Mary Kate + Jason | Rose & Lily-Trimmed Michigan Wedding

Mary Kate and Jason reflected deeply on the sacrament and liturgy as they prepared for their wedding day, in hopes that their guests would experience with them the true beauty of a Catholic marriage. In the end, the presence of God was felt as deeply and as plainly as the joy on Mary Kate and Jason’s faces.

From the Bride: To say I prayed for my future husband is a bit of an understatement. I said many novenas and rosaries for him while asking Jesus to make me into the wife he needed me to be. 

Eventually God brought along Jason. He had been a friend for a while but was in seminary, so I never really considered him as more than that. After Jason left seminary, we began to get to know one another more, and he eventually asked me to be his girlfriend. 

For nine and a half months we began to fall more and more in love with each other. And not in a “rainbows and unicorns” way. 

We learned about each other. We grew together. We had fun together. We had disagreements and hardships. But through it all we prayed together, and we asked the Trinity, Mother Mary, St. Joseph, and St. John Paul II to be with us. 

Then on March 27, 2018, Jason got down on one knee in our local adoration chapel and asked me to be his life companion, the phrase St. John Paul II used in his play “The Jeweler’s Shop.” And I said yes!

Our engagement lasted a little over a year, so it felt like the wedding day took forever to arrive. When it finally did, I woke up early and met my bridesmaids to get our hair done. Afterwards, we went to my parents’ house to make sure various little details were prepared. Eventually, my mom and I drove to the church. 

For a little while, it was just her and I in the basement of the church as I put on my makeup. That was one of my favorite moments, being there alone with her as she helped me prepare. Then girls started arriving, and I put on my dress. My dad saw me all dressed up, and he got a little emotional. I’m the last one in my family to get married, and I’m also the baby of the family. 

When the moment arrived, I walked up the steps to meet my dad in the back of the church. The couples we chose to be in the wedding were walking up the aisle, as were the ring bearers and flower girls. And then suddenly it was our turn. I couldn’t stop laughing at how amazing it all was. 

The moment Jason saw me, he didn’t know what to feel, but he was crying and laughing at the same time. My dad handed me to Jason at the end of the aisle and reminded him that it was now his duty to get me to heaven. We stood before the altar as our friend Fr. Andy began to celebrate the Mass. 

Jason and I had done all we could to ensure the Mass would lift the hearts of our guests to God. We had four priests who con-celebrated the liturgy, all very good friends, and one who had just been ordained the week before. Three of our good seminarian friends were altar servers, and our dads read the readings from Tobit and Ephesians. Our Gospel reading was the Wedding Feast at Cana, and we dwelt on Mary’s words: “Do whatever he tells you.” 

During our vows, Jason and I adopted a European tradition of holding on to a crucifix. It reminded us of the crosses we would face in marriage, but also that Christ would be with us in the midst of those crosses. 

Another detail that was special, that truly showed what marriage is all about, was that four of my bridesmaids were pregnant at the time. At least three little ones were being held by their parents in the party. What a show of married love! It wasn’t something we planned on, but it was beautiful to behold.

Jason’s ring was engraved on the inside with the words “Totus Tuus.” This pointed to his devotion to Our Lady and also to our patron saint: St. John Paul II. It described Jason’s fidelity to me as well, since the words translated mean “totally yours.”

One of the most beautiful moments was receiving Jesus in the Eucharist with Jason by my side. During our marriage prep, a good priest told us something amazing. The word “amen” means “I believe It is so.” And so, the very first thing Jason and I agreed on in our married life was that Jesus is truly present in the Eucharist. 

We presented a rose to Mary and a lily to St Joseph, to symbolize our devotion to them and to ask for their guidance in our marriage. At the end, we were presented as “Mr. and Mrs. Jason Payne,” and we walked out singing “Oh God Beyond All Praising” with massive smiles on our faces. In the back, we signed our marriage license amid hugs from both our families. 

We took lots of pictures at the church and in a local Japanese garden nearby. Jason’s best man drove us to different places we needed to be, provided us with snacks (I hadn’t eaten all day), and even snapped a picture of us sleeping in the back seat. 

When we arrived at the reception hall, we were ready to celebrate! The DJ announced our parents, all eleven couples in the party, the four ring bearers, and five flower girls. Finally, it was our turn. Mr. and Mrs. Jason Payne! We were so excited to be married. 

My sister, the matron of honor, and Jason’s best man gave their speeches. Then we all ate dinner. There’s a Polish tradition in my family where the bride and groom eat a piece of bread doused in salt to remind them of the bitterness they will experience in life, but also the joys. And during dinner, my aunt, a nun that lives in Italy, called to congratulate Jason and I. 

We performed all the usual dances including our first dance, the father/daughter dance, and Jason’s mother/son dance. Instead of the garter, Jason and I washed each other’s feet. Marriage is about laying down your life for the other and serving each other, so that’s what we wanted to convey. Jesus gave us the example of how to love, and we wanted to emulate him. 

The rest of the night was spent dancing and celebrating with friends and family. It was one of the best days of our lives.

Jason and I wanted everything about the day to point to God. It wasn’t only about us, but about the glory of God and his infinite goodness. 

Looking back, our favorite part of wedding planning was designing the liturgy itself. We loved asking four priests to con-celebrate and our seminarian friends to serve (and letting them know they should “light it up” with the incense!). God is our rock and our fortress, and we wanted that truth to shine through in every way, from the readings and songs to our actions in regard to one another and to Christ, who was truly present with us. And it truly was, in my humble opinion, a Mass that gave all honor and glory to the God who had gathered us there.

Photography: Titus Photography | Church: Holy Family Catholic Church | Reception: LFA Hall for the Reception | Attire: Unique Bridal | Catering: Alvie’s Catering. | Flowers: Enchanted Flowers. | Hair: Envy Hair Salon. | Music: Rusch Entertainment | Desserts: Sam’s Club.