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

Grace + Jared | Wisconsin Marine Corps Wedding

A wedding set apart by simple, classic beauty. With powder blue accents and a military polish, bride and groom strove to serve both God and their guests, in gratitude for their presence in their story of grace and conversion. 

Grace knew from childhood that she desired a husband who shared her faith. That’s why she never expected to fall in love with Jared, a Marine and devout non-denominational Christian. Their story is one of mutual understanding, refinement, and conversion. In the end, they entered into marriage in a joyful wedding celebration bathed in reverence and beauty. And in another miracle of sacramental grace, seven months after their wedding, Jared converted to Catholicism.

From the Bride 

Having grown up with a father who rediscovered his Catholic faith a decade or so into marriage, I was taught from a young age that I should prioritize marrying a man who shared my faith. That is, if I was called to marriage, and it was always an “if.” My dad never missed an opportunity to remind me that a vocation to the religious life was a wonderful option!

So I prayed for my future husband all throughout childhood, and upon entering college I was convinced I’d meet the wonderful Catholic man God had intended for me at my campus parish. Instead, I met Jared in a constitutional law class junior year, and we began dating just before our senior year. And while he was indeed wonderful, he was also Protestant.

But God blessed our relationship from the beginning. Jared was a non-denominational Christian who firmly believed couples should attend church together, so he attended Mass with me nearly every Sunday. We also had a standing Eucharistic adoration date every Wednesday, which he rarely missed. 

Our difference in faith nearly caused a break-up once or twice, but my saintly mother and St. Cecilia (on whose feast day Jared was born) always managed to smooth things over. She reminded me that Jared’s support of my faith and his own love for Christ were the most important things to focus on.

Not every interfaith relationship leads to a strengthening of faith or marriage, but we tried to be very intentional in ours. While we dated, I spent many hours in front of the Blessed Sacrament, praying for our relationship and for Jared’s eyes to be opened to Truth. 

And Jared, knowing how important my Catholic faith was to me, also prayed daily for Truth, heeding the wise advice of my mother: “Jared, ask God what he wants you to believe about these things.”

The most spiritual growth came after our engagement, however. Jared is in the Marine Corps, and the fall after our senior year of college he moved from Wisconsin to Quantico, Virginia for six months of training. During this time apart, I developed a love for the rosary, praying it daily for him. Meanwhile, he joined a program called Adopt a Marine, where families of faith around Marine Corps bases spiritually “adopt” single Marines. 

Instead of selecting a Protestant family, Jared chose to enter a Catholic family. He regularly attended Mass with them and joined them for family dinners, learning more and more about the faith. 

Our discussions on theology and faith became less tense and caused fewer tears on my side. He began to develop a deep love for the Blessed Virgin and St. Cecilia. And he taught himself to pray the rosary. As I watched both his faith and my faith grow, I began to truly appreciate God’s plan for my vocation.

During our eleven-month engagement, Jared and I had ample time to discuss what elements of our wedding day were most important to us. As a young religious couple, our ceremony took precedence over the reception, which we viewed as a giant “thank you” to all our friends and family who invested in us throughout the years.

The Catholic Church recommends a wedding ceremony without the liturgy of the Eucharist for interfaith couples, to focus on unity instead of division. This prompted a strong desire in us to fill the ceremony with as much reverence and beauty as possible, to make sure our day was visibly focused on how God had blessed our lives--not just on the romantic, “Hallmark-y” elements of marriage. 

Jared and I chose to walk down the aisle together, to symbolize the offering of both of ourselves to God in the vocation of marriage. The choir sang “All Creatures of Our God and King,” and later my little sister led the congregation in Psalm 148, reminding all present where our hearts and minds should lift their praises. 

Despite the mixed religious bag that was our guest list, Jared and I decided to offer a bouquet of flowers to Mary during our ceremony, to thank her for all she did for us while we dated. Two friends, both members of our city’s opera, sang a beautiful duet of Schubert’s “Ave Maria” with such power and beauty that our eyes welled with tears.

