We’ve created this website as a convenient and interactive way to share all of the important details with your our wedding. You can also read more about our love story, get to know our awesome bridal party, and check out our registry information too. So have fun, take a look around and don’t forget to RSVP! Finally – thank you for your ongoing love and support. We are so excited to share this day with you and look forward to dancing the night away with all of our favorite people!

In October 2017, Natalia was a freshman at Indiana Wesleyan University with a promise to herself that she would not date anyone her first year at school. One night, she attended the theatrical production “You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown” and spotted Ben playing upright bass in the pit orchestra. She, like everyone else, decided that he was easy on the eyes and would point him out to her friends using the clever and not-so-subtle codename, “Eyebrows.” The next semester (sometime in January), Natalia happened to notice that Ben walked through a certain area in IWU’s student center at the same time, on the same days, every week. Needless to say, she made this place her new homework home in hopes that the sight of him might enhance her ability to study (lets be real though - it was basically just a picturesque distraction). One of the times that Ben walked by, they made direct, heart-stopping, eye-contact. The world went slow-mo, sparks flew, and in a moment, it was over… Ben left (and wrote a song all about it).

As fate would have it, Ben was Natalia’s roommate’s (Ali) lab partner. Through her, they were officially introduced— both pretending they had never seen each other. After a few weeks of analyzing eye-contact, shy “heys,” and some social media friending/following/stalking, Ben walked up to Natalia’s table where she was “studying” and formally introduced himself. Even though it was his eyebrows that first grabbed Natalia’s attention, she was truly drawn to Ben after an evening of worship where they shared in a moment of prayer. By this time, Ben had recovered from the the intense bout of eye-contact (mentioned previously) only to realize that a mental picture of Natalia had been permanently hung in his heart. They were falling for each other. A few suspenseful weeks passed by— both of them immersed in texting and rearranging schedules to eat at Baldwin Cafeteria together. During these times, they shared their hearts with one another and realized that God might be up to something much bigger than just cafeteria dinners. On April 11, 2018, overlooking a cement pit in Marion Indiana, Ben asked Natalia to be his girlfriend.

On February 9th, 2019, Ben and Natalia were spending the weekend with the Schubkegel family in Michigan. They went out for dinner to celebrate their 10 month anniversary and (early) Valentine’s Day. Natalia had her suspicions about the night but managed to suppress thoughts of a potential proposal. After dinner, they headed back to Ben’s parent’s house. On the way, Ben commented on how bright the stars were and how it “wasn’t too cold outside” (yeah right… it was freezing!). Natalia thought Ben was crazy for suggesting a walk through his parent’s woods just to stargaze, but she agreed nonetheless. As they walked, distant twinkle lights cued her in on what would happen next. Ben asked Natalia to be his wife to which she responded, “heck yes!!” (or something like that)

Ben graduated from IWU with his Bachelor’s degree in Exercise Science in April 2019. After the semester ended, they both moved back with their families— Ben to Michigan and Natalia to Indiana (back to long distance). Natalia is working at WeCreate Media – the same creative agency she worked for before going to IWU. Ben started attending a Physical Therapy program at Western Michigan’s Grad School in June 2019. After they get married in August, they’ll move into the cutest, little, yellow house in Kalamazoo, Michigan where Natalia will continue to work while Ben goes to grad school.