Rachel + Jeremy | Late Summer Roses

A love story that began in a second-grade classroom, anointed year after year by Our Lady’s grace and healing, fulfilled in a Christ-centered Mass and elegant, historic Midwest venue.

Rachel and Jeremy first met as children, in the same class at school for First Reconciliation and First Communion when Rachel transferred to the school. “The first memory I have of him is when he read for Mass in his tiny second-grader suit and tie during our First Reconciliation,” Rachel says. “I never imagined the Lord would make that moment the beginning of our love story.”

Flash forward to high school and college, when they became better acquainted through the teen ministry at their parish, each growing in individual relationship with the Lord as they passed by each other year after year. When Jeremy transferred to Franciscan University, where Rachel was attending, she invited him to dinner one night, knowing from her past experience of switching schools that the transition could be tough. “That one dinner turned into a weekly dinner, which turned into lunches, and movie nights, and game nights. By the end of the semester, we were closing out the dining halls and finding any excuse to spend time together,” says Rachel. 

Even before recognizing or admitting her feelings for Jeremy, she found herself drawn to his one-of-a-kind sense of humor, his intelligence and most of all, his utmost respect for the Lord and the desire for a relationship with Him.

From the Bride: 

When Jeremy first confessed his feelings for me, I was so surprised!

I had never been pursued by a man who willed my ultimate good. A man who loved me second because he loved God first.

I decided right then and there that before we took another step towards dating that I wanted to offer up our friendship to the Blessed Mother no matter what the outcome would be. Jeremy, being the man he is, supported this decision and we prayed together about what the Lord wanted for each of us.

Eventually, we received a green light from the Lord to begin a relationship. To say it's been a rollercoaster ever since is an understatement. We've experienced the highest of highs together, but have equally shared in the lowest of lows. We've had every adventure and can't wait for more. 

In the first year of our relationship, we consecrated ourselves to the Blessed Mother on her feast day as Queen of the Universe. We have such a love for her for all the ways she has interceded in our lives, and made it a practice to pray the Rosary often. 

We dated for four years before getting engaged and boy did the Lord bring us through ups and downs. But through it all, the Lord was good and faithful. He brought us together over and over, teaching us how to love like Him: how to apologize, and forgive, and laugh through the tears. He helped us grow year after year and nurtured our past wounds, bringing healing to each of us.

After four years that included long-distance dating, one break, and a lot of love, Jeremy popped the question. It might not sound romantic, but I’ll remember it forever!

We had booked an escape room with Jeremy’s sister and brother-in-law, Erica and Ben. About 50 minutes in, my competitive side was showing. To make it out of the room in time, one last question needed to be answered. “Rachel Marie,” Jeremy began, “Four years ago on this day was the first time I said I love you. Will you do the honor of letting me love you forever? Will you marry me?” Of course, I shouted my yes.

Thus began the exciting time of being engaged. We spent a lot of time preparing in different ways, mentally, emotionally but most importantly spiritually. We met with my Spiritual Director and our chosen Officiant, Deacon Tom Biegel, as well as with a mentor couple. Through all of those meetings Jeremy and I came to an even better understanding of and mutual respect for one another. We even made the decision to stop kissing 100 days out from the wedding, because--dang!--chastity is hard, especially when you’re so close to spending the rest of your lives together.

During our last month of engagement, we embarked on a novena I had always dreamed of incorporating into my wedding day. We prayed the 54-day Rosary Novena and chose to end it on August 22, the feast day of Our Lady Queen of the Universe--the day we had first consecrated ourselves to the Blessed Mother, and the day we had first chosen to one day get married. During the novena, the first 27 days are prayed in petition for a specific intention, and the last 27 days are prayed in thanksgiving.

This is what we prayed for:

For the binding, healing and forgiveness of all generational sin from the Fisher and Medina families and the sin we had brought into our relationship.

For our marriage and the building up of our souls as we were to become one with each other and one in Christ.

For our future children, for their sanctity and that they may follow the vocation God our Father calls them to.

On the 54th day, we prayed our final Rosary in a private Chapel just 30 minutes before saying our vows. It was such a precious moment to entrust the entirety of our relationship, our marriage, our future children and so much more into the arms of our Most Blessed Mother. She had done so much for us in our short lives and we were eager to invite her into the rest of what her Son was calling us to. Jeremy sat just one pew in front of me so that we could do a First Look--as I practically sprinted down the aisle to him.

