Tiana and AJ | Franciscan University Port Wedding

Wildflowers and lace for a pandemic wedding at the couple’s spiritual home, the site of their first steps together toward their heavenly one.

Tiana and AJ were in the same year at Franciscan University, with mutual friends, classes, and the same semester abroad together, yet didn’t talk often. Until the rainy Holy Thursday of their senior year.

Tiana was eating a bagel in the student center when AJ came over and struck up a conversation. For the first time, they exchanged more than a “Hey! How are you?”, talking about their Easter plans. “Well, what are you doing on Monday?” AJ asked.

“And then it hit me like a ton of bricks,” Tiana says. This kid was asking me out. On a date. Once I figured out what was going on, I started to internally panic. Dating was in no way a part of my plan at Franciscan. I had severely overcommitted myself to too many different things senior year, and there was no way I had any time to date.” She hesitantly agreed. On their first date, they talked for three hours over pizza. “I guess you could say it went pretty well,” Tiana deadpans.

From the Bride: It’s so funny to look back. In some ways, I don’t think I would have ever believed anyone who would have told me, “[AJ] is the man you’re going to marry.” In other ways, I can look back and so clearly see God’s hand in all of it. I remember going hiking on one of our early dates, and there was this moment where we paused and sat down on this big rock. I (very boldly and uncharacteristically) leaned my head on AJ’s shoulder and held his hand.

I felt this overwhelming sense of peace and sense of “home.” I distinctively in that moment remember the Lord telling me, you can rest here.

I don’t often hear him so clearly, and I am not one to rest. I am often busy and anxious and overwhelmed. I am uncertain and indecisive. But I knew that the Lord was inviting me in to trust him. To rest. And to let myself be loved by him, through this man he was placing before me.

Our relationship is far from perfect. Like any imperfect humans, we can both be stubborn and selfish. We argue. We make mistakes. But we are confident in God’s grace and mercy, especially through the sacrament of marriage. We are so excited and filled with joy to enter into this vocation that Lord has called us to, so that one day we can make it home to heaven, together.

From the Photographer: On a beautiful spring day, Tiana and AJ were wed. Their wedding date was moved up over a month earlier than planned due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This was not where, when or how they ever pictured their wedding day, but nonetheless, it was perfect and beautiful. Their small, intimate ceremony took place on the campus of Franciscan University of Steubenville in the simple, stunning and beloved Portiuncula Chapel.

They were surrounded by a small group of family and friends as they promised to be faithful to one another, in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health.

Being married in the midst of a pandemic, these vows took on an even deeper and more profound meaning. There was tangible joy felt by all who were present.

One of the most unique and positive things that I've seen come from this pandemic is how family and friends rally around couples and find new ways to celebrate their love, all while social distancing. Tiana and AJ's friends gathered in their cars along the side of the road to surprise their newly married friends after their wedding Mass. It was so incredibly special. They held signs, threw confetti and played music to celebrate. There were even some friends on Facetime sharing virtual congratulations.

Even though their original wedding plans were good and beautiful, things had to change drastically. Tiana and AJ had to entrust our Lord and Our Lady with their new plans, knowing God is still in control, even in uncertain times. Their intimate ceremony put the focus on the sacrament taking place and allowed those present to really be immersed in the profundity of matrimony. Two lives, two souls were woven together and not even a pandemic could stop that.

The popular saying in the wedding industry these days is "You can't cancel love." That is very much the truth--because God is Love.