Julie + Rudy | New Jersey Trail Club Wedding

In 2011, Julie was a nursing student at Villanova University who’d just signed up for a summer in Europe, including World Youth Day in Madrid. Her neighbor, who’d attended a previous World Youth Day with the Salesians of Don Bosco, recommended she travel with the Salesians’ group for her trip. Rudy was living in community in Chicago, on mission with...the Salesians of Don Bosco. At the conclusion of his service, Rudy's parish gifted him with his own ticket to World Youth Day, one that would take him to Europe with the Salesians and, ultimately, to his future bride.

Before their first conversation during the flight, Julie assumed Rudy was a seminarian. The girl from New Jersey and the young man from Miami landed in Fatima, Portugal with their group shortly before the Feast of the Assumption, where they spent the next three days with pilgrims from the world over, joined in humble prayer to Our Lady.

On the second night, following candlelit prayer in the town square, Julie decided to partake in a practice common at the holy ground of Fatima: crawling on one’s knees, the length of a football field, to the sacred spot where Mary appeared in 1917, on the day the sun danced. Rudy asked if he could join her.

For the next 45 minutes of pain and anguish, Julie and Rudy experienced the love of Jesus and Mary, through each other, in a profound way. This love between the Sacred and Immaculate Hearts became the foundation for a friendship, then romantic love, and, seven years later, for a lifetime of marriage.

From the Bride:

Little did I know that what started as my European summer vacation would turn into a life-changing pilgrimage where I not only would experience the love of Christ and Mary amid millions of college students from all over the world, but also meet the man God had been preparing my heart for. My husband.

Having Fr. Steve, the priest who led our trip to World Youth Day where we met all those years ago, celebrate our wedding Mass meant the world. He has been our spiritual mentor and support from the very beginning of our relationship, encouraging us to lean on each other--but most of all, to lean on God and on the Blessed Mother.

Getting married in Our Lady of Victories, the church where I grew up, brought me such joy. Our house was two blocks away, so each Sunday, for as long as I can remember, my family would walk to church. Our Lady of Victories, being the size of a small chapel, is known as "the little church with a big heart." Having over 200 guests crammed in the pews made the church feel so full and joyful.

Inside our wedding bands are the words "Totus Tuus," which translates from Latin to "Totally Yours." Rudy and I both have a great love for Pope Saint John Paul II, who inspired this idea. JPII, through his great love for Mary, often had his crucifixes inscribed with "Totus Tuus Maria."

Before our wedding day, we promised to write to each other the morning of. The idea of elaborate wedding gifts was silly to Rudy and I, for we felt we were already receiving the greatest gift of all that day: the gift of each other, through Christ. Despite this agreement, we did exchange small homemade gifts.

Rudy finished his letter to me with the words, "You are my home now," and gave me an inscribed key to our first home.

I gave him a small wooden box, with a gift inside that I'd been preparing long before I knew him. It held close to one hundred letters to my future husband that I had been writing since I was a freshman in high school, when I decided I wanted to practice chastity and give the gift of myself to my future husband alone. The wooden box was inscribed with a quote from an E. E. Cummings poem: "I carry your heart. I carry it in my heart."

For the communion hymn at our Mass, we chose our favorite song, "Lord I Need You" by Matt Maher. We prayed together on the altar as husband and wife, both looking at each other and then staring up at the giant crucifix. As we heard the entire church belt out these beautiful lyrics, we were reminded that as we began to take our first steps of marriage, we would need God throughout the entire journey. We continue to pursue him as husband and wife, even more so than before, as we carry out the mission he has laid before us: to get each other to heaven.

We had certain statues placed on the altar, signifying that as we begin our vocation of marriage we ask the saints to intercede for us, pray for us, and help us. We chose Teresa of Calcutta for our love and dedication to service, St. Martin de Porres for my grandfather's presence, St. John Bosco in thanks for our meeting through the Salesians, St. Padre Pio, and especially Our Lady of Fatima, for our eternal devotion to Mary. It was in Fatima that we experienced love in its purest, most humble form. We experienced the love of Christ and Mary through each other.

As part of a Cuban wedding tradition, our godmothers placed a mantilla--a lace shawl--over our shoulders before the consecration. The mantilla symbolizes the indissoluble union that has been established before God, through marriage. Just as we were wrapped in a lace gown the days of our baptisms, we are now wrapped in this lace shawl as a reminder of the promises our parents and godparents made for us at baptism to dedicate ourselves to Christ. At the altar on our wedding day, the bride and groom renew their baptismal vows and make them as one, together dedicating their lives to Christ.

When I think back to our wedding day, the beloved quote by Fr. Pedro Arrupe, which we shared on the back of our Mass programs, comes to mind:

Nothing is more practical than finding God, than falling in Love in a quite absolute, final way. What you are in love with, what seizes your imagination, will affect everything. It will decide what will get you out of bed in the morning, what you do with your evenings, how you spend your weekends, what you read, whom you know, what breaks your heart, and what amazes you with joy and gratitude. Fall in Love, stay in love, and it will decide everything.

Photography: Curtis Smith Photography | Church: Our Lady of Victories, Harrington Park, NJ | Reception: Indian Trail Club, Franklin Lakes, NJ | Rings: Diamonds Direct, St. Petersburg, FL | Flowers: Flora Gallery, Chester, NJ | Invitations: Shine Wedding Invitations | Church Programs: Morgan E. Moore | Bridal Gown & Veil: I Do I Do, Morristown, NJ | Bride's Shoes: BHLDN | Bridesmaids' Dresses: Nordstrom | Tuxedos: Biltmore Tuxedo, Ridgewood, NJ | Cake Topper: Willow Tree | Cake Baker: A Little Cake, Park Ridge, NJ | Music: Hank Lane Music | Hair and Makeup: Michelle's Salon, Woodcliff Lake, NJ | Mini Ice Cream Cone Dessert: Milk Sugar Love, Jersey City, NJ | Trolley: New York Trolley Company

Chelsy + Ben | Feast of the Annunciation Wedding

Chelsy and Ben were both newcomers to Washington, D.C. the night a mutual friend introduced them at a Mass in the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception. Their first conversation didn’t take place until, that same evening, they waited for a table at dinner with friends. Chelsy sensed a spark and invited Ben to the upcoming housewarming she and her roommates were hosting. In the weeks that followed, they got to know each other on several more occasions in groups.

For their first official date, Ben took Chelsy hiking, followed by lunch at his forever favorite, Chick-fil-A.  It was a perfect casual day that gave us plenty of time to get to know each other as we both tried not to twist an ankle,” says Chelsy, and a few months later, after a weekend ski trip with friends that involved Ben assisting Chelsy down the bunny slopes, they were both left thinking they might have found the one.

Within about six months, they knew it was love, and the desire to share one life grew continually stronger. “When you look forward for Friday night grocery shopping dates,” says Chelsy, “you know you’ve found the person you can spend your whole life with. We continued to pray and discern, but the Lord revealed His will in subtle ways as it became harder and harder to imagine life without each other.”

A year and a half later, on the backyard swing where he’d first asked her out, Ben popped the question on Chelsy’s birthday.

From the Bride: The night before our wedding, following our rehearsal dinner, we gathered with family and friends for a special Holy Hour. One of the Deacons serving at our wedding Mass led the hour of prayer, while our celebrant was available for confession. Ben's uncle generously led us in song, and we were both able to receive the sacrament of Reconciliation. We spent much of that hour in silent prayer preparing our hearts to enter into marriage together. It was such an essential time to reconnect with one another and our Lord in the midst of all the craziness of wedding week. We both still had long to-do lists to accomplish, but for that hour we were able to refocus, put all our tasks aside, and remind ourselves of the reason behind the whole celebration.

The morning of our wedding we arranged to have gifts delivered to one another. In the Lord’s providence, we both had chosen to gift each other a crucifix. Ben gave me a delicate, golden crucifix to wear around my neck, the most perfectly unplanned wedding day accessory. I gave him a nuptial crucifix that now hangs on our bedroom wall. We both wanted to acknowledge that in marriage we were giving our lives to one another: pouring out our very selves in sacrifice for God’s glory, as Christ has done for us. The sanctuary of our parish Church is dominated by a gorgeous crucifix, under which is written, "As I have done, so you must also do." These words, such an important reminder during the weeks and months of preparation for our wedding day, were the perfect backdrop as we made our vows to one another.

Before the Mass began, we took time to pray together. As is the case for most wedding days, things hadn’t gone exactly according to plan that morning. But all the worries and anxieties melted away when I was finally able to hear Ben’s voice and join our hands in prayer.

Our wedding Mass took place on March 25, the day the Church celebrates the Solemnity of the Annunciation. This has long been my favorite Marian feast day, having great significance in my spiritual life. To begin our marriage on the day the Church celebrates Mary's sweet fiat, and the Incarnation of our Lord himself, had such profound meaning for us and for our future family.

In taking one another as husband and wife, we were indeed giving our own fiat to the Lord, allowing Jesus to be incarnate in our marriage. It was such a powerful lens through which to view the marriage covenant.

We chose to have the Mass celebrated ad orientem. For those unfamiliar with this liturgical custom, ad orientem is a Latin phrase meaning "to the East," symbolizing the Church’s waiting in joyful anticipation of Christ’s coming.

The main difference in this celebration of the Mass is the orientation of the priest. During parts of the liturgy in which the priest and the congregation are joined in prayer addressed to God, the priest and the congregation all face the altar together in unified prayer. Alternatively, when the priest is directly speaking to the congregation, he turns and faces them, addressing them directly. This practice serves as a visual reminder of the moments we are united in prayer to our Lord and highlights the unity of the priest and the people. We found it so incredibly moving to celebrate our wedding in this ancient orientation, with all our family and friends gathered together, joining us in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.

We presented a bouquet of roses to Our Lady before the Mass concluded. We honored her on the feast of her great fiat which changed all of human history, asking her intercession as we began our life as husband and wife.

Since Ben and I met, dated, fell in love, and would start our family life together in D.C., it was really special to be able to celebrate our wedding in the place that has very much become home for us. Ben serves in the Air Force, so like other military families we will call many places home, but we know D.C. will always be a special place for us. Our family and friends came from all over, and it was such fun to share with them a place we love so much. Since it was Spring, the city was really showing off as the Cherry Blossoms were in peak bloom! The location and season definitely contributed to our classic, Capitol-inspired wedding and reception. Our entrance into the reception was marked by an Air Force saber arch, and aviation-inspired details were sprinkled throughout, including gliders for all the kiddos--and kids at heart.

We began our honeymoon by celebrating Easter in the Eternal City. On Holy Saturday, we stood in St. Peter's Square as the Holy Father celebrated the Easter Vigil. The bells rang out and the whole square was filled with overwhelming light, proclaiming the Resurrection of Christ.

In marriage, we accept the Cross and all its sacrifice, knowing that in doing so we are promised the joy of the Risen Christ! That promise had never felt so real and so new as it did standing in the square that evening as newlyweds. A few days later we were present for the Papal audience to receive the sposi novelli blessing, and were able to personally greet the sweet Holy Father. The rest of our honeymoon was spent journeying through Rome, Venice, Bavaria and Austria, visiting the most gorgeous Churches and asking for the intercession of each Church's patron, and those of its altars and artworks, all along the way. It was like one giant, geographic Litany of the Saints!

When I think back on our wedding day, I am consistently drawn to our vows and to the parallels between the marriage covenant and Mary’s great yes that led to the Incarnation of Christ.

When the angel Gabriel appeared to Mary as a young girl, she--much like a young bride--had been preparing for her vocation. Mary may not have known she would be the Mother of God, but by nurturing an intimate relationship with the Lord, she had been preparing her heart to receive this great honor.

When she was told she would bear Christ, the Son of God, as a child in her womb, she couldn’t have known exactly what her acceptance would entail. She asked, “How can this be?” clearly knowing there would complications explaining how she—a virgin—was with child, all while betrothed to a man. Not only was it complicated; it could actually cost her her life. Yet she embraced all the possible suffering that lay ahead with her faithful response: “May it be done to me according to your word.”