Lastly, as we were about to say our vows, Jeremy picked up a beautiful San Damiano Crucifix. We had chosen a Franciscan crucifix because of how important of a role it had played in our lives at Franciscan University. We each placed our right hand over our Lord and made our vows to love one another as Christ had loved us.

When our officiant exclaimed the words you may now kiss the bride, Jeremy lowered his lips to Jesus on the Cross, and I followed suit. Then we shared our first kiss as husband and wife.

After the Mass had ended, we had requested that Deacon Tom set up the Chapel for a time of Adoration. For so long I had waited for this day, and I wanted Jesus to be the first person we spent our time with as husband and wife. It was absolutely perfect. 

As people filed out of the Church and made their way to the reception, Jeremy and I were in audience with Our King, thanking Him for bringing us to that very moment. After some alone time in Adoration, we opened the Chapel doors for any guests who wished to pray before Him. Afterwards, we hopped on our party bus and truly rejoiced in the rest of the day to follow. At each and every turn we wanted the Lord to be involved in our journey. 

Every moment we thought, how can we invite Him in even more?

Throughout our entire relationship, Jeremy and I have strived to keep our eyes on Christ. We haven’t been perfect by any means, yet each and every time we messed up, we helped the other run back to Him. It’s beautiful to see how the Lord had brought us from receiving our first sacraments together as children to receiving the Sacrament of Marriage. The Lord is a romantic! He had planned this from the beginning, and I am so excited to see how His story plays out in the rest our lives. He placed me here so that I could say yes to marrying my best friend, my love, my companion chosen for me on the journey home.

From the Photographer:

From the first phone call with Rachel and Jeremy, I could see how important their faith was to them. They spoke about all of the pivotal moments in their relationship where the Lord and Blessed Mother were so present, and how they were brought into their season of engagement.

When we met in person for their engagement session, they were close to starting their 54-day Rosary novena. It was the most beautiful thing to witness the final rosary of Rachel and Jeremy’s Novena on their wedding day and be a part of Adoration after their wedding mass. To see a couple so focused on getting each other to heaven was incredibly inspiring. They truly kept Christ the center of their entire wedding day from start to finish.

Ceremony Location: St. Gilbert Catholic Church, Grayslake, Illinois | Reception Venue: Upper East, Kenosha, Wisconsin | Photography: Colette M. Photography | Second Photographer: Annika Rose Photography | Videography: Rhys Ladhani Media | DJ: Silver Spoon Entertainment | Florals: Debbie’s Floral Shoppe, Mundelein, Illinois | Cake & Desserts: Culinary Infusion, Kenosha, Wisconsin | Bride’s Gown: Bon Bon Belle, Milwaukee, Wisconsin | Wedding Bands: Rolland’s Jewelers, Libertyville, Illinois | Makeup: Dina Forchione-Kloss of Embrace Your Face Artistry | Hairstylist: Tammie Retzke | Bridesmaids’ Attire: Azazie | Groom’s & Groomsmen’s Attire: Generation Tux

Olivia + Jackson | Heirloom-Inspired Interfaith Wedding

Pink hues and pearl-dotted details create a simple, vintage aesthetic with a modern twist. Placing an emphasis on personal touches, this wedding and reception became a true family affair.

When Olivia first met Jackson, he checked all of the boxes except one: Catholic. 

While she prepared herself for the day when it would become clear that things could never work out between them—even thinking that he might pull the trigger himself when her overwhelming Catholicism got the best of him—that day never came.

This thing that she used to think of as a full-stop dealbreaker was turning out to not break the deal at all. 

As she fell more and more in love with Jackson, marriage made its way to the very front of her mind. 

From the Bride:

I hadn’t thought much about my future wedding before, but the one thing that I always wanted was that moment when my beloved and I would both receive the Eucharist—our first meal shared together as one would be the very body and blood of Jesus! 

How could this be if the man I loved didn’t share my faith?