When asked about his favorite part of our wedding day, Jared always responds without hesitation: “the wedding vows.” 

Months prior we were struck by a dear friend masterfully projecting his memorized vows so not only his wife but the entire congregation could hear, and we elected to memorize them as a result. Jared and I wanted to say our vows with equal strength, witnessing to the permanent, powerful, and sacrificial nature of Christian marriage, without any fear or hesitation.

I can honestly say my favorite part was the entirety of the ceremony, but my second favorite part is so close a second it must be mentioned with the first. Exactly 364 days prior to our wedding, Jared received his commission from the United States Marine Corps. He promised that day to uphold and defend the Constitution of the United States of America with everything he has, including his life. 

One day less than a year later, he promised himself in marriage to me, promising to die to himself every day, and I promised him the same. I promised I would be faithful to him in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health, to love and to honor him all the days of my life. 

A few minutes and one recessional hymn later, I walked with my new husband through an arch of swords under a promisingly bright and sunny sky. I then promised Lieutenant Smith--with a kiss and a sword to the derriere--that I would be with him in deployment and shore duty, in Okinawa and San Diego, and in all the other ups and downs of military life. 

Hearing the words, “Welcome to the Marine Corps, Mrs. Smith!” was a close second to our wedding vows. To me, that was what finalized my commitment. Inside the church I said “yes” to Jared and to God’s vocation for us. Outside the church I said “yes” to the Marine Corps and to all the joys and insanities the years ahead would bring us.

Our wedding reception followed at a golf club near my hometown. Throughout our engagement, we had worried very little about the details of the reception, insofar as they pertained to us and to our likes and dislikes. We viewed our reception as a way to thank the people who had travelled to witness the beginning of our marriage. While this did not mean we put in any less effort, it did mean we felt significantly less stress.

Social media glamorizes perfect receptions, but we were free to focus on the comfort and delight of others. This removed any disappointment if things weren’t “perfect,” or if a song we really wanted to dance to wasn’t played. It wasn’t about us! 

This attitude of centering the reception on our guests allowed Jared and I to have an incredible time, so incredible that we were the last to leave! We waved our guests off as they left, walking to our car with the DJ.

It can be tempting to view a wedding as an event that excuses, or even condones, selfish behavior from the bride or groom. As Catholics, we know selfishness is just another snare laid by Satan to rob us of the joy Christ seeks to give us, and that is never more apparent than in wedding planning. 

By focusing the ceremony on the greatness, majesty, and love of God, and the reception on expressing our gratitude to friends and family, it was possible to have a day devoid of the stress that modern weddings seem doomed to cause. By intentionally planning our day around the true meaning of marriage, Jared and I had the space to simply enjoy the goodness of God’s gifts to us. 

And as an extraordinary example of God’s continued generosity and grace in our married life, 7 months after our beautiful wedding day, Jared entered the Catholic Church.

Ariana + Craig | Romantic Woodland Basilica Wedding

Craig proposed to Ariana at the top of a tall tower at the Holy Hill Basilica in Wisconsin. The sunlit window overlooked acres of stunning green woodland and forest. After three years of dating, this was the moment the Lord had been leading them to.

In that time, they had weathered a medical scare and Craig’s conversion to the Catholic Church, teaching them profound lessons about trusting in God and his everlasting goodness. Their ceremony and reception was a romantic combination of rich emeralds and colorful flowers—a perfect accent to their scenic surroundings.

From the Bride: Craig and I met in college, away from home, but soon discovered we were from the same county. Neither of us were looking for a relationship at the time, but God had different plans. I had just come out of an unhealthy relationship I was pretty distraught about, and I was praying constantly for guidance and for God to find me a good Catholic man--one day, in the not-so-near future. 

Craig casually asked me to coffee his “super senior” year of college, with only a couple months left of school. After some coaxing, I accepted. And after a four-hour conversation, we shut the coffee shop down. Then we began to officially date. 

