Sadie + Aaron | Traditional English Garden-Inspired Wedding

From the Bride

I was ready to give up on my foray into online dating when I received a message in my Catholic Match inbox. A man was asking about my favorite C.S. Lewis book and football in Texas. Unable to resist explaining my Texan love for football to a Northerner, I began corresponding with Aaron from Buffalo, NY. Unfortunately, he was a 5-hour drive from my home in Hershey, PA. 

Aaron claims that when he saw me, he knew he was looking at the smartest and prettiest young lady he had ever seen, and that our budding romance was too good to be true. 

The following week Aaron asked for a phone call, during which I recounted an embarrassing childhood story involving cats and bar charts. Luckily, this didn’t deter him from wanting to meet in person (in fact, that quirkiness is what Aaron loved most about me). 

After a month of messages, phone calls, and texts, Aaron drove to Hershey and took me out to Chocolate World for our first date. Later, our attraction to each other was solidified when we discovered we were both drawn to traditional practices. And most of all to the mystery and beauty of the Mass of the Ages.

When I invited Aaron to my niece’s 1st birthday party in Texas, I was under the impression he was going to ask my dad for my hand in marriage. But he had other plans. After my niece’s party, I went with my mom to a chocolate bonbon-making class. Aaron and the rest of my family were left watching March Madness. While I was gone, he let everyone in on the secret that he was planning to propose that weekend. 

Upon my return, Aaron led me to a private part of the house, read a poem he had written himself, and asked me to be his wife. In his thoughtfulness, he had ensured we were surrounded by family I didn’t see very often. And in my excitement, I also managed to spill wine on my poem—you can still see the stain to this day!

Looking back, Divine Providence was beautifully woven throughout our meeting and courtship. The first day Aaron messaged me was December 7, the feast of St. Ambrose—the patron of my childhood parish. After that, and before we met in person, he prayed the rosary every day, humbly asking Our Lady for her intercession in our new relationship. 

At the time, I was regularly attending the traditional Latin Mass (TLM), and Aaron happily accompanied me. We consecrated ourselves to Mary, and in the nine months preceding what we thought would be our wedding date, we completed the First Friday devotion in honor of the Sacred Heart of Our Lord. 

Devotion to the Sacred Heart was prominent throughout our engagement. We even had a Sacred Heart cake at our betrothal and engagement party. And little did we know, the Sacred Heart would soon play an even bigger role as the pandemic wreaked havoc on our wedding plans.

We wanted to be intentional with the details of our wedding, in a way that reflected the intentionality of the traditional Latin Mass. This started in the design of our wedding crest:

We included lilacs—the state flower of New York—to represent Aaron, and cotton bolls to represent my family background in cotton farming. We chose the Latin phrase “Semper Veritas et Amor” which means “love and truth forever” to reflect the initials of our monogram. Finally, we decided to have the Sacred Heart burning at the top. 

This was a reminder that our marriage was called to reflect God’s boundless love and passionate heart, set ablaze for all of mankind.

My childhood dream was to plan a May wedding full of beautiful spring blooms. COVID, unfortunately, prevented that dream from coming completely true. We were planning on marrying in Texas, but both Aaron and I were in New York when government-mandated lockdowns took effect. To make matters worse, Texas instituted a 14-day quarantine on travelers from New York. 

Even if we had a small wedding, it would be nearly impossible for Aaron’s parents to make it. Meanwhile, members of my family were urging us to consider postponing. But Aaron and I had already spent our engagement long distance, and we were eager to enter the sacrament of matrimony. Juggling competing interests began to take its toll. 

After many heartfelt conversations, Aaron and I decided that no matter the outcome of the pandemic, we would marry on June 20, the Saturday after the feast of the Sacred Heart.

Postponing for six weeks was a gamble, but Texas began steadily re-opening in May. Bad news struck, however, when we were informed we couldn’t use the parish hall for our reception. In a small town, the parish hall was the only wedding venue available. Luckily, my aunt knew of a large venue in a neighboring small town: a barn where livestock shows were held.

Although we secured a new venue, the uncertainty of the pandemic still left us feeling like our plans could crumble at any moment. Many meat-packing plants in Texas were experiencing COVID outbreaks, resulting in a meat shortage. There probably wouldn’t be any meat to serve our wedding guests. For barbecue-loving Texans, this was quite the blow. But we kept reminding ourselves that our day was about the sacrament, not the celebration. 