I eventually talked to my paternal grandmother—lovingly called Oma—whose nearly 60 years of marriage to my late Opa had always been an inspiration to me. Their marriage, like the one I would one day enter into, was a mixed-faith marriage. 

A very happy life, 12 children, and 46 grandchildren came from their marriage, so I knew it wasn’t “bad” to marry a Protestant. I just thought I’d never do it. 

Oma’s words resonated with me: “Does he love you? And more importantly, does he love God?”

My dream of receiving communion with my husband had to be altered, but I also found great beauty and humility in my husband when we both knelt at the altar on that day and received different blessings—the body and blood of Christ for me, and the prayer of spiritual communion for him.

Our wedding day was more lovely than I ever could have imagined. During the planning process, I found that there were very few things I cared about, so I ended up letting other people make decisions, unless I was forced. 

There was only one detail that I was absolutely sure I wanted to handle: Jackson’s wedding band.

When Opa died a couple years prior, he left everything to my Oma—except one thing, which was for me. 

A few days after his funeral, my Oma handed me a green jewelry box with a golden clasp. Inside was his wedding ring, which he had worn proudly his whole life. 

I’d been known by all as Opa’s favorite, so I wasn’t surprised to receive a gift from him, but I had no idea what I was supposed to do with a man’s ring. So, I tucked it away and waited until its purpose was clear.

Little did I know that less than a month after I received Opa’s ring, Jackson would come into my life. He was a smart, interesting, hard-working Christian, and he really seemed to like me! 

Not long after we began dating, he started to say to me, “You’re my favorite,” with the sweetest smile, and I started to understand what Opa’s ring had been for all along.

When Jackson proposed to me, he gifted me a ring that had been worn by his great-grandmother, which made it even more fitting that he would one day wear Opa’s ring. 

Together, we took it to a jeweler and had it refurbished into the wedding band that I placed on his finger on our wedding day. The new version of the ring is more modern and suits Jackson’s style better, but is still recognizable to me as the ring that symbolized Opa’s vow. 

This has helped me to associate our interfaith marriage with another that had been such a shining example in my life.

I should mention here that I am lucky. Though my husband is not Catholic, he has embraced the Catholic tradition in many ways: he willingly attends Mass with me weekly; has promised to help me raise our children Catholic one day; and agreed to a full Mass on our wedding day, knowing that he and his family would not get to receive Communion. 

Not every interfaith marriage is so blessed. But to the brides out there who have fallen in love with a non-Catholic man, I say that not only is a Christ-centered, interfaith marriage possible, but it is beautiful.

My marriage to a Protestant man has broken down many of the uncharitable prejudices that I used to have about our non-Catholic brothers and sisters. My husband’s family has been the most welcoming force in my life, and I now strive to share that virtue, while still living my Catholic faith. 

My husband’s scrupulous research about the teachings of the Church and the questions that he’s asked me have forced me to dive into the traditions of my faith. 

My faith is no longer passive, but active. I seek the reasons behind the truths of our faith, and I actively pray that what we both learn leads him to heaven.

When we set out to plan our wedding, we didn’t have much of a “vision” in mind. The perfect wedding for both of us would be simple, down-to-earth, and would be well-attended by our families and close friends. 

We came up with a concept for an heirloom-inspired, modern wedding based on what was most important to us, including being married in the same church as my grandparents.

Wanting to include our family and friends in our wedding day, we realized that the people who are close to us all had unique gifts to share, so we began to ask for help, turning our vintage, heirloom wedding into an all-hands-on-deck experience.

My mother used her talents honed as a graphic designer to create a lovely design for our wedding invitations, which we decided to engrave on lightweight wood for a classic feel. 

For the liturgy, we enlisted my aunt and uncle to organize the music and asked some other well-spoken relatives to proclaim the Word. Some cousins were recruited as altar servers, and our siblings and friends were secured as the wedding party. 

We then chose our readings and music selections. Both of us were drawn to the stories of creation, and found them very fitting for celebrating the creation of our new family. 

With this in mind, I chose to process down the aisle to the hymn, “All Creatures of Our God and King.” While I walked down the aisle with my dad, I heard the congregation praising God in song as I approached Jackson, the man who was created by God for me.

For us, wearing the rings of each other’s relatives was an important symbolic joining of our families.