Craig was religious but didn't attend church regularly. I began inviting him to Mass, and he was very open to it. We had many long conversations about God, and we both came to believe the Lord was vital to our relationship. Later, after much thought and contemplation, Craig announced he would start the RCIA process. He become Catholic about two and a half years into our relationship, and I was his sponsor. 

A few months later, after more than three years of dating, Craig proposed to me at one of our favorite places: the Holy Hill Basilica and National Shrine of Mary Help of Christians.

He suggested visiting Holy Hill to hike some trails and to pray in the church. I agreed, not thinking anything of it. We frequently went there, and the beauty and peacefulness of the place never gets old.

That morning, once "Sub" (Craig's beloved Subaru Crosstrek) was parked in the lot of Holy Hill, he suggested going up to the "Scenic Tower." This was right as the church opened, so no one else was around. We began to climb the million-and-ten stairs to the top of the tower, causing Craig to almost collapse from the gradually mounting anxiety he was not prepared for! 

After enjoying the view and wiping away his sweat, he walked over to me and took my hand, asking if I would say a little prayer with him. Craig leaned back and got down on one knee. It was the biggest, most joyful surprise, and I said, “yes!”

Two weeks before Craig proposed, and after he received permission from my dad, I had a cancer scare. As I awaited test results screening for cancer, Craig and I prayed hard at Our Lady of Good Help chapel. They came back negative. That was a miracle in itself.

After finding out our home parish would be under renovation, we inquired about getting married at Holy Hill. At first we were turned down, but our friend and priest, Fr. Patrick Burns, inquired for us. He never heard back, but told us he would find a way. Three hours later, the priest from Holy Hill, Fr. Don Brick, called Fr. Patrick and said we could have our wedding there. Craig and I were married on the Feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus the next year, and we now have a very special devotion to the Sacred Heart.

Many of our friends and family gave us spiritual gifts of Mass offerings, prayers, and novenas during the weeks leading up to our wedding. The forecast predicted thunderstorms and heavy rain, and when my wedding day came, it poured all morning. But by one in the afternoon the rain cleared and blue sky came out, just in time for our 2PM ceremony. It didn't rain at all after that. 

Our nuptial Mass was filled with 225 guests, most of whom were not Catholic and some who were not Christian. Mine and Craig’s biggest prayer was to be tools for God to use in the conversion of our friends and family who either did not believe or were of another denomination. 

My dress had pieces of my godmother’s and grandma’s dresses in it. I custom-designed it with the help of a family friend who was also a seamstress. Originally, the dress was strapless, but I designed added sleeves, a gorgeous bodice, and the 22-foot veil I wore in the basilica and for photos.

One of the highlights of the ceremony was presenting the bouquet of flowers to Mary in the Marian side chapel. Much to our surprise, we saw adoration taking place. A close family friend of mine, whom I used to babysit, sang the “Ave Maria,” and it became a very special moment.

Throughout it all, Craig and I learned that God is so good! Always trust in him. If you and your beloved do your part, he will handle the rest.

Photography: Devon Rose Photography | Church: Nuptial Mass: Holy Hill Basilica and National Shrine of Mary, Help of Christians
Proposal: Holy Hill Basilica and National Shrine of Mary, Help of Christians bell tower | Wedding Reception Venue : Terrace 167 | Catering: Prime Minister Catering in Cedarburg, WI | Videgraphy: Aaron Moore Video (Moore Memories) | Rings: Kesslers Diamonds | Dress: "Snips" by Linda McCoy - wedding dress made by Linda McCoy and designed by the Bride and BHLDN

Bridget + KC | Traditional Christmas Octave Wedding

During a carpool to a retreat at a dinnertime pit stop, Bridget and KC met in a Wendy's checkout line as sophomores in college.

During the retreat, they bonded over The Food Network, dishwashing, and prayer. These conversations sparked a wonderful friendship. They looked forward to running into each other at their St. Paul University Catholic Center, and KC walked Bridget to her car each evening to make sure she was safe.

