Park Heights Restaurant

Rehearsal Dinner

Wedding Day

Ceremony

Reception

Spring

Our Wedding

In October of 2019, one of my best friends and my little in KD, Cayla Scott, got married to her high school sweetheart, Michael Kennedy. I was honored to stand by her side on that day, and to my surprise, I was walked down the aisle by a quiet guy who at first had very few words to say. He was Michael's best friend since little league, Alex Fortenberry. He had just started working toward a doctorate in chemistry at Southern Miss and as fate would have it, I had just started my third year of graduate school, also in chemistry, but at Ole Miss. The last thing I was expecting was to meet someone of similar (but niche!) interest down in Mendenhall, MS, but once he heard I was a chemist, he wouldn’t stop talking. I remember leaving the rehearsal dinner so enamored with him. I went to the after party to look for him, but he had apparently gone back to Hattiesburg to grade lab reports. I had brought mine along and was working on them in the hotel. The next day at the wedding we talked and talked about chemistry and our research and our lives. I left the reception early but so enjoyed getting to know him, I friended him on Facebook and he messaged me. We began talking over the phone and driving back and forth to spend the weekends with each other. I fell in love with his kindness, his ability to make me laugh, his genuine empathy for everyone he encountered, and his passion for learning all that he could. No amount of knowledge will ever be enough for Alex, he will keep pushing the envelope, learning more and asking difficult questions about life and the world. He was so easy to fall in love with. The following Spring Break, I was in Vail with my family skiing when news reports alerted us to what quickly became a global pandemic. Alex and I spent the next 4 months in Hattiesburg together doing research remotely and clinging to each other through the horror stories that were being told on the news. But COVID restrictions lifted and we returned to the challenges of grad school – but now with a stronger bond than ever. We continued to support each other, sacrificing good sleep for better company, and being each other’s biggest cheerleaders through these difficult programs. We traveled together, loved each other both up close and at a distance, and shared a passion for deep conversations about science and philosophy. During my fourth year of graduate school, I decided to apply for medical school again, something that had been my lifelong dream but life had interrupted. Alex was incredibly supportive. By the grace of God I got in, and I was thrilled to be moving closer to the love of my life. In May of 2021, I graduated with my PhD in Chemistry and Alex was right by my side. I started medical school that fall and about 6 months later, we moved Alex back to Oxford to continue his PhD program. We had gotten spoiled with being closer together, but we’d done the longer distance before so this was a walk in the park. And as busy as we’d become in our respective programs, that distance gave us the ability to give 1000% during the week and melt into each other on the weekends. In August of 2024, Alex graduated with his PhD in Chemical Engineering from Ole Miss and this time, I was right by his side. He graciously accepted a teaching position with the engineering department there while I finish my fourth year of medical school so that we can go on this next adventure together. He, a post-doc, and I a residency program in internal medicine. Our story is unique, like all great love stories. Most of our friends laugh because we are so alike in so many ways. We both hate seafood (though I’ll tolerate it more than Alex) and love a good movie. We both have invested ourselves in professions that demand so much from us, and we both care passionately about finding solutions to problems that will make people’s lives easier. I have no doubt that fate brought us together in that church in Simpson County, and we have woken up and chosen each other every day since. It feels only fitting that the next time we walk down the aisle, it will be for our own wedding. God made this man for me and I’ll spend the rest of my life in gratitude.

From Lab Coats to Love Notes

Our Story

Photos

Anna Katherine Williams 

Cayla Scott Kennedy

Maddie Pooley

Leigh Anna Hunt 

Lake Selberg

Lexi Fortenberry

Mallie Imbler

Austin Dorris 

Michael Kennedy 

Witt Fortenberry 

Luke Bolan

Wedding Party

If you don't find everything you need on this site, please don't hesitate to reach out to us with any questions! Ashley Williams - (662)-523-0709Suzy Williams - (662)-231-6870Sheila Fortenberry - (601)-506-4706Rusty Fortenberry - (601)-668-9665

Q + A

Hotel Tupelo is located downtown, across the street from our Rehearsal Dinner venue, Park Heights restaurant. It was recently built and ties in all the culture that is Tupelo with a great breakfast spot downstairs called Jobo's! The last date to book with the group code is Wednesday, April 30th!

Hotel Tupelo

This hotel is located a few miles away from both the rehearsal dinner and wedding venues! The last day to book with the group code is Wednesday, April 30th!

Courtyard Tupelo

Travel

This is the Visit Tupelo website that highlights all the fun things to do in Tupelo! It is a small town but has a lot of history packed in- from Elvis Presley's birthplace to the Tupelo Buffalo Park. Check it out if you are looking for something to do while in town!

Visit Tupelo Website 

Things to Do

Registry

Ashley & Alex

Ashley & Alex

Travel

Hotel Tupelo

Courtyard Tupelo