While visiting the parish we were to marry in, I noticed that instead of the traditional St. Joseph statue on the left side altar, there was a statue commemorating the Sacred Heart of Jesus. This small sign from heaven was all it took for Aaron and I to decide to entrust all of our worries to His most Sacred Heart.

Finding a church with a high altar and communion rail suitable for the TLM led us to St. Boniface, the parish home of my father’s grandparents. They even have a stained-glass window dedicated in their honor! 

Honoring our familial heritage was important to us; both Aaron and I are of German descent. Marrying at a church under the patronage of St. Boniface, the saint credited for converting the Germanic tribes of Europe, seemed a perfect way to honor the faith and traditions our ancestors had passed down through generations.

While planning wedding details, I came across a medieval tradition of using flowers as symbols of the Blessed Virgin. I wanted our wedding flowers to stem from this tradition. The bouquet we presented to Mary at our nuptial Mass included roses to represent the Mystical Rose herself, as well as “lily of the valley.” Legend says lily of the valley sprung up at the foot of the cross as Mary’s tears fell to the ground as she witnessed the crucifixion. 

It was important to me to include symbols of both joy and sorrow in our wedding day. I wanted a reminder to humbly bear the crosses of this life, to one day revel in the glory of the next. And to remind us that God can always turn our sorrow into something beautiful.

Although it was a hard decision to make, we were so grateful to have an event in which all of our family (including our five nieces and nephews!) could witness our union before God. 

Postponing allowed my nephews to be ring bearers and my young cousins to ring dainty silver bells down the aisle to signal the entrance of the bride. They were followed by my two flower girl nieces, who were gently coaxed down the aisle by their mothers, my matrons of honor, and their fathers, who were groomsmen. 

Postponing our marriage to June, the month devoted to the most Sacred Heart, seemed to be part of our story from the start.

For our reception, I was inspired by the beauty of traditional English gardens. An entire team of people (commanded by my warrior mother who planned and re-planned our wedding twice) worked tirelessly to transform a livestock barn into a secret garden oasis. 

Flowers adorned as many surfaces as possible (even the ceiling), and we rented greenery common in English gardens to surround our sweetheart table. A display of wedding photographs of our ancestors was decorated with lace and vintage wedding veils. And as a nod to our Victorian inspiration, we included a tea bar complete with tea, honey, sugar cubes, cinnamon sticks, and shortbread cookies. 

Vintage teacups planted with miniature ivies graced the tabletops and served as favors to our guests. We also gave away aprons emblazoned with either the Sacred Heart of Jesus or the Immaculate Heart of Mary, made for the men and women who helped serve at our reception.

We kicked off dancing with the German tradition of the Grand March. Then our guests danced the night away two-stepping and celebrating our new marriage—something we had doubted would ever happen!

I want other brides to know that no matter the circumstances, at the end of your wedding day, you and your beloved have still received a beautiful sacrament. Despite many setbacks, tears, and anxieties, Divine Providence (as always) reigned supreme, and the result was a beautiful, grace-filled day. It was a day in which Aaron and I ceased to be two single individuals and were united as one. 

The love, support, and commitment from our closest family and friends to make our wedding happen during such a trying time was a testament to true Christian charity. It was the love and generosity of a community formed by a shared love of God, and our wedding was just one beautiful fruit.

Photography: Kristin Bednarz, Kristin + Camera | Nuptial Mass Location: St. Boniface Catholic Church, Olfen, Texas | Wedding Reception Venue: Miles Young Farmer Show Complex, Miles, Texas | Rentals: Celebraciones Bellas and Joyce Wilde, family friend | Rings: Jared | Stationery: Papel Custom Design | Wedding Crest: Blush and Bloom Art | Florals: Stemmed and Lana Hirt, family friend | Cake: Betty Lehr, family friend | Hair: Janie Rodriguez, NoCo Salon, and Tami Schwartz, family friend | Makeup: Danielle Bradshaw, Posh Salon | Bride’s Gown: Lulu’s Bridal | Bride’s Headpiece: Lena Rom | Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Molly’s Bridal Closet | Bridesmaids’ Veils: Rutt Shop | Tuxedos: Jos. A. Bank | Videography: Molina Media