William Hume Ferguson, an operatic tenor, was not about to move back to his hometown Richmond, Va. And the Rev. William Smyth Stanley, happily serving as the vicar at St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church there, was not about to leave.
Yet, in April 2022, a mutual friend knew they would hit it off when he met Mr. Stanley for lunch in Richmond.
“‘You want me to meet an opera singer, 12 years older than me, named Will who lives in New York?” Mr. Stanley said, incredulously.
Mr. Stanley, 35, graduated magna cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in religion from the University of the South in Sewanee, Tenn. He also holds a Master of Divinity degree from Yale, along with a diploma in Anglican Studies and the Institute of Sacred Music certificate.
“It seemed really fantastical,” he said, but after some thought decided dinner might be nice. He reached out to Mr. Ferguson on Instagram.
Mr. Ferguson, whose previous marriage ended in divorce, received the direct message while in Austria performing the role of Louis in Peter Eötvös’s operatic adaptation of Tony Kushner’s play “Angels in America” at the Salzburg State Theater. He was halfway through a 10-week run.
“St. Stephen’s is a block away from my childhood front yard,” said Mr. Ferguson, 48, who moved to New York in 1995 to study voice at Juilliard, from which he graduated with bachelor’s and master’s degrees in vocal performance. He visited family in Richmond often, and would be back in town for his nephew’s confirmation in May.
He then tried to break the ice with a bit of local irreverence.
“I understand you’re the vicar at St. Convenience,” he messaged in a DM, referring to the church’s nickname because it was known as a central meeting place for residents of West End Richmond. Mr. Stanley wasn’t particularly charmed.
But after several messages, texts and one phone call, they planned to meet for dinner at Common House Richmond, a private club where the vicar is a member.
“Is that a husband?” Mr. Stanley recalled thinking after Mr. Ferguson got out of an Uber. “He looked like a preppy magazine.”
That evening Mr. Stanley thought it a bit “eccentric” when Mr. Ferguson asked for a bucket of ice to chill a bottle of red wine. (The vicar, however, has since come to appreciate the virtues of chilled red wine).
After dinner, they took in the city view from the club’s rooftop and had a first kiss. They saw each other three more times before Mr. Ferguson left.
The following week, after Mr. Stanley had gathered in New York with a group of clergy friends, he and Mr. Ferguson caught a matinee of the Broadway musical, “A Strange Loop,” and then walked over to Central Park where they drank some rosé wine — chilled, of course — on the grass.
A month later, Mr. Ferguson learned his father had died unexpectedly. He returned to Richmond for the funeral, and leaned on Mr. Stanley’s friendship for support.
That summer, Mr. Stanley flew out to Colorado, where Mr. Ferguson was singing the role of Eisenstein in “Die Fledermaus” at Central City Opera House in Central City.
“My heart is moving forward, but my brain is saying, ‘How is this going to work?” Mr. Stanley said. He considered turning around and flying home.
He stayed, and soon the relationship took off.
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In September, Mr. Ferguson returned to Richmond to help his mother settle into an assisted living community.
“I came for my mother, but I stayed for Will,” he said. He found a sublet apartment in town.
In November, Mr. Ferguson accompanied Mr. Stanley to his 10th college reunion, and while they were on the dance floor, they said “I love you.”
On Christmas morning 2023, they accompanied Mr. Ferguson’s mother to St. Mary’s Episcopal Church, in Goochland County. After brunch at Mr. Stanley’s house, Mr. Ferguson took his mother home.
“‘Oh look, there’s something in your stocking,’” he recalled Mr. Stanley saying when he returned.
Mr. Ferguson found a five-page letter and read it aloud. It ended with “Please turn the page …” and in the middle of that page it said “and look down …”
Mr. Stanley then got on one knee.
On May 9, the Rt. Rev. J. Neil Alexander, the Ninth Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Atlanta, retired, officiated at St. Stephen’s before 800 guests — parish members, friends and family — some in an overflow room watching the livestream.
“We hope that our wedding will be a sign and symbol of a better way to walk forward: together in love and joy,” Mr. Stanley said.
As it rained outside, guests gathered in the parish hall for a Southern feast that included shrimp and grits, Virginia ham, cornbread and fried chicken and waffles.
The newlyweds said a few parishioners told them: “‘I’ve never been to a royal wedding, but this comes close.’”
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