One afternoon after daily Mass, KC asked her on a date. Bridget thought about how much she appreciated him asking in person, and specifically "on a date" before enthusiastically saying yes. They went to a pumpkin patch and corn maze and were amazed to spend six hours together without a single lull in conversation.

After some prayer and discernment, they officially started dating a few weeks later.

From the Bride: For the next two years our “ongoing date” was trying to visit as many churches as we could. At each location we prayed in, we picked up a rock from outside the church and numbered it. Looking back on these rocks, we like to think about the churches and the prayers they represent. They are the rocks we have built our relationship with, like the reflection in Matthew 7.

During this time, I was able to spend two weeks visiting KC while he studied abroad. We went to Italy for Holy Week and spent Good Friday in Assisi. We even attended the Easter Vigil in St Peter's. Being in Rome for Easter was such an amazing opportunity for prayer, joy, and discernment for our relationship’s future.

While we were long-distance, we also scheduled holy hours together, taking into account the time difference, so that we could still pray together. Being united in prayer made the distance more bearable.

KC proposed in September 2016 at St Mary’s of Pine Bluff church. The proposal was at the end of a scavenger hunt for letters that each included a puzzle piece. When I found him in front of the altar he said, "I think you have some puzzle pieces. We work best together as a team, will you help me put it together?"

The puzzle read "Will you marry me?" and KC asked me, "Bridget, would you do me the honor of allowing me to love you into heaven?" I obviously said "yes!”

Our engagement seemed like a long one, but the whole time it was apparent that Christ was still working on our hearts and helping us to become better versions of ourselves so we could be the best spouses for each other. Every aspect of our marriage prep highlighted areas we still needed to grow personally and spiritually. We named Sts. Francis and Claire patrons of our engagement.

Planning a wedding together was so much fun, and I was very excited to have KC's enthusiastic help in the process, especially with the nuptial Mass.

Our main goal and theme of our Mass was "verso l'alto" (an Italian phrase made famous by Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati that means “to the top” or “towards the heights”). We wanted everything to point to Christ and to give glory to God.

When meeting with our main celebrant, Fr. Eric Sternberg, he asked us, "What is our goal here? Have a beautiful Mass and a fun party, or knock everyone’s socks off by being a tool of evangelization and praise the Most High God?" We laughed a little, not really seeing the difference, and said "both?" He chuckled a little and responded, "right answer, I am so excited."

We knew we were lucky to be married at St. Paul’s, the university chapel where our relationship began and grew. Additionally, we told Fr. Eric the more smells, bells, and gold we could incorporate, the better. Our wedding was planned to take place within the octave of Christmas, so why not? Not only were we receiving a sacrament, we were also celebrating Christ's birth!

My family has been blessed to have many priest friends, several of whom are godfathers to my siblings, so naturally they had to be included in the Mass. The total number of celebrants came to seven, plus a deacon. We had hoped to have Bishop Morlino there too, a good friend of my family, but we were not able to extend an invitation before his passing in November. Our Mass was served by several seminarian friends and two of my brothers.  

KC and I wanted to make sure there was a lot of symbolism and tradition in the Mass, even if only the two of us noticed or knew about it.

For example, both of our rings are custom-made. KC’s ring was crafted with a band of gold from his mom's old wedding ring and set between two bands of silver from her purity ring. His growth and spiritual life was kindled by his mother. Now it is my responsibility to support and care for him in this vocation.

My engagement ring has his mom's diamond from her same old wedding band, and my wedding band has fifteen tiny diamonds that I associate with a number of spiritual references: the fifteen prayers of St Bridget, my patron saint, the fifteen original mysteries of the rosary, and the fourteen stations of the cross, plus the resurrection.

