You & Me & Eternity

The groom has a story of love at first sight. The first time seeing his future Bride was as she served him dinner and cocktails at a local restaurant. The groom made comments to his father of how beautiful she was! They officially met at a friends Ugly Christmas Sweater Party. The Bride felt her stomach do a flip and her excitement rise when she first saw him walk nto the room. She says it's hard to put into words how she felt when she first saw him. Pure excitement was what she remembers most. "How could I have missed such a person in my life before. Where has he been, and why did it take so long to meet him? I had no hesitations when I saw him, and really couldn't waste another minute. It took less than 60 seconds to walk directly to his side and talk to him." Before the night ended and they said their goodbyes, the couple jokes about how in the middle of this wild night, Ben simply asked if she would hold his hand. He comments now "Amongst the chaos right then, looking over at you I felt like I could conquer the world." The next year they were back at that same christmas party completely in love!

On their first vacation, Ben woke Danielle up before dawn one morning for a walk on the beach. "I was so amazed that he worked through these details of this sunrise walk on the beach. I didn't know what on earth he had up his sleeve, but i've never felt so safe and so in love." While they watched the sunrise on a blanket on the beach, Ben asked Danielle to move in! Ben says now about that day, "I knew if there was only one direction I wanted to go in life, it was in your direction. I didn't want to live another day without you."

One fine night, Ben and his future Father-in-Law spent an evening at The Camp. Many Bud Light's later, Ben's courage waivered a great deal while preparing to ask Dan for his daughter's hand in marriage. Stepping outside The Camp to take a breath of fresh air, Dan yelled, "Watch out for that low hanging roof!" He took a few minutes to renew his ambitions and turned back only to walk face first directly into the low hanging tin roof of the cabin. After a few calls across the CB radio to the base camp, Mother-in-Law Becky had Ben fixed up with some butterfly bandages. Although slightly deterred, Ben said "I have to ask him tonight. This has to happen tonight!". So back up at camp, bleeding stopped, Ben asked the ever intimidating Lt. Dan Hanchett for his blessing to marry Danielle. Ben says he will never forget Dan's response, even with certain memory loss... "Son, I know you two have been through a lot together, but you understand, my daughter and I have been through more..... I can't think of any other man in this world I would give her away to." Ben proposed to Danielle on New Year's Eve 2016/2017 in front of her closest family. The cover: a competitive game of "Speak Out". As reigning champs of the family game, Danielle and Ben were elected to show the rest how to play. The words "Will You Marry Me?" have never sounded quite like that before!! This fun and crazy proposal was perfect for their fun and crazy relationship!!

After 4 years together, and countless life changing events, the wedding of Benjamin Smith and Danielle Hanchett will take place on September 26th, 2020. As long as God, or COVID-19, do not interfere! The Smith Family has grown in love and hardship and laughter together. And along with our children, we anxiously anticipate this day of Joy and Celebration with you all!