In that moment, Mary may not have foreseen Calvary, but she trusted God to provide for her through whatever trials were to come. In much the same way, bride and groom cannot know the challenges and sufferings that await them in marriage. While they may have an idea, they don’t know what their specific Cross and Calvary will be, yet they enter a covenant—“for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health”—for love of the other and love of Christ.

They say yes to one another, trusting in God’s plan, willing to sacrifice their very lives. Through this dying to self, the spouses come to know the joy of life with Christ. For Mary, it was only through her embrace of the Cross that she came to wear her Crown and reign as the Queen of Heaven. As spouses, we pray that our marriage will sanctify one another and lead us to experience the joy of Heaven—and even begin to taste its sweetness while here on Earth.

Photography: KT Crabb Photography | Church: St. Leo the Great Catholic Church, Fairfax, Virginia | Reception: St. Francis Hall at the Franciscan Monastery, Washington, D.C. | Bride's Dress: Stella York | Bride's Shoes: Betsy Johnson | Groom and Groomsman Attire: Jos. A. Bank | Cake: Wegmans | Rings: Personal Touch Jewelers | Stationary: Vistaprint

7 Reception DIYs for Brides On a Budget

Spoken Bride vendor Sinikka Rohrer of Soul Creations Photography possesses a true heart for helping her clients prepare for their marriages--the days that follow long after the wedding. Knowing budget-conscious choices and DIYs can be time-consuming, sometimes to the point of unrest and spiritual distraction, she shared with us a handful of projects from her clients Angela and Lucas' springtime wedding with a natural, farmhouse-inspired sensibility. 

No matter what your style, we hope Angela's strategies for creative, affordable décor will inspire your own projects. 

From the Bride: Here, the inspiration and steps we employed for our reception DIYs.

Head Table Backdrop: Hula Hoop Wreath with Faux Flowers

At the end of the summer season, my family and I went to Dollar Tree and bought several hula hoops (only $1 each!!). We sprayed them with gold paint before adding flowers.

Then we got to my favorite part: flower shopping! I went to Michael's in the spring when they were 60% off. Thank goodness for faux flowers, because we were able to make these ahead of time and transport them without worrying about damage. My mom and I laid out all the flowers and greenery I bought and made the arrangements ourselves. We used hot glue, wide clear tape, green floral tape, and green floral wire to adhere everything to the hoops.  

While setting up, my dad and brother hung the hoops from the arches in our reception venue with clear fishing line.

Head Table Backdrop: Golden Monogram

For the backdrop featuring our newly shared last initial, N, I needed material that was sturdy but also light enough to hang from the arches. We went to Lowe's and found green foam insulation boards. I traced an N onto it with pencil and cut it out with a knife. I then covered the whole thing in Mod Podge and sprinkled glitter all over it. I bought a pound of gold glitter from Amazon that I used for all of the projects with sparkle.

Wine Bottle Table Numbers 

I collected wine bottles from everyone I knew. After Googling, I found the best way to remove labels was to soak the bottles in hot water mixed with baking soda; it really did the trick for the most part. If I were to do it again, I would have tried to gather all clear bottles and bottles without foil labels--the foil was nearly impossible to remove .

I invited my girlfriends over to paint the bottles white. We ended up using white spray paint, which left a nice smooth finish. I decorated the bottles using ribbon, lace, and gold crafting materials I'd acquired from different bridal showers and sales at Michael’s.

For the gold table numbers, I purchased a Cricut Air from Joann fabrics on Black Friday, as well as solid and glittery gold adhesive paper. I cut out numbers from the Cricut and simply stuck them on all the bottles. We filled them with baby’s breath at the tables.

Paper Tablecloths & Stenciled Chargers

We purchased thick brown paper for the tables, and my dad found a laurel wreath stencil from Michaels that we used to frame each table setting in white, using spray paint. Once we figured out the size and positioning of each plate, each tablecloth after that was easy to replicate. 

Hand-Written Silverware Holders

With the leftover tablecloth paper, we cut strips thick enough for the stamp I bought from Etsy. We them cut out, stamped each one, and wrapped the silverware in it. A small touch of hot glue kept it together! We also used gold plastic utensils and napkins from Costco to keep costs manageable.

Cake & Gift Table Décor: Painted Crate & Garland

I literally found a pallet in a dumpster downtown Indianapolis, and some random man helped me hoist it into my car! I decided to use it as a sign for the cake and gift table painted it using white paint we had leftover from a room project at my house. After covering the pallet and letting it dry, I went to my computer to find a fancy yet readable font, which I used to type and print the Bible verse used for the pallet. 

My parents have a small teacher’s overhead projector at home, which I used to project the printed verse onto the pallet. I traced the outline of each letter with a pencil, then used a gold paint marker from Michael’s to fill them in.

The gold garland we draped over the finished sign was purchased around Christmas time from Hobby Lobby. My bridesmaid arranged it once the table was set up! 

Welcome Table Décor: Painted Window Shutter with Clothespins

Our welcome table featured a collection of Lucas' and my engagement photos, pinned to window shutters. My parents had a set of shutters in their basement already; otherwise, I would have looked for them at garage sales or resale shops. They were a dusty rose color before I spray-painted them white 

Once we got to the hall, I asked my bridesmaid to arrange the pictures, printed from Walgreens, and attach them with gold mini clothespins purchased from Michaels.

If you're also a bride with a penchant for DIY, we're eager to hear about your own projects. Be sure to share your inspirations and budgeting strategies in the comments and on our social media!

Photography: Soul Creations Photography

Sarah + Joseph | Chesapeake Bay Wedding

During a school break, Sarah needed a ride home. Joseph offered to give her one. That week, he continued making himself available for taking Sarah and her friends to the mall, out to dinner and the movies. Their conversations in the car made Joe consider how similar he was to Sarah. Meanwhile, she’d begun realizing how different they were.

Despite their initial differences, their friendship grew through studying together, spending time with their mutual group of friends, service, and Joe’s encouragement that Sarah attend the daily 6:00 A.M. Mass at their parish.

After Mass one day, Joe told Sarah, "I can see myself marrying you." He asked if he could date her with the intention of discerning marriage. Their discernment led them to entrust their relationship to Mary and grow both individually and as a couple. After an elaborate all-day scavenger hunt, Joe proposed during a boat ride on the Chesapeake Bay. Out on the water, he pulled out a letter and a ring. He read the letter and asked her to marry him.

From the Bride: Family is a huge part of our lives, and it’s a big part of what marriage is about. Every marriage gives birth to a new family. We are both from large families-- I’m the oldest in my family, and Joe is the youngest in his. We wanted to highlight the beauty and vocation of family through our wedding, so we invited our siblings to process into the church in groups. One of my favorite memories from the day is being driven to the church in the big old family 15-passenger van!

I brought all six of my sisters, my mom, and a close friend to the bridal store where I found my dress. After narrowing down a couple choices, I couldn’t make up my mind between a classic white dress and this beautiful bohemian dress. I decided to sleep on it and send a picture to my future mother-in-law. She responded with the question, “What dress makes you feel beautiful?” I picked the boho dress.

Because the dress was so unique, we decided to keep it a big secret amongst the sisters and moms. My grandmother passed on to me a family veil worn by her, my mother, and my great-grandmother wore. My aunt graciously transferred the handmade lace to a chapel length veil. It was quite the family effort.

For our family wedding party, I chose a few shades of blue and encouraged everyone to buy attire that suited him or her. We chose the guys’ anchor bowties and suspenders because they fit well with what we love: blue water, sky, and boats! The Mass was filled with flower girls and little boys in bowties. Joe’s goddaughter carried a crucifix we said our vows over. It now hangs in our bedroom, a daily reminder of the vows and cross we carry.

Joe's father passed away a few months before our wedding. Our wedding date was on Father’s Day, a special gift from our Heavenly Father and it made us feel Pop was there in a distinct way. On the back of our wedding program, we placed a picture of Pop holding hands with his wife: a nod that marriage is until death, pointing us to the eternal love in Heaven.

Our prayer for our nuptial mass was that everyone focus on Christ. We read the USCCB’s suggested readings and prayed with them a couple months before the wedding, talking about what readings correlated with the journey God had led us on and asking him what Scripture message our guests should hear at our wedding Mass.

Our first reading, Tobit 8:4-8, is Tobit and his wife Sarah’s prayer on their wedding night, begging God’s mercy upon them and their marriage. We identified with this throughout our journey and desired this to be the prayer of the Mass: that we would all ask God’s mercy upon us and seek his help in living out our vocation calls. The second reading was 1 John 4:7-12, “this is how God showed his love among us: he sent his only Son into the world that we might live through him.” Our relationship with Christ was paramount to everything; without strong personal relationships with him, without his love transforming our hearts, there would have been no wedding day for us. Christ worked everything together for our good.

Ultimately, this marriage is about Christ. It’s a crazy calling to exemplify his love for his Church to a broken world.

This is why we picked John 17:20-26, the Crucifixion, for the Gospel. Jesus is praying for us all in these verses, that humankind know the unity that he has with his father, “that they may be one as you and I are one.”

Music is an integral part of our prayer. Joseph plays guitar and I love praise and worship music. We picked songs that correlated with the themes in our readings and invited our guests into worship. We kept the decorations in the church simple: flowers on the altar and bouquets for Our Lady and St. Joseph. On the windowsills of the chapel, we placed pictures of our patron saints as a prayer of intercession.

Our hope for the reception was that it feel like a giant family reunion. Both of us have large extended families, so when it came time to discuss our budget and priorities, our focus was on celebrating with as many of our family members and friends as possible. In our rough estimation, we had about 100 kids between ages of 0 and 12 in attendance!

We were blessed to hold an outdoor reception at Joe’s family home overlooking the Chesapeake Bay. The reception preparation involved lots of precious time with our families: Joe’s family focused on getting the yard ready for the rehearsal dinner and reception, and my mother had us taste test different parts of the meal. My sisters helped me paint decorative pallets, took care of little details like a Jenga block set for our guestbook, and together we arranged our bouquets the morning of the wedding.

We had a large open tent with plenty of dancing space. We served tacos, chips, white queso and salsa dips with beer, water, lemonade, and sangria. For desert, there was delicious key lime and lemon meringue pies. No one went away hungry--afterward, no pie or tacos were left! We set out yard games, but looking back, people were more interested in visiting with each other, dancing, and watching the little ones play in the Bay. The younger party guests played in the water until dusk, then crowded the dance floor with glow sticks.

The morning of the wedding, Joe and I met up on a dock to pray over our wedding day and upcoming marriage. It really centered us in the grace of the sacrament we were about to receive! Matt Maher’s song “Instrument” played as I drove to get ready. The refrain stuck in my head throughout the day: to the Father and the Son / and the Holy Spirit, three in One / I offer you myself, though I’m broken and spent. / Let me be your instrument.

I offer you myself. Those words sum up the beauty of marriage’s grace and love. I offer myself to my husband; I offer myself to my God. We offer ourselves to God. Our wedding day was so peaceful because of those words whispering over in my heart. Peace overflowed in joyful gratitude for God having offered us himself in our journey to the altar, and continually teaching us how to offer ourselves and our love each other.

Photography: DG Photography | Church: St. Francis de Sales, Kilmarnock VA | Wedding Reception Venue : Family Home, Reedville VA |  Bride Dress: BHLDN | Veil: Family Heirloom | Bride shoes: Target through Poshmark | Headpiece: Burlington Coat Factory | Hair- Pins and Curls | Make-up-Sister of Bride | Groom’s Attire- Brooks Brothers, Van Heusen, and Procuffs | Groom and Groomsmen’s bowties and suspenders: Etsy shop crystalAmour | Wedding band for Bride: Zales | Engagement ring and wedding band for Groom: Ross’s Rings and Things | Wedding Flowers: Norfolk Whole Sale Florist | Catering- Clare West and co. Invitations- @solivaganartist, Rentals: Clement’s Party Rentals.

Brooke + Timothy | Southern Classics Wedding

We are honored by the opportunity to walk alongside you in this marriage ministry, from Yes to I Do and beyond, and we love returning to our couples' stories as they continue to unfold. If we've featured your love story in our How He Asked engagement series and you now feel called to share your wedding with us, as well, submission details can be found here.