My bridal colors we also chosen for religious symbolism: burgundy for the bridesmaids’ dresses and groomsmen's ties with gold as an accent. Not only was our wedding within the octave of Christmas (and those are both great Christmas colors), it was on the Feast of the Holy Innocents, and we decided on red for those precious martyrs. Shades of red also symbolized devotion to the Sacred Heart, which runs through our family and social circle.

KC and I had a candle lit in the sanctuary with Bishop Morlino's photo in memory of him, and our recessional hymn, “O God Beyond All Praising,” was partially chosen with him in mind, since it was one of his favorites.

We also memorized our vows, rather than repeating after the priest. KC and I wanted to make sure our vows were ones that we knew forward and backward and fully understood what they meant. It was a little weird to practice our vows with each other in the months before our wedding, so we replaced "husband" and "wife" in the first line with "friend" while we practiced.

At our wedding, we both almost said “friend,” and it was funny for the two of us, even though no one else knew! But it was very worth it, and we still hold hands once in a while and repeat our vows to each other.

The Mass was celebrated ad orientem, and we incorporated many Latin responses. Readings were chosen with Theology of the Body in mind and as much foreshadowing of the heavenly wedding feast of the Lamb as possible. The gospel reading (Jn 2:1-11) is one of our favorites because it contains the last recorded words of Mary: "Do whatever He tells you." They are a good command for us to remember as we begin our life together following God's plan.

We each had a holy hour the morning of the wedding and went to confession the night before. My father walked with me to the bride and groom’s "first look." KC and I wanted to process into the church together, so in order to still give my dad the opportunity to "give the bride away," we had him escort me then.

After our first look, my parents gathered with us to share a prayer they had written for us. KC and I read our letters to each other and prayed together for a brief, special moment. Then, just before starting the processional, my bridesmaids prayed over me.  

The Mass was a dream. Everything went smoothly; our musicians (all music majors and two opera/musical theater majors) were phenomenal.  KC says that our friend Ben put Andrea Bocelli to shame with his Ave Maria for our Marian consecration, which was the final day of our 33 Days to Morning Glory renewal. There was so much joy, peace, and excitement for both of us as we knelt and prayed after communion.

One of the priests told us afterwards that seeing the joy and radiance on our faces as we prayed gave him so much hope for the future and deepened his flame of love for his own bride, the Church.

We didn't share our first kiss at the altar. Rather, we snuck off for a few moments alone in one of the spiritual direction rooms in the basement of the Newman Center. Those moments were so important for us to share our joy, prayers, and thoughts from Mass and to take a deep breath before family photos and being passed around from guest to guest the rest of the evening.

Our honeymoon was in Italy, where we made another pilgrimage to Assisi to thank Sts. Francis and Claire for their intercession in our engagement and to Rome for the Sposi Novelli blessing.

Wedding planning can be a lot of fun if you are striving to have a celebration that reflects goodness, truth, and beauty. KC and I encountered our own share of spiritual warfare, but because God always comes through on his promises, we received many, many comments from our priests and our guests about how peaceful everything and everyone was.

We could feel that peace too. When we trust the Lord, really trust him to take care of things and to have a better plan than we have, everything works out, and it brings joy and light to other people's personal and spiritual lives.

Photography: Wild Elegance LLC | Church: St. Paul's University Catholic Center | Reception: St. Paul's University Catholic Center | Rings: Diny's Diamonds (Madison, WI) | Dress: Brides N Belles (Reedsburg, WI) | Veil: JJ's House | Shoes: Amazon, Overstock | Brides Jewelry: Handmade | Groom's Suit: JC Penney | Cake: To Di For (Stoughton, WI) | Hair and MU: The Posh Beauty Bar, done by Katrina (Stoughton, WI) | Caterer: Blue Plate Catering | DJ: Midwest Sound DJs | Flowers: DIY, purchased through Costco floral | Girls dresses and mens suits were purchased on their own. Men's ties were from Amazon. | Invitation Suite: By the bride

Susanna + Brad | Italian Vineyard-Inspired 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 Susanna and Brad’s testimony and proposal here, then read on for the details of their Green Bay wedding day, rich with the significance of vocation and the Church’s universal call to holiness for husbands and wives, priests, and religious.