We can now look to the long and happy marriages of those who wore our rings as an example and inspiration for our marriage.

The aesthetic of our wedding was simple and classic, with a modern twist. I wore the simplest gown I could find, which was altered by a seamstress to match the pearl details that we’d chosen for the reception. 

I chose vintage-inspired, pearl-dotted shoes, pearl earrings, and a long veil that had been worn by two of my bridesmaids at their own weddings. The bridesmaids wore dresses in shades of pink, and we all carried blush and cream flowers surrounded by lush greenery that had been arranged by the florist shop housed inside my father’s pharmacy.

The reception venue we chose was owned by a family friend. It was a historic newspaper office that had been converted into an event space. 

The building itself featured built-in bookcases and large wooden columns that played into our vintage-meets-modern theme very nicely. We added pearl accents where we could, including sheer curtains with pearl details lining the windows. 

Twinkle lights were placed on top of shelves, and the built-in bookcases were repurposed as glassware cabinets. The original newspaper front desk became our bar, where we served beers and seltzers brewed at my uncle’s brewery in Tennessee.

Wooden tables were arranged around a dance floor, and we served heavy hors d'oeuvres in a tent outside. A jazz band played a mix of standard tunes and more modern hits for our guests to enjoy. 

We were also treated to a vocal rendition of “Under the Boardwalk” performed by my dad and his brothers, a tradition at all of our family gatherings.

When the time came to cut the cake, we sliced into a beautiful two-tier masterpiece made by my younger sister and maid of honor. It was both beautiful and delicious!

The personal touches that came from our friends and family made our wedding truly unique.

Our families celebrated the first day of our life as a new family in the most fitting way: by being a family! Time, talents, and treasures were contributed by all to make our day reflect the joy of the sacrament that we received. 

We feel so blessed to be a part of a family that steps up and takes on the roles that they are most suited to—in the same way that we now fulfill our unique roles as husband and wife. 

Leading up to our wedding, I heard from so many people that the wedding day isn't that important. Though this is absolutely true when comparing the wedding to the marriage, I saw something unexpected and deep in the way our wedding day came together. 

What I saw was a microcosm of the Church herself. By giving to the Lord the fruits of our unique abilities, we can create a beautiful thing—a community that lives like a family. 

Our friends and family who attended our wedding and helped us make the day special not only shared in our joy; they gave us joy! And there's no better gift to give to a bride and groom.

Photography: Angela Brearton Photography | Nuptial Mass Location: Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, Fulton, IL | Reception Location: The Old Fulton Journal Building, Fulton, IL | Appetizers & Desserts: Krumpets Bakery Cafe | Late Night Snack: Candlelight Inn | Beer & Seltzer: Red Silo Brewing | Bride's Dress: BHLDN | Bride's Shoes: Etsy | Bride's Jewelry: Etsy | Bridesmaid Dresses: Azazie | Groom's Attire: State & Liberty | Cake: Tessa Vander Bleek | Stationary: KAST Laser Creations | Music: Chicago Diamond Trio | Flowers: Fitzgerald's Flowers

Meg + Tim | Vintage Italian-Inspired Wedding

Meg and Tim deeply desired that their wedding be a witness to the beauty of the sacrament and of their beloved Catholic faith. Incorporating their love for the Latin Mass into the Novus Ordo liturgy, they gave their guests an experience of grace, tradition, and God’s enduring love.

Their love story is one of online dating, adventure, and homemade limoncello.

From the Bride: Tim and I met on Catholic Match in late 2014, but we didn't meet in person until June 2015. We finally stood face to face on a softball field a few days before I left for a new adventure in Italy and Tim left for a camping trip in Quetico, Canada. But we didn’t know the biggest adventure of our lives was around the corner.

After Tim survived a canoe capsizing in Canadian waters (rough stuff), and I endured Italian wine and culture (even rougher), we returned to the U.S. and began forming a friendship founded upon a mutual love of good music, friendly sports competition, and our Catholic faith.

Our devotion to Our Lady, St. Therese of Lisieux, and St. John Paul the Great have been at the core of our relationship even into marriage. We just welcomed our first child, a daughter, on November 11 of last year. We named her Teresa "Tessa" Rose after the Little Flower.

