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Their life together was a composition waiting to be played. It all started in 2005, when Amy and Chuck were attending a party held by a mutual friend. When a song by the White Stripes began to play, Amy caught Chuck’s eye as she began singing along with music that many wouldn’t necessarily appreciate. The guitar-drums duo was Chuck’s favorite band.

“I was enchanted by Amy’s fun-loving spirit,” Chuck says. “As our conversation about our passion for music developed, I became increasingly interested in spending more time with her.”

“This was the moment I knew we were going to be good friends or more,” Amy says. “I couldn’t take my eyes off of Chuck. He was so handsome and we had so much in common.”

This chance conversation became the leitmotif for a blossoming romance.

Amy James was living in Raleigh as she finished her medical degree, and Chuck Holland, a Henderson native, had relocated to the Raleigh area for his job with Prime Resources. The two were having fun in the big city while developing an ever-widening circle of friends that led them to the party that fateful night.

As a spirited and gregarious couple, Chuck and Amy enjoyed a two-year romance filled with concerts, fine dining and travel. Chuck became increasingly aware that this was the woman he had always wished for. “I knew I could never find someone who would love me as much as Amy loved me,” he says. “Amy is the most loving, passionate, beautiful and outgoing person I know.”

He planned a unique getaway that would be the crescendo to their relationship.

When they boarded the plane to Memphis, one of the great music capitals of the world, Amy had no idea what was in store. As music lovers in Memphis, of course they had to see Sun Studios, the birthplace of rock’n’roll. Amy thought she had set out on an ordinary tour of the hallowed halls where where such artists as Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Carl Perkins and Jerry Lee Lewis got their start. As they made their way and listened to the tour guide, Chuck slid over to the famous microphone used by many of the great musicians of the past. Amy looked on, thinking he was just goofing around and might sing her a tune, but Chuck dropped to one knee and, in front of the tour group, crooned instead a proposal.

“It was such a surprise, but I exclaimed, ‘Yes, yes, yes!’,” Amy says.

The couple set out to plan the perfect wedding. From the ceremony at Trinity United Methodist Church in the historical Mordecai area of downtown, to the reception at the Cardinal Club atop the Wachovia Building, their November wedding was an event that those who were a part of it are likely to always remember. The day was filled with beauty and love, but it was all set to the harmony of music and laughter.

Hundreds of cream and blush pink roses intertwined with willow branches and greenery adorned the church entrance. During the ceremony, Mary Leslie Surles’ and Greg Browning Tart’s acapella rendition of “The Prayer” drew tears from audience members.

Amy beamed with pride throughout the service, delighting in the light-hearted reprimands issued to Chuck by the minister not once, but twice, for talking to her during the homily and then for trying to steal a premature kiss from his bride. The minister regaled guests with tales of other comical interactions with the couple, and at times had the whole sanctuary rolling with laughter.

For their first party as husband and wife, Chuck and Amy entertained more than 200 guests at the Cardinal Club overlooking the State Capitol and the twinkling lights of the city. The reception conveyed the feeling of all-out Hollywood glam, with four-foot-tall floral centerpieces and softly lit Waterford candleholders throughout the room. Shrimp, tenderloin and fine wine flanked an elegant ice sculpture inscribed with the bride’s and groom’s initials. Following dinner, the couple cut the beautifully decorated, five-tier wedding cake.

But, to entertain properly, as those who know Chuck and Amy would expect, the music was key. For dinner, they chose The John Brown Jazz Quartet, softly filling the room with the sexy and sophisticated sound of the vibe while guests enjoyed the fine spread of delicacies. After dinner, as Chuck and Amy slipped away to don their dancing shoes, band number two began to warm up. For the next few hours, Delta Highway, a blues band straight from Memphis and one of Chuck’s and Amy’s favorites, rocked the house and had everyone on their feet. Chuck’s and Amy’s enthusiasm, born of their big day, a hot band and the wonderful, fun-filled life before them, further invigorated the crowd of friends and loved ones.

As the night wound to a close, illuminated by hundreds of sizzling sparklers held by their guests, the newlyweds made their way to the limousine, but not before kissing and thanking everyone who had been a part of this memorable day. Chuck popped through the window as the car pulled away, shouting, “I love y’all.”