Teddy Welch and Everley Perryman: Fun, Faith, and Forever
September 2016 | Health & Life
By Sarah Turner

“Marriage has the power to set the course of your life as a whole. If your marriage is strong, even if all the circumstances in your life around you are filled with trouble and weakness, it won’t matter. You will be able to move out into the world in strength.” – Timothy Keller

It didn’t take Teddy Welch long to notice. Everley Perryman the very first day she walked into Perimeter Road Baptist Church in Valdosta, Georgia. She was stunning, and by getting to know her a bit more through group church activities, he was sold when he realized she had a kind, caring personality too. She lit up a spark in Teddy’s eye — enough so to tell his fellow brothers to back off… maybe.

“She thinks that I called dibs on her, and I will neither confirm nor deny that,” Teddy said.

With some Chinese takeout and a couple of fishing rods, Teddy proudly escorted Everley on their very first date at his grandpa’s farm during the spring of 2013.

This past January, Teddy brought Everley back to his grandpa’s farm, Chinese takeout in hand, but this time he had something special in his pocket. Teddy proposed to the woman of his dreams that day, and they are set to tie the knot on Jan. 7, 2017.

“Her personality is awesome,” Teddy said. “She loves people and serves people. I’m very thankful she decided to take a chance on me. We just have a lot of fun together, whether it’s making dinner or following her around Target for the fourth time this week.”

Teddy and Everley exude love for each other. They understand each other, they laugh together, and they enjoy each other’s company. However, Teddy and Everley know marriage is tough, and they want to be prepared. Both recent college graduates are thankful to have parents with successful marriages. They also gladly take advice from long-time married couples at their church; they are already beginning marriage counseling with their pastor; and together they are reading Timothy Keller’s “The Meaning of Marriage,” which discusses facing the complexities of commitment with the wisdom of God. With that said, although their love for each other is effortless, they are working already towards a very successful marriage.

“The book talks so much about how our culture sees marriage as ‘What I can get out of this?’” Everley said. “Teddy and I believe marriage should be selfless, and we have to kind of give up ourselves for each other. The book is just the perfect picture of the gospel. We take marriage very seriously. It’s not something that we’re going to have broken. It’s going to be something we’re in for a lifetime.”

The couple just bought a home in June. While Everley has already moved in, Teddy will truly call it home once they say I do next January.