Revisit Brooke and Timothy's testimony and proposal here, then read on for the story of their Southern Virgina-inspired wedding day.

 Brooke and Tim became best friends at 13, more than friends at 16, husband and wife-to-be at 21, and spouses at 22. During their four years at separate colleges, they trusted in God’s faithfulness to sustain their relationship, growing in sacrifice towards their vocation through the distance.

It was Good Friday of their senior year when Tim got down on one knee, promising to spend the rest of his days laying down his own life for Brooke, the way Christ did for his bride on the cross, and asking her to do so in return. He proposed on the campus of the Catholic University of America, Brooke’s alma mater, and they returned there a year and a half later to become one.

From the Bride: Tim and I are really passionate about three things, all of which we wanted to pervade our wedding day: our Catholic faith, our Southern upbringing, and each other. These were the guiding inspirations we strove to weave into each and every part the day.

We knew that first and foremost, we wanted our wedding to be a testament to the grace, faithfulness, and love God has revealed to us throughout our relationship. Our top priority, then, was planning the Mass. Our priest said to us during marriage prep, "The Mass is your gift to one another." He was so right.

Taking the time to intentionally and prayerfully plan each part of the Mass was an opportunity to let God's story of faithfulness to us shine forth to our guests.

Every song, reading and prayer was hand-picked to communicate to our guests just how wonderful our God is. We were so blessed to have two of our dear friends be the musicians and cantors for us, and let me tell you, their voices must be a glimpse of what heaven sounds like. We asked them to sing "Set Me as a Seal" by Matt Maher as the Communion meditation, a special nod to our love story and the words Timmy used to propose to me: "You've been the perfect sister to me; will you be my bride?

Other family members and friends played important roles as well: My sister-in-law and Timmy's sister were our two readers, a dear friend was the altar server, and our marriage preparation mentors brought up the gifts. Seeing so many of our loved ones play integral roles in the Mass felt like a small glimpse of the Communion of Saints.

Not only did the readings, prayers and music we chose help our wedding feel uniquely us; so did two very special decisions we made. The first was our decision to walk down the aisle together. The Catholic Church believes marriage is the only one of the seven sacraments where the bishop, priest, or deacon is not the minister. It is actually the couple themselves who are the ministers of the Sacrament--how awesome is that? What a high calling and gift.

To symbolize our equal role as the ministers of the Sacrament, Tim and I walked down the aisle last, and together. As the bride, walking down together was especially important to me precisely because I didn't want all eyes on me.

I wanted all eyes on both of us. The wedding day is not just about the bride, despite the many times we are told that. Rather, it is about two unique and unrepeatable individuals becoming one.

To honor our parents, we asked them to wait at the end of the aisle, on either side, so we could hug them and thank them for bringing us to this moment before proceeding to the altar.

The second important decision we made was to honor the Blessed Virgin Mary by presenting her flowers towards the end of the Mass, accompanied by the singing of the Salve Regina. Mary has played an irreplaceable role in our relationship and our willingness to follow God's call for our lives. We truly believe we wouldn't be the people we are, or would have made it to our wedding day, day without her intercession. Honoring her was the perfect way of showing our guests how loving and powerful she is.

Our Southern upbringing found its way into the Mass. We wanted to incorporate family traditions and heirlooms into our wedding, while also starting new ones for us to pass down to our own family. In terms of carrying something of our family with us, my sweet mother-in-law so generously sewed us both handkerchiefs made out of Tim's great-grandmother's wedding dress, embroidered with the family initial, F. My own Nana gifted me a bridal satchel that her own mother had made her for her wedding day. As for creating our own tradition, my mother-in-law also helped us make a ring pillow out of swiss dot fabric and the same embroidered F. God willing, we will pass it on to our children one day.

Our love for the South, particularly our home state of Virginia, was most evident at the cocktail hour and reception. The outdoor cocktail hour featured chicken and waffle sliders, watermelon skewers, and a biscuit bar with Virginia Ham. Virginia Bold Rock Cider was served as our bride-and-groom specialty drink, along with a sweet tea bar for our guests to enjoy, as well. Guests played corn hole and ring toss on the grass as they waited for the reception to start.

Inside the hall, the sights of hydrangeas, garden roses, monograms, and swiss dots made our wedding unmistakably Southern-inspired. Our buffet was a good ole' Southern barbecue that also included bacon brussel sprouts, mac and cheese, and cornbread. For desert, Tim and I had a small, personal red velvet cake and offered guests five different flavors of homemade pie.

Getting back to sharing our Catholic faith, though, we found small and intentional ways of continuing to celebrate the reason for our joy--the sacrament of marriage--during the reception. First, each guest's place card was a letter to them, thanking them for being with us on the most important day of our lives, singing God's praises, and gushing over some personal anecdote of our love for them.

Next, each table's centerpiece featured a framed quote by Saint John Paul II, written in calligraphy by one of my fantastic bridesmaids. Each quote spoke to the nature of the sacrament. We hoped to use them as an opportunity to share with our guests the beauty of the Church's teaching, as well as teach them about the saint we are forever indebted and devoted to. Lastly, our favors were prayer cards to Saint John Paul II, plus a JPII medallion with hand-tied velvet ribbon. We were so grateful for the opportunity to share things so close to our hearts.

When I think back to my wedding day, honestly, a lot of it is a blur. Any bride can tell you there are so many moving pieces and faces that it is hard to sit back and truly take it all in. It is easy to become overwhelmed and distracted, and I felt that temptation so many times on my wedding day.

But there are two times of the day that I remember clear as day: our first look and our wedding Mass. And for that, I am so so grateful. We did our first look in our favorite chapel on the campus of The Catholic University of America, and I can still feel the stillness, quiet and light streaming in from the stained glass windows. Having the opportunity to see each other for the first time in that chapel, to kneel side by side and to pour our hearts out to God together, just the two of us, was such a blessing. That time allowed us to focus on why we there and what was most important to us: the sacrament of marriage. It let us pray about all of our anxieties and worries, our families, our guests, and our own hearts. It wasn't long after that we were walking into the church together. This time, too, is a memory that is so clear to me and that I cherish so much.

Looking back, I realize that it was the times of prayer on my wedding day that were the most important and memorable.

So many other things happened that day, all of which were beautiful and good in their own right, but even those things pale in comparison to the peace and joy I felt standing beside my beloved, letting God's grace work in our hearts to bring us into this glorious sacrament.

As for everything else on the wedding day, for any other brides who may need the same reminder I needed, I frequently thought of this quote by St. Francis de Sales: "Never be in a hurry; do everything quietly and in a calm spirit. Do not lose your inner peace for anything whatsoever, even if your whole world seems upset."

Photography: Birds of a Feather Photography | Church: Saint Vincent's Chapel at The Catholic University of America | First look location: Caldwell Chapel at The Catholic University of America) | Reception: Heritage Hall at The Catholic University of America | Rings: Royale Jewelers, MD | Flowers: Purchased from Potomac Wholesale and Trader Joes
Chair Rentals: Party Rental LTD | Caterer: Aramark Catering at The Catholic University of America | Bride's Dress: Hayley Paige | Bride's Shoes: BHLDN | Bride's Necklace: BHLDN | Bridesmaid's Dresses: BHLDN | Groomsmen's Attire: The Black Tux rentals | Planning, Coordination, Design: Bride

Our Best of 2017

Thanks to the beautiful vulnerability and generosity of spirit given by each of you in the Spoken Bride community, it’s been our honor to share such precious parts of your hearts, and ours, in 2017. Here, as we close this year, a look back at our featured love stories and a collection of our favorite posts.

As you plan your nuptial liturgy

• Guidelines and suggested wording for your wedding program
• An introduction to the Byzantine Rite of Marriage
• Writing your own Prayers of the Faithful

Practical and spiritual wedding planning tips

• 3 first steps to take after getting engaged
• A non-typical, yet incredibly effective, system for planning and organization 
• Distinctively Catholic ways to commemorate the dead at your Mass and reception 
• Questions to consider as you decide whether or not to have a First Look 
• Why pre-marital counseling might be a better fit for you than you thought

Prayer

• How to create your own wedding novena
• How to pray with your beloved when you have different habits and spiritualities

If you’re in need of encouragement

• You are more than your imperfections.
•  Struggling with chastity? You’re not alone…
•  ...and these practices might help you in your struggle.
• Ways to grow in friendship with your spouse when romantic emotion comes and goes
• Living in the longing
• Advice for finding comfort amidst fear of losing your beloved

As you plan your honeymoon

• Real talk about your wedding night, no matter where you’ve been
• Tips for a Roman honeymoon and having your marriage blessed by the Pope
• The joys and challenges of a “honeymoon baby”
• The editors share their favorite unexpected, yet essential, traveling items

You are a bride, a beloved. Cherish this sacred time.

• This is the essence of being a bride.
• A professional tutorial on doing your own wedding-day makeup
• How to give yourself permission to be surprised
• You are a bride always--even if you no longer feel like one after your wedding day.

Our Best Nine, According to Instagram

L-R Clockwise: Laurel Creative, Rae & Michael Photography, Elissa Voss Photography, Mary Katherine Photography, Leah Muse Photography, L'Osservatore Romano Photography, Sweetness & hope Mamas, Du Castel Photography, Jenn HarkleRoad Photography

From us to you, thank you for taking part in Spoken Bride's ministry, whether through your social media interaction, your submissions, your patronage of our Catholic wedding vendors, or simply through having clicked over to the site. All glory and thanks to the one whose hand has guided this mission and brought you here. We sincerely hope the words and images you've found here have been a source of authenticity and beauty in your heart, your spiritual life, and your relationship. Be assured of our prayers as we, like you, strive for heaven in this vocation of marriage. We’re grateful and eager to continue serving you and sharing in sisterhood in 2018!

Christina + Kristian | Austin Christmas Wedding

As our Associate Editor Christina Jaloway and her husband Kristian celebrate their first anniversary this Christmas season, we're overjoyed to share their wedding day with you!

Revisit Christina and Kristians' testimony and proposal here, then read on for the story of their Christmas season wedding, with beautifully rustic seasonal touches.

Christina and Kristian had a whirlwind courtship that began when Christina's mom met Kristian after Mass on January 31, 2016 and "introduced" them to each other via Facebook. A week later, Kristian flew from Austin, TX (Christina's hometown) to Phoenix, AZ (where Christina was living at the time) to take her on their first date. From almost the beginning of their relationship, both Christina and Kristian had the sense that the other was "the one", but they both felt the need to be prudent. When you're 32 and 40, prudence looks like waiting a few months before deciding to live in the same city and seriously discern marriage. Christina moved back home to Texas in May, Kristian proposed in July, and the couple were married on December 29, 2016--less than a year after they first met.

In Christina’s words: Our nuptial Mass was heavenly. From the moment I heard the preludes begin, I had total peace about entering into the sacrament of marriage with Kristian. As I walked down the aisle to "O Come All Ye Faithful," I had to hold back my tears; I was surrounded by family and friends who had loved and supported Kristian and me throughout our lives. My dad and I tried to keep our pace on the slow side so that I could take it all in, and I did. Kristian was beaming at me as my dad handed me off, and it locking eyes with him at that moment was surreal, to say the least.

I thought my joy was full at that point, but the Lord seemed to expand my heart as the Mass progressed: through the readings (read by our dads), which we had so carefully chosen, the beautiful music, and the gorgeous neo-Byzantine chapel with Christ the Teacher gazing down on us from above. By the time we got to the vows, I was overflowing with the deepest joy and gratitude I'd ever known. I'll never forget pledging my love for Kristian while holding the crucifix, and hearing him do the same for me. I'll cherish the memory of bringing flowers in honor of the Blessed Mother to the Nativity Scene and chanting the Salve Regina with what sounded like the entire congregation joining in.

Before we processed out of the chapel, Kristian and I paused and faced our friends and family as we sang "O God Beyond All Praising" with overflowing hearts. I could hardly believe that after so many years of praying and hoping and crying and waiting that I was finally united to the man who would help me get to heaven. My tears began to flow, but they were the most joyful tears of my life.

