Our Story
It all started on the Belk Arena basketball court at Davidson College on November 6, 1999. The Davidson women’s basketball team had just dominated an exhibition game against some former college players when Ashley Miller Moore, then a sophomore manager for the Davidson women’s team, approached one Derek Seth Smith, the Assistant Sports Information Director and person in charge of covering the women’s basketball team. Our first meeting was when Ashley let me know that I had made some massive errors in the game program. What a way to start our relationship.
As that year continued on, our friendship continued to grow as we traveled the southeast with the Wildcats basketball team. We hit the highlights of Johnson City, Boone, Cullowhee, Greensboro, Spartanburg, Greenville, Chattanooga and many others too unimportant to mention. We shared in the success and failures of our team on the court and even got to spend a few days in California and Boston. That following March, I worked the NCAA Tournament in Winston-Salem and managed to get a Duke media guide for Ashley and one of friends, Amanda Johnson, who had happened to get tickets for the games. The year progressed and so did our friendship.
The next fall came and through dumb luck and happenstance I started driving Ashley’s younger sister, Anna, to school daily. I lived down the street and it just worked out that way. Yet another path down the road to romance had begun, although neither of us knew it then.
The First Kiss
What had been a wonderful friendship, took a massive 180 degree turn in March of 2001. It was during the Southern Conference Basketball tournament in Greenville, SC that we made the decision to start dating. Ashley joined me and Mike Clark, Simon Gray and others at the media hospitality room in downtown Greenville where Ashley was hit on by a member of the Johnson City Press. We stayed downtown for most of the evening, but returned to the AmeriSuites where we spent most of the morning on March 2 talking and getting to know one another better. And then, it happened, our first kiss. I really don’t remember much about it the circumstances that led up to it, but it happened. And then from there, the dating relationship began.
I Love You
I heard three of the most wonderful and kind words during Ashley’s trip to visit my family in July of 2001. “I Love You.” We were laying on The Mall on a hazy, hot and humid DC day and there it was. Love is such a wonderful thing. Sure we saw a cricket display and the Declaration of Independence and some inaugural gowns, but ASHLEY LOVES DEREK!!!
The Deb Ball
ASHLEY’S WRITING THIS SECTION
The Mouse
In the summer of 2002 we set out on a wonderful and magical trip. Derek had been given a week-long cruise with Mickey, Minnie and all of our Disney friends. We started the trip with five days at Disneyworld where we stayed at the Coronado Springs Resort and visited each of the four parks to check out all the rides and attractions. After a fun-filled and action-packed trip through Orlando, we headed down I-4 to Port Canaveral for our cruise. It was Derek’s first cruise ever and Ashley’s second cruise with Disney. What an experience. We spent seven lovely days feeling like kids and being treated like adults. From the Animator’s Palate restaurant to snorkeling in the Caribbean and all the fun times on and off the ship it was a wonderful experience and also a great chance to get to spend more time with each other.
The First Wedding
We made yet another trip together in the fall to Portland, Maine for what would be our first wedding together. It was for an ex-girlfriend of Derek, Katherine. We arrived in Portland after flying to Manchester, NH and renting a car for the trip. That way we were able to knock two more states of Ashley’s list of states to visit. We spent our first night there at a reception for Katherine and Brian aboard a floating ship where they played trivia games and let everyone get to know one another better. We spent Friday exploring Portland and Freeport, home of L.L. Bean. It was a great chance to get out and about and see the beautiful scenery that Maine had to offer. We were a little too late to catch the leaves changing colors, but oh well. Just another reason to visit Maine later.
The Ring
After weeks of “idea shopping,” Derek finally decided on a beautiful ring to express his love for Ashley. The ring was platinum with a princess cut center stone with six channel set princess diamonds. With the ring purchased, he finally mustered the courage to ask her family for permission to marry Ashley. It was a nervous night in February when he was able to assemble the family together and ask permission. Her sisters, Liz and Anna, were quick to respond with a yes as was her mother, but there were a few nervous moments as Luther pondered the situation. But, alas he eventually consented and permission was granted.
I had already decided that I would propose to Ashley during our trip to Pawley’s Island and Charleston in March, I just didn’t know when. I figured Ashley was expecting it during the trip, but wanted it to be a surprise. We had planned a big two-year anniversary celebration for March 2 which would be the most likely target in her mind. So, instead I wrapped the ring up in a paper towel and put it in my pocket as we headed out the door on March 1 for a trip to Charleston to sightsee and watch the Davidson women play their final regular season game of the year.
The weather was less than optimal for a romantic proposal, but as we walked around the Battery in Charleston, it just felt right and so after a few nervous moments, I pulled the ring out of my pocket in front of Rainbow Row and asked Ashley Miller Moore to spend the rest of forever with me. AND SHE SAID YES!!!
So, we proceeded to dry ourselves off and head to the women’s basketball game. Davidson won, I think, but we were both too excited to even care. We headed back up US 17 to Litchfield Beach where our condo was and spread the good news to our family and friends.
We eventually set the date and then the fun, excitement and stress of planning began.
Our Wedding
And that brings us to today. We are rapidly approaching May 8, the day when Ashley and Derek will get married in front of their family and friends and yet another exciting chapter will begin in their lives.
Here’s to the future!