Darrell Horn and Betsy Humphreys had no idea that a longtime work partnership would eventually lead them to marriage. Having worked for Darrell since 2005, Betsy had grown to know him well. “We were always really good partners at work,” says Betsy. After both went through divorces, they began dating other people until Betsy’s friend encouraged her to ask Darrell out. Betsy had always wondered if she should do it since he was her superior but decided to go for it anyway. And the rest, as they say, is history.
“It just felt so right from the very beginning, even through the work environment and home environment. It was so obvious to both of us that this was what all paths had led to,” Betsy says. Within a year of dating, the couple knew they wanted to get married. Each having children of their own, they made sure both families were comfortable with the idea. On September 13, 2016, Darrell proposed. However, it was the weekend before that truly made up Darrell’s mind that Betsy was the one!
Darrell had accidentally double-booked his schedule. On the weekend of the UT-Knoxville game at Bristol, when he and Betsy had planned to take some of their close friends to the game, he had also planned an elk hunting trip with a client. Realizing his mistake, he and Betsy decided that she would take their friends to the game while he went on the hunting trip.
Darrell told Betsy that there were moments on the trip that he felt like he was dying, going up some of the hills in such high altitude. He also had no cell service, which frustratingly kept him from contacting Betsy, but it allowed him much time to think. It was during all of this that he realized he was ready to propose.
Upon the night of his return, as Betsy entered the bedroom, Darrell stood in the center and began talking about their relationship, then dropping to one knee to propose. Suddenly, it hit him that he had forgotten the ring. He scrambled to find it, returned to his proposal position and asked her again. Of course, she said yes!
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A mutual love of the movie Braveheart was the initial inspiration for the theme of their gorgeous wedding. Both had dreamed of getting married in Scotland but knew it would be too difficult to have all their loved ones attend, so they decided to create Scotland in Memphis! Working with longtime friend and event planner Betsy McKay of Salt Style and Events made the whole process a breeze.
The wedding was held in the Wilson Chapel at Christ United Methodist Church at 6 p.m. The couple exchanged traditional vows and served communion during the service. They chose to keep the ceremony intimate, having only 150 of their close friends and family in attendance. They also wanted their children to feel a part of their day, so Betsy asked her stepdaughter, Ellen, to serve as her maid of honor and her daughter, Kennon, as her flower girl, while Darrell’s son, Walker, served as his best man.
Because his first wedding was small, Darrell wanted an “epic” wedding, so they decided to have a reception for the ages, bringing in close to 500 guests. Both Betsy and Darrell love music of all kinds, so they decided to feature several of their favorite musical styles throughout the evening. The reception was held at the Memphis Country Club, where Darrell has been a lifelong member. Cocktail hour preceded the reception and was held in the dining room with music by Brennan Villines. Next in the evening was a one-man acoustic guitar show on the back porch along with big band music in the ballroom. They also wanted to recreate a Raiford’s night, so they decided to have a DJ in the red room and finish the evening with a late-night silent disco. After a buffet-style meal provided by Memphis Country Club, guests enjoyed late-night crowd-pleasing fare like Krystal.
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Darrell does not like to slow dance, but Betsy says that the song “You Are So Beautiful” was the one song he would always grab her and start slow-dancing to, so it felt like the right choice for their first dance.
“The most memorable part of the wedding was the people,” Betsy says. Having all their family and friends in attendance made them feel like they had brought all their worlds together for one night, and it was a dream come true. Says Betsy, “It was truly overwhelmingly wonderful.”
After the wedding, Betsy and Darrell set off for a nine-day honeymoon in Italy to begin their happily ever after.
Cheers to many, many happy days ahead, Betsy and Darrell!
RESOURCES:
- Ceremony venue: Christ United Methodist Church, Wilson Chapel
- Reception venue: Memphis Country Club
- Photography: Kristyn Hogan
- Videography: Creation Studios
- Bride’s gown: RIVINI dress from Maggie Louise
- Maid of Honor dress: Monique Lhuillier
- Flower Girl dress: JJ’s House
- Makeup: Erika Bomarito
- Hair: Caitlyn and Whitney from Ryan Patrick Salon
- Groom & best man formalwear: Personally owned by Hickey Freeman
- Invitations, programs & menu cards: The Stovall Collection
- Flowers: Garden District
- Catering: Memphis Country Club
- Cakes: Flour Garden
- Guest accommodations: Memphis Country Club, Holiday Inn-University of Memphis, Peabody, Hotel Napoleon
- Wedding planner: Betsy McKay of Salt Style and Events
- Rentals: White Door and Mahaffey Tent and Event Rentals
- Music: Ceremony string music, Beth Luscombe Strings; ceremony piano, Michael Varner; cocktail hour, Brennan Villines; ballroom band, Atlanta Showstoppers; porch music: Charvey Mac; Raiford’s Room DJ, Jordan Rogers, Tiger City Entertainment
- Silent disco: Silent Disco Events
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