Later, at the reception, one of my aunts, who works at a Catholic church and has coordinated many wedding Masses, told me I was the happiest bride she'd ever seen. To which I replied, "How could I not be?" It took many years of single life for the Lord to bring Kristian and me together, but I can confidently say now that it was entirely worth the wait, and that the wait made that day so much sweeter and more profoundly beautiful than either of us could have imagined. I have to give major credit to our photographer for capturing the joy of the day so well: thank you, Leah!

In terms of the look of the wedding, I took advantage of the fact that we got married during the Octave of Christmas, which also happens to be my favorite time of the year, especially in Texas. Instead of picking one or two colors, I just went with rich jewel tones and gold accents, and let my bridesmaids (who are all family) pick their own dresses. The fact that they all ended up wearing long dresses in a similar shade was their doing entirely; I knew I didn’t have to worry about what the girls would pick as they all have excellent taste.  

Gretchen O’Neil and her team at Petals, ink. did a fantastic job on the florals: my bridesmaids and flower girls wore flower crowns (because...why not?) and I carried the most delicious-smelling bouquet of gardenia, ranunculus, roses, and winter greenery, wrapped with a beautiful white rosary that my sister Elisa bought for me. I also carried my deceased grandmother Flora's prayer book with me down the aisle, which all of my aunts and married cousins have also done. At the reception, I wore a wreath (also made by Gretchen) which was the perfect accent to my tulle ball gown and made me feel like queen-for-the-day.

Our beautiful and delicious cakes were designed by my brother Sean and his artistic team of bakers and decorators at Sweet Treets Bakery. The bride’s cake had three different flavors (my favorite was the almond) and was decorated in the “nearly naked” style that I prefer since I’m not a big icing person. Gretchen and Sean worked together to make the cake even more beautiful with florals and greenery. The groom's cake (a tradition in Texas) is a nod to two of Kristian's great loves (flying and the mountains), three of the places where he's lived/gone to school, and the fact that he reminds me of Bl. Pier Giorgio Frassati, whose famous saying was "Verso l'alto!" or, "To the heights!"

Our invitations, seating chart, programs, and table numbers were all designed as a gift by one of my former students, Jenny, who is a talented graphic designer. She spent hours working on everything so that it would all look cohesive and beautiful, and I can't thank her enough.

The wedding favors (which I don't have a full photo of) were small Rose Harrington Art Prints of one of my favorite St. Augustine quotes, "Love is the beauty of the soul." I can't recommend her beautiful work highly enough!

Although the farm-to-table food at Barr Mansion was insanely good, my two favorite parts of the reception were by far the dancing and the toasts. My family loves to dance and our wedding reception was no exception (see photographic evidence below). Kristian and I took dance lessons for a few months before the wedding so that we could do a polished waltz to "Can't Take My Eyes Off You" by Lady Antebellum. It was so much fun and a great bonding experience for both of us. The toasts, especially the Holy Spirit-inspired one given by my sister Elisa were eloquent reminders of how blessed Kristian and I are to have such incredible families.

Speaking of families: there were a lot of them at our wedding. We had over 50 children under ten in attendance, and made sure they (and their parents) had a great time by providing coloring books, supervision during dinner--courtesy of my obliging college-age cousins--lots of outdoor space, and plenty of room on the dance floor. I loved seeing my nieces playing with my friends’ kids and watching my supermom friends dance with their babies in tow. The number of children at the wedding and reception was a reminder to everyone present that one of the two purposes of marriage is the procreation of children; plus, kids make dance floors more fun!

As Kristian and I got into our getaway car and headed to our honeymoon suite at a little B&B, I had one of the lines from "O God Beyond All Praising" stuck in my head: "blessings without number, mercies without end."

From the Groom: I have never experienced such a fast Mass as at our wedding; it literally seemed to fly by. Maybe part of it was the long wait to get to that day, or maybe it was just that Christina prepared the Mass with so much attention to detail, but it seemed like everything was in fast forward. Well, everything except for the twenty-one petitions Christina wrote for the prayers of the faithful.

We got to the vows in no time. My heart was bursting with joy the entire Mass. My friends knew how long my discernment had been, and how close to the priesthood I got, but I must say that not even serving at the Papal Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica could compare to this Mass. At the end of this Mass, I would be united to the most amazing woman in the entire world for the rest of my life.

A priest buddy of mine says discernment is where your will and God’s will meet. For me, that happened when I met Christina Grace. There we were, less than a year after our first meeting, standing before the Church, with several priest friends, with our parents and siblings and buddies and everybody else--all knowing full well what was going to happen that night--saying with their presence that this is good. God is good and he loves us so much, and we could feel it as he looked down from heaven and from the altar upon us, his little children. He continues to look down from the crucifix that hangs on the wall as I write this, with Christina snuggled up next to me on the couch. God’s will is mysterious, because she is a woman (dolcemente complicata or "sweetly complicated" as the Italians say), but it is so beautiful.

Advice from Christina: I don't think Kristian and I would have had such a blessed wedding day had we not prepared so much for our marriage through prayer, reading, tough conversations, and counseling--but especially prayer. During our engagement, we prayed every night, out loud, and extemporaneously. I think it makes a big difference in your relationship with Christ and with each other if you speak to the Lord together without the comfort of memorized prayers (those have their place, of course).

The fruit of this kind of prayer became clear to me at our pre-rehearsal Holy Hour: all I could pray the entire time was, "thank you, Jesus." Because despite the stress of engagement and wedding planning, I had complete peace about marrying Kristian. Kristian and I also met before the Mass in the confessional (so we wouldn't see each other) and prayed together, which I highly recommend. Prayer is the foundation of the spiritual life, and praying with your fiancé or spouse builds intimacy in a way that nothing else does.

Photographer: Leah Muse Photography  | Church: St. Louis King of France Catholic Church  | Reception & Catering: Barr Mansion | Flowers: Petals, ink.  | Dress: Second Summer Bride | Cakes: Sweet Treets  | Lighting: Ilios Lighting Design  | Alcohol: Trader Joe's  | Bridal party hair: Blo Blow Dry Bar| Programs and seating chart: Designed by a friend, printed by Miller Printing  | Invitations and table numbers: Designed by a friend, printed by Paper Place | Wedding Favors: HatchPrints | Band: Jumpstart

Jamaila + Andy | Nature-Inspired Wedding

Jamaila and Andy’s story began with the Frassati Fellowship of NYC, a young adult group inspired by the life of Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati. Andy's experience with the group began the year he moved to New York to discern a life with the Community of the Franciscan Friars of Renewal. He later discerned out and moved back to his hometown of Columbus, Ohio, but stayed in contact with the order’s vocations director, Fr. Gabriel, CFR, who invited him to his first Frassati Fellowship retreat.

Andy left the retreat with a renewed desire for community. Soon after, he returned to the city, became a regular at Frassati, and later led the group's music ministry.

Meanwhile, Jamaila had begun working in the city around the time Andy was with the CFRs, attending one young adult event to another in search of other faithful professionals. But it would be five years before her path brought her to Frassati, and to Andy.

In 2015, Jamaila signed up for a mission trip to Peru with Frassat. Despite her reservations about making the trip from New Jersey to Queens, felt the Holy Spirit nudging her to attend a party for the missionaries prior to the trip. Like her, Andy also initially planned not to attend. At the last minute, he hopped on a bus from Manhattan to Astoria.

That night, Jamaila and Andy spent the entire party talking about their families and shared love of the outdoors. To Jamaila’s disappointment, Andy didn't ask for her number, and she left that night thinking she’d never see him again.

Much to her surprise, she received an email from Andy the following month, telling her about a hike with the group. Neither ended up going, but that note was the start of a correspondence, You’ve Got Mail-style, with constant emails throughout the day.

Three months after their first meeting, the two went on their first date to the New York Botanical Gardens. Soon after, atop a small mountain reserve upstate, Andy asked Jamaila to be his girlfriend as the sun was going down.

She took a picture of sunset with her instant film camera, writing on the film, "Lead me to adventures. Lead me to Christ. I'll follow."

Eight months later, at the Our Lady of Guadalupe Shrine in Lindenwold, New Jersey, Andy proposed.

From the Bride: During our first conversation, we learned we shared the same “Top 3” loves: God, family, and the outdoors. We planned for all three to be a part of our wedding day.

We chose to marry on the Feast of St. Jude to honor my devotion to him, the patron of hope and impossible causes. Our nuptial Mass was concelebrated by six priests, with our hope that our wedding witness not just to the sacrament of marriage, but also to the various vocations God calls us to, by having our religious brothers and sisters attend the wedding.

Starting the night before the wedding when we decorated the venue together, we were surrounded by our family and friends throughout. We used various greens as décor, from ferns tossed between our candlelit jars to the ivy hung as our photo booth backdrop to the eucalyptus in my bouquet.

My rings are inspired by God and his creation. They’re a sign of love: for God, His love for us, Andy’s and my love for each other, and our shared love of nature. My engagement ring has three stones, a reminder to keep him at the center of our relationship: in the center is a pearl, delicate like our hearts, always in need of his purifying grace. It was kept in its natural shape, unfinished, just like us. God isn't finished with us. The side stones reflect the silence of mountains and shadows of the setting sun. They appear pink and purple under the evening sky, and when the morning light hits, they turn blue-green like the ocean. My branch-like wedding band holds our memories of wildflower fields, giant trees, and times spent in awe of his creation. 

The night before our wedding, we had our rehearsal and more importantly, a Holy Hour. It included Praise & Worship led by Andy, confession, and Adoration. We desired to be in the presence of Christ in those last moments preparing for the sacrament. In the hours leading up to our Mass, various friends and family members asked how we felt. We could only describe it as peace.

From the get-go, we knew God made us for each other, so only his peace consumed us that morning. Our First Look before the Mass reminded me of Alice von Hildebrand’s words: she likens seeing your spouse as their true self for the first time to how the Apostles first see Christ in His Glory. She says,

“Trust this bright Tabor vision you’ve been given. Daily rekindle it in your heart and let it nurture your love. If you let it form the cornerstone of your faithfulness to your husband your marriage will be rich, indeed.”

It was truly a glimpse of Andy about to fulfill his vocation as my husband.

It was important for Andy and I to incorporate both Church traditions and cultural traditions into our wedding mass. We walked down the aisle together to signify our partnership and journey to God as one. During the Offertory, our cantor sang the Litany of Saints to invoke their prayers for our marriage. In the Filipino culture, the bride and groom are draped with a veil and cord. I had my aunt bring a veil and cord from her trip to the Philippines to incorporate into our Mass. The veil represents being clothed as one under the protection of God, and the cord symbolizes our bond. Before the final blessing we processed to a statue of Mary and laid a bouquet of flowers at her feet. As we knelt in front of our Mother, we prayed for her intercession for a holy marriage.

Leading up to the wedding, Andy and I prayed St. Josemaria Escriva's Novena for a Happy & Faithful Marriage. It helped us to stay focused on our marriage instead of the wedding itself. During our marriage prep, our priest recommended we appoint tasks to trusted friends and family during the wedding so we didn't have to worry about them. This truly helped us stay calm on the day of. Every time I look at our photos or watch our wedding video I am reminded of God's love for us.

Photography: Laurel Creative | Church: Church of Immaculate Conception of St. Teresa of Calcutta Parish in Montclair, NJ | Reception Venue: The Woman's Club of Ridgewood - Ridgewood, NJ | Rings: Ken & Dana Designs | Veil: Twigs & Honey for J. Crew | Dress: Bijou Bridal of Philadelphia | Caterer: Leonardo's Restaurant (Lawrenceville, NJ) | Band During Mass: Scott Tran Music | DJ/Emcee During Reception: Derek Hall of The Block Party

Emily + John | Classic Virginia Wedding

Her freshman year at James Madison University, as Emily prepared to leave for a retreat called Arise, a young man approached and shook her hand, saying, “You may not know me, but I know you’re Emily. I’m John.” A friendship was formed that weekend, yet until their final semester of college, Emily only thought of and referred to John as her “Catholic guy friend.”

