join us for the best day of our lives.

My first interaction with Waverly was a text asking if she could take my headshot (ironic, since we now have a photography business together). That fell through, but we ended up meeting at a social event: a creek walk. I was the newly-elected freshman class president on student government, so the next several weeks consisted of regular meetings at which I realized Waverly and I are very similar. So similar, in fact, that we typically were arguing with each other about who had the better ideas. Through my second semester of college, Waverly and I grew a close "working" relationship (who knows if my motives were solely work-related...) and spent a ton of time together. After a summer of not much contact, we jumped back into student government and our friendship the following year. After a late-night talk with Colton (my best man), I realized that I might be developing feelings for this girl. So, I asked her to come camping with my friends and me over fall break. Coincidentally, this also included coming to my house and meeting my parents. When I told my mom that she and Colton's girlfriend were both coming, she asked, "So, do you like Waverly?" (I guess Mom always knows!) The camping trip was a blast and my friends had fun hanging out with Waverly. Shortly after this break, I decided it was time to pop the question (not THE question...yet) and asked her to be my girlfriend. The next few months were filled with getting to know one another, each other's friends, and dates at Fiesta Mexicana. I quickly realized that there was something different about this girl. I guess you could say I was falling in love :) The next summer, we both served middle schoolers at WinShape camps in Georgia. It was a long, but very rewarding summer, and I got to see my first glance at Waverly's heart for others and for God. The next school year, Waverly and I grew closer and closer and continued to realize that something was different about this relationship. Over Easter break, I bought an engagement ring and began thinking about how I would propose. Something that she always mentioned was how special her grandparents' house was to her and I thought it would be the perfect place! Last summer, I worked an internship in West Virginia and was traveling to Ohio on the weekends to see Waverly. One weekend in June, I bucked up the courage to ask Andy (her dad) if I could marry her...and two weeks later my knee was down underneath a willow tree on her grandparents' farm. The last several months have been a blast of wedding planning, lots of travel between MVNU and Kent State, and lots of love. I can't wait to keep growing closer to each other and to God as we journey together in marriage! I'm so thankful to have the opportunity to celebrate Waverly and our love together with you all this August!

Ben and I met in the Fall of 2020 at Mount Vernon Nazarene University when Ben joined the Student Government team as the freshman class president. The first time we were supposed to meet was for me to take his headshots for the SGA website, but that fell through. So, the actual first time we met was on the quad at MVNU for an SGA bonding experience: a creek walk. I was wearing waders and a rain jacket (totally making a great first impression), and we were both soaking wet by the end of it. Although we did not talk much at first (except for arguing in SGA meetings), over the next six months our co-worker pleasantries developed into a great friendship. After spending the summer apart with little contact, we returned to Mount Vernon and picked up right where we left off. Looking back, everyone tells us they thought we were dating during this time due to the amount of time we spent together. Coffee runs, Marshall’s trips, and building patio heaters together strengthened our bond to new levels, but I was still unsure of how Ben thought of me. At the beginning of October, Ben asked me to go on a fall break trip with him and his friends (his now groomsmen) to Virginia for camping. During this trip, Ben’s best friends turned into my best friends. On the other hand, Ben barley talked to me and I thought for sure when we returned that he would end things before they started. As I am sure you read, Ben had other plans. One night outside of Spruce 301, Ben asked me to be his girlfriend, to which I responded “are you sure?” The next year and a half held so many blessings for us. We spent so many evenings with Danny, Colton, and Logan playing Call of Duty and talking about the world. Georgia became home for a whole summer serving middle schoolers at camp. We learned how to put Jesus first, love each other fiercely, and most importantly, realized we wanted to be together forever. Ben proposed this summer at my favorite place in the world: my grandparents house under their willow tree. My grandparents farm has always been a special place for me. As a little girl, I would often dream about the day I got married. The ceremony was always set underneath these willows. Saying yes to marrying the man of my dreams under these same trees feels like that dream coming true. I cannot wait to see the life and ministry that God has in store for us. Thank you for being a part of our lives!