Susanna and Brad had dated once before and broken up, but remained friends. Two years later--not long after a trip to Rome as friends, to attend a diaconate ordination--Susanna began a novena to Saint Joseph for her future husband. On the last day, as she turned from a statue of Joseph, she saw Brad in the chapel and sense he’d ask her out again. The following year, at the end of a stone breakwater in the rain, Brad gave Susanna a letter and got down on one knee.

From the Bride: Rome has played an important role in our relationship: Brad and I had been in Rome for a friend’s diaconate ordination two year prior, shortly before we began dating, and our friend, now a priest, celebrated our Nuptial Mass. And just two weeks before our wedding, we’d returned to the eternal city for Brad’s brother’s Diaconate Ordination

On the first of those two trips, we visited Madonna del Latte, a vineyard in Orvieto. This vineyard would provide us with the image we would reflect on throughout our engagement, our wedding day, and in our marriage.

Madonna del Latte got its name from a beautiful picture of Mary breastfeeding baby Jesus; its intricate logo includes the Latin monogram of the Virgin Mary, letters “A” and “M” meaning Auspice Maria (“under the protection of Mary”). On Valentines Day, during our engagement, I received a necklace Brad had designed, inspired by the vineyard’s logo. Brad said he hoped I could wear it on our wedding day. Not only did I wear the necklace, but we used used the monogram on our Save-the-Dates, wedding stationary, and Mass programs.

It was important to us that we focus on helping everyone enter into the beauty of the liturgy. We took notes from the article “Creating a Meaningful Wedding Mass Program” to help those we invited better understand what was happening and be able to participate more fully in the liturgy.

Just minutes before walking down the aisle, my immediate family joined hands as we came together in prayer, led by my dad. This moment was one of immense comfort, equipping me to walk down the aisle with confidence.

We were so excited to have my five nieces and two of Brad’s cousins as flower girls. Each of them carried a white rose down the aisle. These roses made up the bouquet Brad and I brought to the Blessed Mother during the Mass, asking her intercession right after becoming husband and wife. Our ring bearer, my nephew, brought up our wedding rings tied to a framed image of Our Lady of Czestochowa; a gift from our friend Father Michael, who was unable to attend.

In addition to the general intercessions, written by our good friend Sister Magnificat Rose with the Sisters of Life, who couldn’t be there, it was also important for us to ask the intercession of those in heaven by singing the Litany of the Saints. It served as a reminder that the Church is a family, and those in heaven eagerly wait to join with us in prayer; we are all one in the body of Christ. Among the saints we included were Saint Susanna, my namesake, and Saint Timothy, to honor Brad’s older brother who passed away at the age of three.

Of course our wedding day a celebration of Brad’s and my union in the sacrament of Holy Matrimony, but we also wanted the day to celebrate the sacrament of Holy Orders.

In Brad’s words, we can honor our priests by having a great marriage:

From the Groom: On the surface, marriage and the priesthood may seem like opposites. After all, one embraces the union of a man and woman, while the other embraces celibacy. It might seem that letting a priest see the joy in your marriage could be a sort of ‘taunting’ or ‘showing off’ of the good which he cannot have. However, this couldn’t be further from the truth.

Marriage is intended to be an earthly symbol of Christ’s love for us and of the hope we have of one day being united with our Creator in heaven. Our priests remain celibate in order to witness to this very same reality. By foregoing something that is so good, their lives point to something that is even better. In this way, the priesthood is inextricably tied to marriage.

The better witness our marriages are to the world of Christ’s love for us and for his Church, the more they proclaim the greatness of the priesthood.

St. John Paul II wrote in Familiaris Consortio that “when marriage is not esteemed, neither can consecrated virginity or celibacy exist; when human sexuality is not regarded as a great value given by the Creator, the renunciation of it for the sake of the kingdom of heaven loses its meaning.”