That Lent, Emily and John both decided to dive deeper into their faith before graduation. On Ash Wednesday morning, they sat in a Starbucks and decided they’d both attend Adoration as often as possible over the next 40 Days.

John had a key to the campus ministry building, and early in the mornings they’d sit before the Lord in silence, praying and growing in their individual relationships with him. Afterward, they’d share coffee and reflections. Unknowingly...

From the Bride: ...all the while, God was forming a rock solid bond between our two souls. It wasn't until the end of Lent--Easter Sunday to be exact--that we realized we were seriously in love.

Exactly one year later, John brought me back to the same chapel where we had prayed side by side throughout Lent. He started praying out loud, which was weird to me. I kind of tuned out because I hadn't had coffee, but I snapped out of it when I heard, "... and I pray she says yes."

He asked me to marry him, and as we drove to our favorite spot to watch the sun come up, it started snowing!

There are no words to express my gratitude to God for allowing such deep relationships to exist between people on earth and for giving us the gift of the sacrament of Holy Matrimony. We were beyond excited to profess our vows to God and each other, to uphold the sanctity of marriage, and to embrace this vocation as our pathway to heaven.

My maternal grandmother passed away one week before the wedding.On the day of, I realized I’d never chosen a bracelet to wear. My mom brought my grandmother's rosary beads to the hotel where we were getting ready, and without thinking twice I wrapped them around my wrist. I held the crucifix from her beads in my hand the whole day, from getting ready through the ceremony and reception. Her beads kept me ever-mindful of the cloud of witnesses above me and the realness of the presence of Jesus Christ that day--and every day since.

We got married in John's home parish by our good friend and spiritual leader, Father Thomas Cavanaugh. Two priests from my hometown of Jacksonville flew in to concelebrate. The image of the three of them genuflecting before the altar will never leave my mind. It was unreal to see all of my worlds come together for the day and to kneel before the Lord with John beside me, our family and friends behind us, and the unseen presence of all the angels and saints around us.

John and I had consecrated our lives to Jesus through Mary the previous year, and my good friend sang the Ave Maria as, together, we processed to Mary to ask for her intercession as we began our marriage. Mary is a huge part of our story: John asked for roses from Mary to signify it was "time" to propose. She gave them to him within a few months, when the timing was perfect. We strive to trust God by way of Mary.

A dear friend's mother handcrafted 250 rope rosary bracelets that were carried down the aisle next to our rings. The bracelets were blessed just before the end of the Mass and given to each guest as they left the chapel, along with an insert of how to pray the Rosary and Divine Mercy Chaplet.

My mother gifted us a statue of Our Lady of Lourdes, which sat next to our guest book. Each guest got to sign next to a prayer of the rosary. So when everyone prays the one prayer they signed next to in the book, a perpetual living rosary is prayed! This still gives me goosebumps.

Each table and place card at our reception featured the icon of a saint instead of a number. We chose these holy men and women whom we have a connection with and carefully selected whose table got which saint. We also provided a personalized description of each saint, who they are and why we selected them for each table. We wanted our reception to be tied to our ceremony and for each guest to feel intimately invited into the love of our Church, not outside of or confused by it. John and I feel called to be missionary disciples; our wedding was the perfect opportunity to begin to share the love we are blessed to enter into.

Nothing was missing from our wedding day, because Jesus was truly present in the Eucharist. He was there. Not just in my mind, my heart, or in the people around me. But there. Physically. Fully. Truly. No doubt in my mind. For his love is so full and so true it's not possible for him to remain hidden in our hearts and minds and friends.

He has to pour himself out and enter us, for there's no other way he--or we--can be satisfied.

Our openness, our conscious consumption of him into ourselves, our yes, our acceptance, is only truly possible by receiving the Eucharist. Exactly like how married love must be consummated. Not because it has to, but because it wants to be made complete. Lovers feel a lacking until the moment their love is made complete. It is no different with God, our first love.

He can dwell with us in many countless ways but only in Holy Communion can our love be complete while we're separated from heaven. It's not a requirement, but an abundance of an out of control love that can't stay small; can't hide; can't blend into the background. His love is powerful, unique, strong and physical. It's his body and his blood that are alive and with us always.

Photography: Jen Harkleroad Photography | Church: St. Theresa Catholic Church - Ashburn, Virginia | Reception: Lansdowne Resort & Spa - Leesburg, Virginia | Rings: Ketterman's Jewelers | Bridal Gown: Love: A Bridal Boutique Jacksonville, FL (Dress: Essence of Australia) | Cake: Connie's Cake Creations  | Flowers: Rick's Flowers  | Planner: Lynn Iannizzi -The Finer Points  | DJ: Kurtis Cross | Video: Vu Nguyen - nVu Films  | Favors: Jill's Jellies and Jams | Rentals: Imperial Decor | Hair/Makeup: Alison Harper & Company - Ali (makeup) and Ilda (hair)

Maria + Santi | Buenos Aires Wedding

While earning her PhD at Stanford, Maria hosted an annual post-Easter vigil meal. One year, mutual friends invited Santi; he and Maria met again soon after at a Catholic young adults event.

Within a few months of dating, they began discussing the future. Maria knew that, with a year left before finishing her doctorate, she’d soon be looking for a job. “We both knew,” she says, “ that we had about a year to decide if this relationship was going to end in marriage. It was very quickly obvious that it was.” Santi proposed at the Fatima shrine in Maria’s Minnesota home parish.

From the Bride: Santi was born and raised in Buenos Aires, Argentina. From our first discussion of marriage, we knew we would get married there. Inspired by a post I saw online, we made a list of our goals for the wedding early on in the planning process, which helped guide later decisions. They read:

1. Create a magical experience for us and our guests.

2. Take advantage of this rare opportunity for our families to meet and form relationships.

3. Reflect the sacred nature of matrimony, with an emphasis on selected, meaningful traditions.

4. Maintain a symmetric focus on both of us, our families, and our personalities.

We spent a lot of time, energy, and money on the first two goals, trying to make the long trip to Argentina as easy and fun as possible. We developed a pretty extensive website detailing visiting and traveling in South America, both to get our guests excited and to be realistic about expenses. We set up a Facebook group as RSVPs came in, giving people a chance to introduce themselves, ask questions, and make travel plans. Shortly before the wedding, we also set up three Whatsapp groups for the two sides of my family and my friends, along with a few Argentine friends and family, so they could make plans on the fly in Buenos Aires and have a local resource in the days before the wedding. Finally, we arranged a series of family dinners--first with just our parents, then our parents and siblings, and lastly with my extended family that traveled from the U.S.

We paid for one of my best college friends, who had very recently been ordained to the priesthood as an Augustinian, to fly from the U.S., and one of Santi’s family members, a Spanish priest, to fly from another province in Argentina to concelebrate the Mass. They were joined by the parish priest who had celebrated Santi’s sister’s wedding, as well as the auxiliary bishop of Buenos Aires, who is a friend of his family.

Coordinating three priests and a bishop--from three different countries, speaking two different languages--was very intimidating! We tried to figure out the rules surrounding bilingual services and concelebration with a bishop, although in the end the priests figured it out amongst themselves in the half hour before the wedding.

We also created a bilingual wedding program that had almost every word spoken at the Mass, along with notes on the sacrament of marriage, sign of peace, and reception of communion. The readings were in a combination of languages: the first in English, the second in Spanish, and the Gospel proclaimed with short homilies in both languages. We opted for a bilingual Psalm and Prayers of the Faithful.

For the music, we prioritized songs that had translations in both English and Spanish, including “Come Thou Font / Fuente de la Vida Eterna,” “Pescador de Hombres / Lord, When You Came to the Seashore,” and “Ode to Joy / Himno de la Alegría”, along with the beautiful Argentine Mass setting, Misa Criolla. Though an organist and a soprano were already included in the fee charged by the church, we splurged on a professional choir, which was a great choice. When I heard them sing the Gloria, I knew they were worth every peso.

For various reasons, we decided not to have a wedding party. Instead, our parents served as our witnesses. It was important to me that I not be the only one escorted down the aisle by my parents, because Santi and I were entering into marriage as equal, complementary partners, and I wanted to avoid even the appearance that I was being given away by my father, rather than entering into marriage in my own right.

We considered several options for the procession, but in the end decided to enter together, preceded by our parents as examples of faithful marriages. This decision led naturally to us getting ready for the Mass together. I’m so happy we did that, because I know I was much calmer being with Santi all day than without him. 

I carried a bouquet of white calla lilies, along with a nacre rosary that the women of Santi’s family have carried at their weddings, starting with his great-grandmother. Santi carried a handkerchief from my grandmother in his pocket. During the Rite of Matrimony, we exchanged identical rings in the shape of Möbius strips that we bought on Etsy. A Möbius strip has a half-twist, which makes it a single-sided two-dimensional figure--even more infinite than a circle! I had always wanted a Möbius wedding ring since I learned about it in high school; fortunately, I married a nerd who also loved the idea! After communion, we presented flowers to Our Lady of Mercy, the patroness of the Mercedarian order whose church we were in, and prayed for her blessing on our marriage.

Most things happen later in Argentina than in the U.S. After the wedding Mass, which started at 8:30pm, we had an all-night party. We took immediate family portraits during the cocktail hour, which was followed by about seven hours of alternating dance sets and food: an appetizer, main course, dessert, cake and a champagne toast, and ending with pizza at 6:00 A.M. for those who could still eat. I think this schedule, with built-in breaks to recover energy before dancing more, was the reason half of our guests lasted the whole night, until the final photo!

The reception music was a mix of Spanish and English from several decades. One of my favorite parts was watching our friends and family mix out on the dance floor, especially when they learned new moves from each other--like when the Argentines taught the Americans how to dance to “Meneaito” and the Americans taught the Argentines the line dance to “Copperhead Road.” 

Another special moment was when we called our grandfathers up to sing together. My grandfather is Mexican and had lived for several years in Uruguay, so he shared a love for boleros and tangos with Santi’s Argentine grandfathers. It was so special to see the joining of families in this way!

Maria’s spiritual take-away from her wedding day: We really enjoyed the process of planning our wedding Mass. We read through the Together for Life book, taking a few weeks to cover each option for the readings, along with the commentary, and discuss them. We also were very fortunate to do our marriage prep with a deacon and his wife, another couple that we knew who were also preparing for marriage.

It was so special to me having my close friend, now a priest, concelebrate our wedding Mass. He had been ordained only three weeks before, and I was so grateful the timing worked out and that he agreed to come. There were so many parallels: there we were, both in white, starting our vocations at almost the same time. I had been there on the occasion of his first vows six years before, and now he was there to witness mine. We had even chosen the same readings for our wedding as he had used in his Ordination Mass! He agreed to hear our confessions the night before the wedding, which was a very emotional and grace-filled moment.

At the end of the service, we had the opportunity to make a few remarks. After thanking everyone for being there with us, Santi how special it was for us to have had a bilingual wedding Mass, because it represented not only the nature of our relationship, but also the universal character of the Church.

Photographer's Business Name : Foto Paleo | Church: Basilica Nuestra Señora de Buenos Aires in Buenos Aires, Argentina | Wedding Reception: Terry Recepciones, Buenos Aires, Argentina | Rings: Elegant Jewel Box on Etsy  | Choir: Coro para tu casamiento | Makeup and Hair: Celu Ferreira | Suits: Casa Florencia | Catering: Bennati Catering  | Hotel and Backstage photos: Hotel Alvear

Beth Anne + Tom | Florida Springtime Wedding

Beth Anne and Tom met online. Although neither of them had been in a serious relationship before, they started dating shortly afterward. "All through our dating relationship," Beth Anne recalls, "I prayed for what God wanted for us. Tom hadn't been to mass in a long time as he worked weekends. I never pushed him to come with me. But I shared the faith with him through my actions. Over time he came around and after he stopped working weekends, he asked to come to mass with me one Sunday, and has been by my side at mass ever since."

After 18 months of dating, they fell in love and started to discern marriage. Tom proposed to Beth Anne on the same bench where they met for their first date. 

