our closest family friend Mary worked tirelessly to make the day a success. It was everything I dreamed it would be.” – Mallie

“After we got engaged close to Christmas time, I had my heart set on a Christmas wedding- especially a Peabody Christmas wedding! Of course, then the pandemic happened. We went through sooo many iterations (and meltdowns). Because we knew residency and the end of free time was around the corner, we didn’t want to postpone. We ended up limiting our guest list to 48 people and rapid testing everybody that morning (thanks to my medical family and friends for helping!) It was difficult not having everybody there, especially vulnerable family members. But the intimacy of the event, especially the church ceremony, truly made it feel like a sacred experience. And we still had a blast at the reception! Because it was so small, we upgraded the reception food and details. All it takes are a few fun-loving people to make a great dance floor!” – Mallie

“I wanted my wedding to feel classic and festive. Rich, deep reds, greens, and golds – basically exactly how the Peabody feels at Christmas! It turned out even more gorgeous than I imagined!” – Mallie

“One of the funniest and most 2020 moments of the day was during the garter toss. I had forgotten to put the garter on while I was getting ready, and when the moment came, nobody could find it! So we improvised. I grabbed a KN95 mask from the stash we gave to guests, slipped the earpiece over my leg, and Albert’s cousin Donny was the lucky catcher!” – Mallie

“My sister Gracie kept telling me to soak it in and not get lost in stress. I wish I could say I always followed that advice. Albert had so much grace on me during the planning process. But like my sister said, at the end of the day, this is a covenant between each other and God- the rest is just the cherry on top. Honestly, this is the same advice I’d give other brides. The wedding is one day, but the bond with your spouse is forever. Put everything in that perspective.” – Mallie

Lead Photographer: Ann-Marie Wyatt | Second Shooter: Mackenzie Rue | Dress: Low’s Bridal | Bridesmaids Dresses: BHLDN | Tux: Joseph A. Banks | Cakes: Peabody Memphis | Ceremony Venue: Germantown Presbyterian Church | Reception Venue: The Peabody Hotel | Coordinator: Amy Tyler | Flowers: Hollidays | Invitations: RSVP Stationers | Music: DeepBlu Entertainment | Caterer: Peabody Memphis | Hair: Courtney Kelly and Deborah Parker | Makeup: Alicia George