Our priests have renounced marriage for us and for the Church. Now it is our responsibility as the laity to live out marriages that witness to the goodness of the sacrament. This extols the dignity and greatness of the priesthood, and ultimately witnesses to the reality to which both marriage and the priesthood point: the incomprehensible love of Christ for the world.

Susanna: It was a joy to celebrate not only the vocation to married life, but also to priesthood and religious life. We were even blessed to work with vendors with honorable and holy mission statements. Our talented photographers, Katzie & Ben Nelson, are a husband and wife team whose life is fueled by their Catholic faith. Our delectable desserts were baked by From Above Youth Center & Bakery, a non-profit organization funded by donations and grants, which aids teens and people with special needs in developing vocational skills. A friend from our parish designed our stationary, and even our D.J., Josh McClure, asked how he could pray for us when we met with him to talk about reception music.

Now, as we endeavor on this first year of marriage, we pray that as husband and wife we actively live out well the words from the second reading we chose: “...Live in love, as Christ loved us” (Ephesians 5:2).

Photography: Katzie & Ben Photography http://www.katzieandben.com | Church: Saints Peter & Paul Catholic Church: 710 N Baird St, Green Bay, WI 54302 | Wedding Reception: Phoenix Rooms at University Union on the Campus of the University of Wisconsin Green Bay | Rings: Gold'n Treasures: http://www.goldn-treasures.com/ | Flowers: Schroeder Flowers http://www.schroederflowers.com/ 
Invitations/Stationery: Designed by our friend Shannon Nowak | Caterer: Chartwell Schools | Bride’s Dress: BHLDN (by Eddy K) | Bride’s Veil: BHLDN (From Paris by Debra Moreland) | Brides’ Shoes: DSW (badgley mischka) | Jewelry (Bride’s Necklace designed by Bradley Parent): Gold’n Treasures | Bridesmaids Attire: Adrianna Papell  | Groom’s Tux: Groomsmen’s Attire | Groom's Shoes: Allen Edmund's | Desserts: Oreo Truffles, Chocolate dipped peanut butter balls, mini champagne, chocolate, gluten free cupcakes: Carrie Zehms: From Above Youth Center & Catering http://www.fromaboveyouthcenterandbakery.com/ | Hairstylist: Kris Mollen at http://www.samsarahsalon.com | Makeup Artist: Janice McCarty at http://www.samsarahsalon.com/ | Reception Music: Josh McClure with Harmony DJ Entertainment: http://www.harmonydjentertainment.com/ | Wedding Coordinator: Bryant Ortega

How He Asked | TheaMarie + Benjamin

TheaMarie was raised Protestant, but met her husband-to-be at their Catholic high school. For three years, she and Ben were close friends, telling each other everything in between dating relationships with others. Ben asked TheaMarie to their junior prom where, to her surprise, he asked her to be his girlfriend two weeks later.

In TheaMarie’s words: God is beautifully omniscient and works in the most graceful ways. Slowly but surely, the Lord began to work through Benjamin's loving faith and practices to show me the beauty, mercy, and consolation of the Catholic Church. We began spending time in the chapel during lunch together, going to late-night Adoration, and exploring the sacraments together.

On November 1, 2013 I entered the Catholic Church at a school-wide Mass, with Ben as an altar server. It was very special, and an experience we both hold dear to our hearts. We both went off to college in Wisconsin, him in Milwaukee and myself in La Crosse. Dating long-distance has stretched us in ways we couldn't have imagined. These past four years have not been without tears or long discussions, but the fruits have already become manifest. We have continually looked to our Mother and to St. Joseph for guidance as we’ve weathered our journey across the distance.

Our engagement was expected, yet also completely unexpected. It was expected in that we had been courting for four years, working on our careers and bettering ourselves to grow closer to God. But the timing and setting were entirely unexpected.