From the Bride: We had many family members come from out of town for our wedding. The week of the wedding we rented a big house for everyone to stay in together. My favorite memories of the wedding week were staying with my family and bridesmaids the days before the wedding and just having a lot of good "girl time." I really wasn't nervous; we went and got our nails done a few days before, and my manicurist said she'd never seen a calmer bride.

We were married in April (a popular month to get married in Florida because it's not too hot yet) at the Cathedral Basilica of St. Augustine. One unique thing we did in our ceremony was processing into the church together. We had several reasons for doing this, one being that my dad passed away when I was eight years old, but our pastor also shared that it's actually the most liturgically fitting way to process. 

Since Tom and I were walking in together, we did a first look in the courtyard before the ceremony. I never thought I would do a first look, but I’m glad we did. It was a really special and intimate moment we had before all the craziness started. Some of my favorite photos are from that part of the day.

The reception was at Amici’s Italian Restaurant. My family is Italian and Tom’s is Polish. We didn’t intend on having an Italian reception, but it turned out really well! 

Beth Anne's Spiritual Takeaway: As devout Catholics, it was important to us to evangelize to our guests in subtle ways. I think I had the most fun with this part of the wedding. A friend offered to make us prayer cards to give to our guests. I chose an image of St. Faustina and quotes from her diary, as we got married the weekend of the feast of the Divine Mercy.

Instead of the bouquet and garter toss I gave each of the single women a white rose with a note on it promising to pray for them and their vocations. 
 

Photography: Copper Lens | Church:  Cathedral Basilica of St. Augustine, FL | Reception: The Milano Room at Amici's Italian Restaurant | Rings: Kay Jewelers | Invitations: Kouture Kreations  | Table Linens: Connie Duglin  | Brides Dress & Bridesmaids Dress - Davids Bridal  | Brides Shoes - Foot Comfort | Jewelry: JCPenney  | Groom/Groomsmens Attire: Michaels Formalwear  | Cake/Cupcakes - Camicakes  | Cake Topper - Couplesoncakes.com | Hair: Beauty by Blakeley and Heather  | Makeup: Christine Shelley, Mary Kay Consultant  | Photobooth and DJ & Purple Lighting: Beachside Entertainment  | Florist: Flower Works

Uniquely Catholic Wedding Favors

While wedding favors are by no means necessary, many couples want to thank their guests for their support and love with a memento of some kind. And while you can find lots of fun favor ideas on Pinterest, it’s a bit more difficult to find uniquely Catholic wedding favors--especially if you haven’t been to many Catholic weddings yourself. We compiled a list of some of our favorite Catholic wedding favors, and hope that those of you who are in the planning process will find something that suits your needs.

Calligraphy by Sarah Ann Design. Photo by Angela Sostarich.

A print with your favorite spiritual quotation

Hand-lettered prints with quotations from Scripture or the Saints are all the rage right now, and for good reason: they are wonderful reminders of the truth and beauty of the faith that look beautiful in any living space. Our associate editor Christina purchased small “Love is the beauty of the soul” (St. Augustine) prints for each of her guests from Rose Harrington Art. Other options to explore for this kind of favor include Spoken Bride vendors Just Love Prints and Telos Design, as well as When Beauty Met Truth, Be a Heart Design, and Brass & Mint Co. (just to name a few).

A holy card featuring your patron saint(s)

A personalized holy card is a wonderful (and inexpensive) way to both share your faith and encourage your guests to continue to pray for you and with you after the wedding day is over. You could choose a patron saint, an image of Mary and Joseph’s wedding or the wedding at Cana, or any favorite religious image. On the back, consider including your names, wedding date, and a prayer--either a traditional Catholic prayer to that saint, or a prayer that you and your fiance write yourselves.

Bottles of holy water or blessed salt

Holy water and blessed salt are powerful sacramental to keep in the home (or the car, or a purse…), so why not bless your wedding guests with their own bottle? You can find small plastic holy water bottles online (something similar would work for blessed salt), and as long as you have the time to fill them up with tap water or salt and a priest friend who will bless them, this favor won’t add much time or money to your wedding planning.

Rosary or chaplet

A rosary is the wedding favor that keeps on giving; not only will your guests be able to use it for personal prayer, but if you purchase a more unique-looking rosary such as this St. Benedict cord rosary, they will remember to pray for you and your groom each time they use it.

A CD Featuring your Wedding Music

If you and your fiance are music lovers and have the time and talent to do so, consider burning CDs for your guests featuring your own recordings of the music from your wedding Mass, or a collection of your favorite hymns or spiritual songs.

Are you planning on giving out favors at your wedding? We’d love to hear your ideas in the comments!

Elise's Wedding | The Big Day!

Our Social Media Coordinator, Elise Crawford, married her college sweetheart Hunter, on August 12! We're overjoyed for them and are thrilled to share their wedding day with you today as Elise concludes her series of wedding reflections. Join us in congratulating and praying for Elise and Hunter as they begin their life together!

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I know it seems cliche, but Hunter's and my wedding day was a taste of heaven! As stressful as the weeks and days leading up to the wedding were, I was so blessed to feel calm and present on our big day. There was so much preparation and effort on both sides of our family to make this day happen: we had an aunt who hosted family from out of town, my mom and sister were with me running errands and ticking of my to-do list and friends flew in to town early to help with preparations. We felt so completely surrounded with love and support!

We were told in the months leading up to our wedding that the day goes by in a blur and that it's easy to let it go by without taking a moment to soak it all in. With that in mind, Hunter and I made sure to take small moments during our wedding day to pause, pray and just be with one another. I remember several times throughout the day taking in the scene in front of me and committing it to memory thinking, "Lord, You are SO good!". After so many years of waiting, I can not describe the joy that comes with being united with your love in the Holy Sacrament of Marriage in front of your family and friends. Our wedding day is truly a testament to the fact that the Lord provides and is faithful to His promises. 

I hope you enjoy the photographs below taken by the beautiful Sarah Price. Thank you for journeying with Hunter and I over the last year as we prepared for this moment in our lives. Your prayers have been fruitful and meant so much to us! I will leave you with the quote that we placed in our wedding mass program:

"Beloved, you do not know how deeply you are mine, how much you belong to my love and my suffering-because to love means to give life through death; to love means to let gush a spring of water of life into the depths of the soul, which burns and smolders, and cannot burn out." -Karol Wojtyla (Pope Saint John Paul II), "The Jeweler's Shop"

Photography: Sarah Price Photography | Church: St. Augustine- Elkridge, MD | Wedding Reception Venue: Cattail Creek Country Club | Florist: Corner Florist | Signs + Table Numbers: Custom Crafted Calligraphy  | Caterer: Cattail Creek Country Club | Bridal Gown: BHLDN | Bridesmaid Dresses: Global Bridal Gallery | Partial Wedding Planner: Cedar and Lime Co | Cake: Graul's Market | Hairstylist + Make Up Artists: Up-Dos for I-Dos | Music: Chris Laich Music Services | Groomsmen Tuxes: Cys

How to Get Through Family Photos With Grace

SINIKKA ROHRER

The hot sun is beating down on your perfected curls. You glance over at your Groom, who is calling to his grandparents again that they can’t leave yet; his family photos aren’t finished. Your cheeks are tired of smiling and your hands are starting to get sweaty from holding your bouquet in the same place for so long. Grandma Rose pops in on your left, the photographer adjusts your dress for the hundredth time, you quickly smile as the camera clicks and the next group is called out.

Oh, dear Bride. I understand well how these family photos go. You might be dreading it or forgetting about it, but at some point during your wedding planning process it will come up. You may not be particular about the number of your family photos if, but the reality is that these photos are not as much for you as they are for your relatives.

Soul Creations Photography

These are the moments that will be printed for your great-grandmother’s coffee table,  our grandma’s foyer, and your mother’s living room. You won’t see a photo of you and your Groom stylishly overlooking your venue or a photo of your bridal party throwing bouquets up in the air. Those photos are for you, but the family photos are for all those who are supporting you.

For your family’s sake, let your mother and your future mother-in-law tell you what photos they want.

For your family’s sake, ask your photographer to start with large extended family photos.

For your family’s sake, let your smile shine, even if you don’t feel like it.

Soul Creations Photography

The one thing I’ve been learning recently that has changed both my perspective on family and weddings is that it’s not about you. I know that’s a countercultural idea. According to the wedding industry, you should be able to make 100% of the decisions regarding your day. From what you wear to the decor on your reception tables, the wedding industry says you should have the final say. But as Catholics, we know that our weddings, marriages, and lives in general are about the gift of self.  

Soul Creations Photography

Just like Jesus patiently welcomed the messiness of human life, I encourage you to do the same when your ringbearer won’t look at the camera while your aunt’s new baby cries. In the moments that you feel most frustrated, continue to love them and embrace the mess of life, just as Jesus did. On your wedding day, take advantage of the opportunities you have to serve, love, and support those who have been doing exactly that for you and your Groom for longer than you know.

Sinikka Rohrer is a daughter of the King, wife of a man she'd only imagined, and lover of waking up quietly. She is the owner of Soul Creations Photography, a business on mission to capture testimonies, encourage hearts, and inspire marriages, and is a Spoken Bride Vendor. You can see more of Sinikka's beautiful photography here, and read her reflections on engagement here. 

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Katherine + Dominic | Fourth of July Wedding

Dominic and Katherine met in chemistry class during their sophomore year of high school. Dominic would always make Katherine laugh during class, and they would run into each other at church every Sunday. Their friendship blossomed into a romance during their senior year of high school, and they dated for a few months before going to separate colleges. While in college, their relationship continued to grow, and so did their faith. Katherine would often pray for their relationship at Seton Hall's Chapel of the Immaculate Conception. Dominic proposed to Katherine in that very same chapel where she had prayed for their relationship so many times before, following a homily comparing the facets of a diamond to the community of believers within the Catholic Church. Both Dominic and Katherine felt through these details that God's hand was truly on them as they took another step towards their vocation of marriage.

The nuptial mass took place in Katherine and Dominic's home parish, Immaculate Conception Church in Annandale, New Jersey. Dominic's uncle is a deacon and he preached a beautiful homily tying Dominic and Katherine's relationship to the readings they had chosen. As Dominic and Katherine made their grand exit following the nuptial mass, the guests had blush, gold, and lace ribbons as well as American flags to wave at the couple. Katherine's father is in the Navy, and the wedding took place on 4th of July weekend, so they thought it was fitting to mix in their American pride into the elegance of their wedding.

The reception took place at David's Country Inn, a charming old mansion that made the fairly large wedding feel quite intimate. At the cocktail hour, there were photos of the bride and groom's parents and grandparents on their wedding days, as well as photos of loved ones who had passed away, accompanied by Bible verses. Instead of a traditional guest book, Dominic and Katherine asked guests to sign their first family Bible. The couple decorated the tables with photos of their various stages of life and their relationship. The dance floor was crowded all night long as family and friends danced and laughed the night away!

From the Bride: Our spiritual takeaway from our wedding day was that God is in all of the details of our lives. God has made his presence known to us throughout our relationship, and our wedding day was no exception. We felt the presence of the Holy Spirit so deeply in all of the details of the day. We felt God's presence in the gifts we gave to each other (Dominic gave me a crucifix ring, I gave Dominic my purity ring and a miraculous medal, since he has a special devotion to Our Lady), in the mass through the readings and music we had so carefully chosen together, and in the joy and love shown to us by family and friends at both the ceremony and reception. We prayed for our wedding day for so long, and on that day it was clear that God had heard our prayers, and that He would be faithful to us as we began our vocation of marriage together.

Photography: Anne Molnar Photography | Church: Immaculate Conception Church - Annandale NJ | Wedding Reception Venue: David's Country Inn | Floralist: Elegant Wedding Florals | Reception Florist: Fleurs Divine |  Hair & Make-Up: Artiste Salon • Jewelry: Trezar Fine Jewelry • Groom & Groomsmen Attire: Calvin Kline, Men's Wareshouse • Bride's Shoes: Kate Spade • Bride's Gown: David's Bridal Collection • Bridesmaids Dresses: David's Bridal | DJ: Paul Anthony Entertainment • Cake: Palermo's Bakery

Anna + Mike | Downtown St. Paul Wedding

Anna and Mike met in ROTC early on in college, but didn’t become friends--and begin seeing the truth of one another’s hearts and character--until a few years later on a camping trip with mutual friends. In the months that followed, Anna felt herself falling hard for Mike, but didn’t think he was interested.

