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Home · Weddings

Bridal Bliss: Love & Basketball

Marcella and Cory met as kids on the court, called a timeout, but reconnected years later through Facebook. Game on!
Bridal Bliss: Love & Basketball
By Charli Penn · Updated October 28, 2020
Bride: Marcella Gevonne Willis-Gray, 26

Groom:
Cory Jamal Gray, 27

Occupations:
Gevonne, Resident Physician in OBGYN; Cory, Network Consulting Engineer

Married Since:
May 28th, 2011

Wedding Location:
Virginia Beach Convention Center in Virginia Beach, VA

Wedding Theme:
Simple Elegance

Full Court Advantage

Basketball players Marcella and Cory met in their middle school sports program. She played for the girls basketball team and he played for the boys. Back then, they were just friends, but a few years later, Marcella’s family moved to a nearby town.

They had to take a timeout from their friendship when Marcella moved away, but the game wasn’t over for this pair. Seven years later, they randomly found each other on Facebook and the flirting began. Cory made the winning move when he messaged her about going on a date. She took him up on his offer and a new relationship was born.

Simply Wonderful
Marcella never wanted Cory to stress her proposal. She told him she just desired something simple and sweet. One evening while the pair were kicking back watching television and sipping wine, out of nowhere Cory proposed a toast.

“To us spending the rest of our lives together,” he said.

“Then he got down on one knee and asked me to marry him, “ Marcella remembers. “I was in disbelief. I kept saying ‘are you serious’?” Eventually, she managed to blurt out a “yes,” and the two went on to plan an elegant spring wedding.

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