Tim and I knew from the beginning that we wanted our wedding day to be about Christ and his Mother, our families, and being a beautiful witness for the Catholic faith. We had grown in our faith life separately and together, but we were excited to share the Father's love with our guests as well.

I grew up attending the Latin Mass, and knew I wanted our nuptial Mass to reflect many of the traditions from the Tridentine Mass. So we planned a Latin Novus Ordo Mass that was a beautiful mix of old and new traditions.

I will never forget what our priest, Father Nathan Caswell, said during his homily: “You don't know the beauty and mystery of the good times and the hard times that await.” It made me all the more excited for the vows we would be exchanging just moments later.

It was really important to us to include Psalm 34, "I will bless the Lord at all times" into the liturgy. It echoes how we want to live our marriage; through the good and the bad, we will bless the Lord. The gospel reading was equally important because we saw our nuptial Mass as an opportunity to evangelize. We chose John 5:12-16 to share Christ's message:

“This is my commandment: love one another as I love you. No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.You are my friends if you do what I command you. I no longer call you slaves, because a slave does not know what his master is doing. I have called you friends, because I have told you everything I have heard from my Father. It was not you who chose me, but I who chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit that will remain, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name he may give you.”

The aesthetic of our wedding was meant to echo a vintage, summertime Italian day. We wanted it to be reminiscent of the summer Tim and I met. Only a few days after our meeting, we continued communicating while I was in Italy, a beautiful, romantic country where I couldn't help but think that Tim and I had a bright future together.

In keeping with our vintage theme, my dress had short sleeves, an ivory hue, delicate details, and many buttons. My shoes were a vintage heel and were my "something blue." My necklace had a gold chain that held an aquamarine heart and was my “something borrowed.” Just two months after they began dating, my dad had given it to my mom, which is also when they were engaged! More than thirty years later, they are still going strong.

As I was getting ready the morning of the wedding, I knew I'd have trouble bending down in my form-flattering dress to strap my shoes, but my younger brother was at the ready. He helped me strap them in a loving, organic moment that I will remember forever. His simple act of service started the day out right.

Our reception was held at the Old Towne Hall in Crystal Lake, Illinois. It was the place I had envisioned hosting a wedding reception at ever since I had been there for a swing dancing social years earlier. It was quaint and vintage-y in so many ways. The tin, scalloped ceiling especially was our favorite element.

To further include the Italian theme and my Italian heritage, Tim and I made our own limoncello, an Italian liqueur made from lemons, vodka, and sugar, as favors for our guests. I designed the label and wrote out tags that read "Grazie!" That’s Italian for "thank you!"

A few close family members brought homemade desserts to share as well, which added a special touch. A family favorite is “baklawa” (similar to the Greek dessert baklava). My husband has Iraqi roots, and this was a special nod to his mother's side of the family.

But perhaps the greatest surprise of the day was my two sisters' performance of the "Sisters" skit from White Christmas. They really kicked off the reception with a bang. I had no idea it was coming, and I laughed and laughed, all while singing along with them. My bouquet landing on one of the chandeliers during the toss is probably the second biggest surprise of the day--if not the most embarrassing! We still laugh about it!

In the days, and especially the night, before the wedding, I was praying for peace and to be fully present during my wedding day. I woke up on June 10 and felt absolutely at peace. I experienced incredible joy the whole day, and I knew my prayer had been answered by the Holy Spirit. Ask, and you shall receive.

I felt the closest I have ever felt to our Lord as I knelt with my husband in the sanctuary. Our guests were so thoughtful, and their support was so important to us on that day, but it seemed like everything melted away. In that moment, it was just God, Tim, and I on the altar.

Photography: Kyle and Heidi Photography | Church: St. Peter Catholic Church - Volo, IL | Reception Venue: Old Towne Hall, Crystal Lake, IL | Calligraphy: Calligraphy by Meg Em | Wedding Cake: Konrad's Bakery | Bridesmaids' Dresses - JJ's House | Groomsmen Attire - Perry Ellis | Reception Music - Music That Moves | Wedding bands - Zales | Engagement ring: Groom's mother | Hair: Bella Vita Salon | Flowers - Debbie Strand Designs | Bride's Dress/Veil: David's Bridal | Invitations: Vistaprint