On her friend’s advice, Anna offered her and Mike’s relationship back to the Lord, asking that whether as spouses, friends, or even mere acquaintances, their interaction glorify Jesus. “The day I finally felt myself relent and let go of how I wanted the relationship and accepted what God had in store,” she says, ended up being the very day Mike expressed his romantic interest, and they began dating.

From the Bride: We dated for two years, including two long-distance summers--one of which was “letters only” while Mike attended field training. These months were trying, yet truly beautiful and formative times in our relationship. Marriages in which both spouses are members of the military present a unique set of challenges--these summers provided a taste of what such a marriage could like. We clearly saw our relationship was something special and worth defending.

We discussed marriage early on. By God’s grace, Mike and I had both spent a considerable amount of time as single individuals prayerfully considering the type of person we’d like to marry someday. As the months passed, it became more and more clear the this relationship fulfilled both of our desires.

I expected Mike would propose around the start of our senior year of college, but as the school year started with no signs of one, I began getting disheartened and frustrated. By a stroke of luck, I found myself at a Praise and Worship event at our campus parish one Sunday night after Mass. On a whim, I met with one of the religious brothers there and offered my relationship back to the Lord. Walking home, I felt overcome with a wonderful sense of peace. No matter what happened, I felt confident of the Lord’s presence in my life and knew I had no real reason to fear. The next day--our anniversary--Mike proposed. I was caught completely off guard and absolutely thrilled.

Mike and I envisioned our wedding day being a gift of joy, love, and excitement for as many people as possible. I pictured a wedding aesthetic that would be unique, but also timeless and classic.

I spent the night before the wedding with my bridesmaids. I was nervous for the big day, and it was such a comfort to be surrounded with wonderful, loving, generous, women; dear friends who had prayed with and comforted me back when Mike was just a long-shot crush of mine. One of my favorite memories was showing my bridesmaids my dress, which I’d kept secret, for the first time.

We invited many non-Catholic, and even non-Christian, guests, and felt it was important to portray the essence of the Church through our nuptial Mass. We knew that for many, this would be their first--and maybe only--glimpse of the Church and aimed to utilize our readings and music to describe our faith to the wedding guests. Tobit 8, Romans 12, and John 15 painted a picture of the love we will strive for in our marriage and our lives as Catholics. The opening song we chose, Here is My Life by Ed Conlin, powerfully describes the gift of self we were humbly offering that day. Remembrance by Matt Maher during Communion helped convey the holiness of the sacrament to guests unfamiliar with the Eucharist.

We honored dear family and friends throughout our nuptial Mass. Mike’s mom, a talented musician, wrote the music for the Psalm. Friends served as lectors and Eucharistic ministers, and a married couple who mentored us through our engagement were gift bearers, along with their son. We honored deceased family members in the Prayers of the Faithful.

The Mass was filled with special moments, but the homily was particularly moving. To hear our priest, Father Jon, say he was proud of us and would be there for us throughout our marriage was profoundly humbling and touching. Such statements, made by a man standing as the representation and authority of Jesus, carry a deep implication: that God himself is pleased with the relationship that has brought us to this point, and he will stand by us through every trial we will face.

After the Mass, we had a receiving line, which I definitely recommend to couples who will Once the reception starts, it is much more challenging to keep track of everyone and interact with guests individually.

Our reception was held at the Minnesota History Center in downtown St. Paul. It is a beautiful museum with soaring ceilings and enormous windows, with a lovely terrace that was perfect for the outdoor cocktail hour we both wanted, and a two level dinner-dance location that provided the element of uniqueness I had been hoping for.

My mom came up with the idea of paying tribute to our relationship with nature-inspired centerpieces featuring letters Mike wrote to me during his field training. The wood and vines nodded to our love for the outdoors and the camping trip that started everything, and the letters were a way to share our journey to the altar with our guests.

Our first dance was like a dream. Looking around, surrounded by flashing lights and loud music, and seeing people from every community we are a part of: family, church, college, the military, childhood…it was sort of bizarre, but in the best way possible! Since we’ll probably never have all those people in the same room again, it was important to just be present in the moment and acknowledge how special it was.

One of my favorite parts of the entire day was taking portraits with Mike. Our relationship has often conveyed more through expressions and body language than through speaking. Taking portraits was a delightful, private time for us to be physically close and revel in the emotions of the day. We genuinely felt so close to one another in those moments, and I’m blown away by how well our photographer captured that feeling. I vividly remember the feel of Mike’s arms around me and am grateful for such a powerful sensory memory of our wedding day. We said more to one another in those embraced than we probably ever could have in words or letters.

The love the Lord calls us to is a sanctifying love. While beautiful and awe-inspiring, this love is also self-denying and at times, terrifying. Preparing and fully giving the complete gift of oneself is not easy. Yet it isn’t necessarily meant to be easy; it’s meant to draw us deeper into a relationship with the person of Jesus. Beautiful gifts are often hard-earned.

It is, as St. Teresa of Calcutta said, a paradox: when you love until it hurts, you’ll find the hurt stops and you’re left with only love. I’d encourage every bride and groom to pursue sanctifying love in their relationships. Surround yourselves with people who will call you on to the Church’s mission of love, and be brave in the face of the new ways the Lord asks you to love your partner and those you encounter each day.

Photography: Leslie Larson Photography | Church: St. Lawrence Catholic Church Minneapolis, MN | Wedding Reception Venue: Minnesota History Center St. Paul, Minnesota | Rings: Brilliant Earth, Avenue Jewelers, and King Will | Flowers: Family friend | Invitations: Wedding Paper Divas | Caterer: D’Amico Catering | Bridal dress: David’s Bridal | Bridesmaid dresses: David’s Bridal | Groom’s tux: Men’s Wearhouse | Groomsmen tuxes: Men’s Wearhouse | Cake: D’Amico Catering | Hairstylist: Taj Salon and Spa | Make up: Taj Salon and Spa | Music: Northern Lights DJ | Pre-marital counseling: Quo Vadis Therapy Center

Emily + Aaron | College Memories Wedding

Aaron and Emily met in college, and after developing a solid friendship--through daily Mass, involvement in campus ministry, and Facebook messenger--they both began to desire a dating relationship. As they began their sophomore year, Emily knew that she was in love with Aaron. To her delight and surprise, the feeling was mutual. One evening shortly thereafter, Emily and Aaron began dating after praying together in the campus chapel. "It was in that moment that I knew this man was going to be my husband someday," Emily recalls. Three years later, Aaron proposed in the same chapel where they began dating, and the chapel where they eventually married. 

From the Bride: Our wedding was all about details: From draping my First Communion rosary through my bouquet and Aaron wearing cufflinks I’d given him during our first year to carefully selected Mass readings, and ditching cake for an ice cream sundae bar at the reception (and having cake pops as favors), our personality was stamped on everything. Instead of floral centerpieces, I put together four 3-sided picture frames for each table that had photos of Aaron and me during our childhood with the people sitting at the table. Watching everyone pass them around the table throughout the reception and reminisce was a scene I will always treasure.

One of my favorite parts of wedding planning (and one that all of the guests are still talking about!) was writing individual notes to each guest on the inside of his or her place card. Everyone still asks me how I had the time to write all of those notes by hand, but for me, it was the most calming and rewarding part of the whole planning process. In the midst of chaos, I had the opportunity to take a moment and think of each person attending our wedding in a deeply personal way.

One challenge I faced during the planning was struggling to word the section in our program on reception of Communion. We were going to have several non-Catholic family members and friends in attendance, and I realized that our wedding may be the one time in our entire lives that we could truly evangelize to our loved ones. 

With that idea in mind, I started writing, and what had originally begun as a sentence or two about who could receive Communion turned into a double-sided insert in our wedding program that talked about the Mass, the symbolism behind exchanging rings, the importance of the readings, why Catholics have to get married in a church, and offering flowers to Mary in a lighthearted tone that reflected our wedding style while also offering us a chance to lovingly share our faith with our family and friends.

Our wedding day brought about an uncharacteristic calm in me. I’d always imagined myself pacing up and down the house on the morning of my wedding, freaking out about last minute details and getting cold feet, but instead I slept in, went to confession, and prepared for the day with peace and joy in my heart. 

Instead of renting limousines, I has asked my parents to drive me to the chapel in our blue minivan, the same one they’d brought me to the school in for the first time. As is characteristic for Aaron and me, there was a torrential downpour by the time we arrived, but the rain only rattled my nerves for a moment before I regained a reigning sense of peace.

Our wedding Mass was beautiful and flew by in a whirlwind of emotions. My former pastor celebrated the Mass and offered a beautiful reflection on God’s presence in our relationship. At the end of the homily, I suddenly realized with a jolt the moment I’d been waiting all my life for was here, and it felt like the whole rest of the room melted away and it was just Aaron, me, and God. The best part was getting to giddily whisper “We’re married!” to Aaron afterward.

God’s extra wedding present to us was stopping the rain after Mass, allowing us to take pictures with the picturesque Hudson River in the background.

All my life, people had always told me that my parents’ wedding was the best they’d ever attended because of its simplicity and fun atmosphere. I had always desired that sort of wedding, so hearing everyone tell me that ours was the best wedding they’ve ever attended made me so proud. Despite all of my planning and worries, God made the day even better than I could have imagined, and we feel so grateful to have begun our marriage with such a blessed day.

Emily's Spiritual Takeaway: I saw God working through our wedding because everyone there was truly the best version of themselves. Aaron and I marveled as normally straight-laced family members partied on the dance floor and old friends smiled for the first time in years. Months later, everyone is still talking about how amazing it was and how ours was the best wedding they’ve ever been to. I believe that Aaron’s and my genuine love for one another and joy to finally be married simply spilled over to everyone else. Which leads me to believe that our mission as a couple did not end on our wedding day. Our marriage is not just about us; as we witnessed on our wedding day, the way we interact as a couple and love one another affects those around us for the better. After our wedding, I realized that, when I married Aaron, I not only signed up to work on getting him to heaven, but also took on the task of getting others to heaven through him. 

Photography: Newman Photos and E-Von Photography | Church: Founders Chapel-Mount Saint Mary College| Reception - Poughkeepsie Grand Hotel | Wedding Dress, Bridesmaids' Dresses, Veil, and Accessories: David's Bridal| Bride's Shoes: Elegant Park | Groom and Groomsmen's Tuxes: Men's Wearhouse | DJ: Soundsational Party | Flowers: Lucille's Floral | Videographer: Best of Times Video | Rings: Kinston Fine Jewelry and Michael's Jewelers | Cake Pops: Busy Bee Cake Pops

Elisabeth + Salvador | Central American Destination Wedding

Elisabeth and Salvador's first meeting was straight out of a romantic comedy. They were both using the same language-learning website: Elisabeth wanted to learn Spanish and Salvador, who is from El Salvador, wanted to learn English. After connecting online, they developed a friendship that eventually led to an in-person meeting in Elisabeth's home state of California. "The day we met, we knew we were soulmates," says Elisabeth. "He asked me out the next day, and we were engaged seven months later."  After months of long distance engagement, the couple were married in El Salvador on August 13, 2016. 

In Elisabeth's words: Our wedding was simple yet beautiful. We were married in the rural parish that my husband's grandfather helped build. It was dedicated to and named for Our Lady of Guadalupe. The readings were chosen with care, as we wanted them to reflect our relationship. The second reading, 1 Corinthians 13: 1- 8, has always one of my favorite passages of Scripture, so I was happy we could include it in our wedding Mass.

Since we were married in El Salvador, during our ceremony, we made sure to do the traditional lasso cord as a symbol of our unity for life. We also exchanged arras (coins), which is also a tradition at Salvadoran weddings.