I was convinced Ben would propose somewhere in our North Dakota hometown, where we spent countless hours talking, working on homework, driving around, praying, and being with family and friends. He completely surprised me when I’d delayed my flight home from school beforer Christmas break.

It was a Saturday night, and we were on our way to Mass. It was beginning to storm. Unknown to me, before we left Ben had made plans with friends who worked for the Basilica of St. Josaphat in Milwaukee, asking them the best spot to propose. On our drive to the Basilica, at the same time we both said we wanted to go to a different Catholic Church we had been planning to explore more at some point. We took the exit and attended a beautiful Mass, with few present as the winter storm had made travel difficult.

At the end of Mass, we finished our prayer. Ben asked if we could go to the front of the church to pray for safe travels. As we knelt, I could feel that he was nervous, which made me nervous!

We prayed, and I got up and to put my jacket on. Ben grabbed it from me and put it on the pew. With my hand in his, he knelt and said,

"TheaMarie, we have grown so much over the past seven years. I cannot imagine my life without you. You are my whole life. Will you make me the happiest man... Will you marry me?"

I stood there in disbelief and absolute excitement and said, "Yes, yes, yes!" We hugged, kissed, and he put the most beautiful ring on my finger. The center diamond is from my mother's wedding ring, and my dad, who owns a jewelry store, created it himself.

We thanked God for our relationship and enjoyed a nice meal, just the two of us in a big city where no one knew us. We looked at Christmas lights and called our parents. The next day, I had to leave for home. It was the most beautiful time we had together and our long engagement of one and a half years has been a gift to us: a time of growing in virtue, patience, mercy, understanding, love, and allowing for God to work within us and through one another.

Photography: Ben Gumeringer Photography | Engagement: Milwaukee, WI |. Engagement Ring: Knowles Jewelry, Bismarck ND

Vendor Spotlight | Karly Jo Photography

In good times and in bad, it’s impossible to separate marriage from family: bride and bridegroom each approach the altar with their own particular origins, wounds, and strengths as they profess their love and fidelity before their relatives and as they embark on their first day as a new family. All of this transpires before the Tabernacle and the Cross, two realities that unite the entire Church: we, Christ’s sons and daughters, his body on earth.

Since marriage and family, life and love are so interconnected, then, it makes a lot of sense that Karly Schafer’s journey to professional photography was shaped by her own family. Karly’s grandfather taught his son, Karly’s father, the art of taking beautiful and technically skilled photos, and her father taught her, starting when Karly received her first camera from her mom in third grade.

Karly enjoyed photography as a hobby for years, and occasionally second shot at weddings. As she planned her own wedding, photography’s unique strength as a storytelling medium struck her, and as she entered into newlywed life, contemplating what sort of career change might lend itself well to eventual motherhood, Karly made the decision to go back to school and earn a Photography degree. By 2011, her business, Karly Jo Photography, was up and running.

These years of creative awakening were accompanied by a spiritual one. Though she’d been born into the Catholic faith, Karly’s family never practiced much. Following the death of her mother, a deeply prayerful woman, Karly was struck by a desire to make the Church the center of her life and entered RCIA. Five years later, as their family grew, Karly’s husband was received into the Church, as well. Though they’ve shot weddings together here and there, her husband generally cares for their four children as Karly travels throughout her native Wisconsin and beyond for weddings and family portrait sessions. Her intimate, film-like images convey Karly’s photojournalistic style, influenced by subtle direction and a desire to make your story--and your family--known and seen.

From Karly: I consider myself to be primarily a photojournalist. I’m capturing things in the moment, as they unfold, to tell the story of your day. Traditional portraiture is also essential, as formal & artistic portraits are a wonderful tradition which help tell the story of your family through the years.

My clients often become my friends. I love getting to know them and their families, being sure to tell the whole story from their day which includes the people they love most.

Karly Jo Photography has been featured on Green Wedding Shoes, Wisconsin Bride, Pretty My Party,  and Northwoods Wedding.

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