My dress was a lace and tulle mermaid-style dress, with elegant detailing at the top. I fell in love with the dress the moment I laid eyes on it, as it was unlike any other dress I had seen.

Our reception was across the street from the church at my husband's family hacienda. Delicious Latin food was served and we danced to "At Last" by Celine Dion to celebrate that the wait and distance was finally over!  A huge downpour of rain and thunder came and went during the middle of our reception - typical weather in El Salvador! It was a most blessed and unforgettable day.

Elisabeth's spiritual takeaway: When you put Christ at the center of your relationship, it will show through on your wedding day.

Photography: Rorellana Photography  | Church: Our Lady of Guadalupe, El Salvador | Reception - Groom's Family Home |  Wedding Dress & Shoes: David's Bridal

Lisa + Steve | Canadian Summer Wedding

Growing up, Lisa longed for a fairytale romance akin to those she'd seen in movies; what the Lord gave her instead was more beautiful and real than she could have imagined as a girl. As the Holy Spirit refined and purified her understanding of true love, Steve came into her life and showed her that love, lived in daily life. 

In Lisa's words: The first year of our dating relationship was far from the makings of a romance movie. For starters, we began dating in December. Our hang-outs took place in temperatures below 20 degrees in a small town I knew nothing about. Our commute to this town was laden with snowstorms, and at one point took 10 hours for him.

My chronic health condition took a turn for the worse that year, and for months on end, fancy dinners, fireworks, fun dates and walks under the stars where exchanged for hospital visits and sitting at home on the couch. Our relationship was a far cry from a romantic comedy.

My heart ached for those butterfly moments and the “honeymoon stage” everyone talked about. Yet, this was exactly what God desired for our relationship. He desired that I submit my expectations for what true love looked like. During that year, Steve and I allowed Christ to purify us in the flame of the Holy Spirit and we gave Him the permission to take us through the trials he knew were best for us and to write our love story in His own way.

After our trials slowly came to end, I realized that the winter storms of this life were not able to shake our love. God had become our anchor and our love became stronger.

In November of 2016, Steve proposed to me in front of the Tabernacle at St. Paul’s Basilica in Pittsburgh during one of my weekend visits. As “Oceans” by Hillsong United was playing and a slideshow of our relationship caused tears to flow, I knew it was the moment I had always waited for. He bent down on one knee, and a sense of peace overwhelmed my heart.

In the summer of 2016, during the Year of Mercy, my husband Steve were married and it truly was the happiest day of my life. I couldn't contain the joy welling up in my heart. 

Our ceremony took place at a renaissance style church and at a hall with timeless elegance. We were surrounded by friends and family and Christ was the center. It's amazing to think that we've now been married for a year!

My dress was everything I dreamed it would be, from the detailed lace to it's romantic, princess style. I found it at a charming small boutique near my house with my mom and my best friend. I had the sleeves added and they came out perfectly. However, let’s just say I had no idea walking in tulle would be so hard and that I would get GUM in it right before the reception (we cut the gum out and you couldn’t tell anything was missing because of the amount of tulle!).

Before the ceremony, we decided to go the traditional route and not see each other. Our photographer Amer and videographers Anita and Michael took pictures and recorded a video of us getting ready individually before the ceremony. I had my best of friends surrounding me as I prepared to exchange vows just hours later. We had the best time laughing together and being pampered by the best makeup and hair team. Right before leaving, we stood in a circle and prayed that Jesus and the Blessed Mother would be present as we said our yeses.

Once we arrived at St. Paul’s Basilica, Steve and I stood on opposite sides of the Holy Doors for the Year of Mercy and had a special prayer moment. Our photographer captured the moment as we held hands and prayed. I was so nervous and giggly knowing he was right behind the door!

If you ask anyone in attendance at our wedding Mass, they will tell you that the Holy Spirit was present. I remember walking into the church looking down at my white shoes and tulle surrounding them thinking that this was the day I had always been waiting for. All those years of draping towels over my head as a little girl pretending it was a veil and then waiting for my beloved spouse as I grew older were worth it.

I received so much healing that day from hurts and heartaches of the past, the love of Jesus and of Steve filled my heart immensely. We received a grace from the fountain of mercy and said yes to take on each other’s burden for the rest of our lives. 

One of my favorite moments from our wedding day is the moment we knelt down in front of the statue of our Blessed Mother to give her a bouquet of flowers. We placed the bouquet of flowers in front of her and I experienced such love in my heart I can't describe. I cried and cried as I felt her blessing our union. In that most intimate moment, Steve took his purity ring off of his finger, opened the palm of my hand and placed it inside. He didn't say any words but he didn't have to because I knew what we were both thinking: it was worth the wait.

Being a Polish- Canadian and my husband a native Pittsburgher, we both implemented our traditions into our reception. Anyone from Pittsburgh knows that there must be a cookie table.  In Polish culture, the parents of the bride welcome the bride and groom into the reception hall with blessed salt and bread. With the blessed salt, the parents are blessing the couple with protection and well-being. With the bread, the parents pray that the couple never encounter need or want, and if they do, that God would help them in their trial. In addition to this tradition, we had a polish DJ who played traditional polish folk music and of course, we served pierogi at our midnight buffet. It means so much to me that Steve embraces my culture and all of my Polish traditions. 

I chose the Old Mill and Spa for the reception because of its vintage beauty and outdoor garden setting. The hall inside is so beautifully adorned with gold framed mirrors and large fireplaces that we didn't have to decorate at all. My bridesmaid wore gorgeous wine colour dresses that complimented the gold hall colors. They served the most amazing food and had the nicest staff who checked on me periodically through the night to check if I was eating! 
 

Lisa's spiritual takeaway: As a young girl, I had no idea that a love like Steve's existed: a love so devoted, godly, passionate, yet pure. Now that we are united in love, I know that we will overcome anything together through the fountain of grace that was poured out for us on the altar. I know that that there is simply no one else that fits so perfectly with me. Steve is the most handsome, witty, funny, kind, and awesome answer to prayer that God has ever given me and I am so excited to spend the rest of our lives chasing Jesus together.

Photography: Amer Nabulsi  | Church: St. Paul's Basilica Toronto, ON, Canada | Reception - Old Mill Toronto | Videography: Mike and Anita Yu "Ammotion" | Flowers: Ewa Bajorek | Makeup: Cheeks and Tresses | Music: DJHubert | Wedding Dress: Izabella's Bridal | Music Ministry: All4Him and Desiree and Whitney

Caroline + Matt | New Orleans Holiday Wedding

Caroline and Matt were friends at LSU for months after they first met. The night they became boyfriend and girlfriend, both made it clear to the other that they only desired to enter into a dating relationship with the possibility of marriage in mind. Matt said “I love you” for the first time while Caroline was baking his favorite Christmas cookies. She wasn’t sure if his heart or his stomach was talking more, but he said the words again shortly after. This time, Matt’s declaration was followed by a long talk about marriage, a future family, and a lifelong commitment to each other in good times and in bad.

By senior year, the two were discussing what their entrance into the real world would look like, praying their relationship could weather the storm of distance and new responsibilities.

From the Bride: Our campus parish equipped us in our faith life so fruitfully for the years to follow. We made a Marian consecration via 33 Days to Morning Glory, for instance, and our hearts have been on fire for Our Lady and the Holy Family ever since. My struggles with hypothyroidism led to a doctor who guided me in the Creighton Model of NFP, which has been a great gift to us in marriage. That same doctor presented a wonderful Theology of the Body-based talk at the university! I loved watching Matt’s involvement in ministry and the solace the Church itself, providing us great comfort time and again.

Seven months after graduation, Matt proposed in front of our favorite spot to say the Rosary at the Christ the King chapel where we’d spent so many hours at LSU. He gathered our friends and family at our favorite restaurant nearby for a surprise party, a night I’ll always treasure.

We found our Pre-Cana experience an invaluable gift from the Church--the priest mentioned during our wedding homily how sad we were when we completed the requirements! Our Engaged Encounter was life changing, a time of recognizing a renewed patience and loving acceptance to whatever Christ has planned for us in life.

Our engagement retreat also included the exercise of writing promises and prayers to each other, known as betrothals, Writing ours was funny, and also tender. When we read them to each other before of a statue of St. Joseph--Matt’s patron Saint--we could hardly speak through the tears. When the opportunity came to read them in front of the group, we knew we absolutely could not--it was too emotional. That moment made us even more grateful the Church writes our vows for us.

We hoped for a winter wedding and were able to get married on the birthday of Saint Bernadette, my patroness. To acknowledge the date, We placed a statue of Our Lady of Lourdes on our reception welcome table.

I found the Praise and Worship singers for our nuptial Mass while in the confessional at a holy hour event! One of my bridesmaids is a moving vocalist, also, who took part in the music. Our Mass selections ultimately included Forever Reign, How Can I Keep From Singing, Hold Us Together, Hosanna, How He Loves, and Ave Maria.

Family was central to the religious significance of the day. My grandfather is a Deacon who has celebrated sacraments for many of his children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. He helped Matt and I choose our readings and keep everything organized so that the Mass, the most important part of our day, would be engaging and impactful. My godson was the ring bearer, carrying our rings in the rosary box we had with us the night Matt proposed.

I also wrapped my great grandmother's rosary around my bouquet. Her parents bought each of their daughters a silver rosary, but when it was my great grandmother's turn, they were in the midst of a crippled economy. Her parents scraped enough money together to buy it anyway. It fell apart over the years, but months before the wedding, my grandmother had it repaired at her parish! We included in the Mass a special family prayer said throughout the Archdiocese of New Orleans.

Honoring Mary during our wedding was such a special moment for us. We were able to kneel before our Blessed Mother in the same spot Pope John Paul II did during his visit to New Orleans. The Blessed Sacrament is, of course, the absolute climax of our earthly life. Matt and I were able to be ministers of the Eucharist to our guests, which meant so much to us. The Mass truly felt like Heaven on Earth.

For the reception, my cousin designed a custom Fleur De Lis graphic featuring the words “Love will hold us together,” from the Matt Maher song I chose for my walk down the aisle and for our first dance. Our cake had the words Totus Tuus, or “totally yours,” written on it. These words were Pope Saint John Paul II’s motto, ones I chose to have engraved in Matt’s wedding ring. The cake had one traditional tier atop a stand of petit fours, a classic dessert in our city, with cake pulls, a New Orleans tradition wherein bridesmaids pull a charm out of the cake to tell a special fortune or attribute about the woman who pulls it.

Instead of a garter toss, Matt did a kickoff: he and his Best Man played punter and kicker, and my brother, a groomsman, was a holder. They teamed up to kick a football to all the single men at the reception.

Our reception ended with a Second Line, a tradition formed by African Americans after the Civil War. Membership benefits originally included a brass band for members’ funerals, along with at least one public parade per year with music. Second Lines celebrate not only the life of the dead at funerals, but also new life at weddings and other modern celebrations.

On our honeymoon we were blessed to meet Pope Francis for the sposi novelli blessing. We thanked our wedding guests with a blessing that we hope will one day be a relic!

I love that in the Catholic Church, we are always free to re-celebrate the most important part of our wedding day: Christ makes himself available to us in the Eucharist, heaven on earth. We are always welcome to join him, anywhere in the world. The love I have for my husband is but a fraction of the love that God has for me. Christ gives us the gift of intimacy with Himself, and His bride, the Church, is more beautiful than any part of any wedding day. Christ’s Church equips us with all of the tools for the marriage that we pray for, and then some.

L'Osservatore Romano

Photography: JC Williams Photography | Church: St. Louis Cathedral, New Orleans | Wedding Reception Venue: Intercontinental New Orleans | Videography: Second Line Films | Musicians: Colin MacIver and Karista Filopoulos | Second Line Coordinator: Accent DMC | Cake: Debbie Heyd of The Roosevelt, New Orleans | Hair: Gina Marie | Makeup: Emma Stasi | Dress: Oliver Couture | Veil: Blanca Veils | Flowers: A Floral | Graphic Design: Meredith Johnson | Tuxedos: Rome’s Tuxedos