***JULY 2021 UPDATE*** Due to prolonged travel restrictions, our overseas wedding plans had to be canceled. We are keeping our plans for August 14 in Charlotte, but now that ceremony will be our actual wedding! ***JUNE 2021 UPDATE: NEW DATES!*** We are now planning our overseas wedding for July 10, 2021. Please save the date for August 14, 2021, for our blessing ceremony in Charlotte! **Registry Update: December 2020** Because Simple Registry, the company we originally had our registry with, has gone out of business, we have moved our registry to Zola. Please know that if you gave through Simple Registry, we have already gratefully received your gift. We are planning two celebrations: Our official wedding overseas (originally scheduled for June 27, 2020) A blessing ceremony in the U.S. (originally scheduled for July 11, 2020) Due to restrictions on international travel, both events were delayed.

We believe that our story actually started in God’s original plan a very long time ago, however, we’d like to share some of the events which led to our big decision of getting married. We can never be thankful enough for God's bringing us together!

I (Hanna) had made a major decision to take a break from work and travel to the States to go get my Masters. The University of North Carolina at Charlotte was one of the four universities that I listed as part of applying to my scholarship, and the sponsors picked UNCC. Praying for a “helpmate” was part of my prayer list even after arriving to the States in July 2018. Trusting God and believing that His plans are good was a key part of waiting. Being busy with school and her work at UNCC, Olivia was praying to God to see where He was leading her. Being involved in Bridges International to serve international students in the university was helping Olivia grow stronger in her relationship with God. Not knowing how that ministry would play a big role in her future, Olivia was focused on serving God wherever He placed her. Then one night, January 25, 2019, Bridges hosted a training at Stonebridge church, which was my church family in the States. Being a Christian International student, I was also invited to the training to share my experience. That night ended up being special, because Olivia had the chance to see me for the first time—although it bothers me that I didn’t see her. I mean, how could I not have noticed her?! But, we serve a living God who knows what He is doing! At a Bridges game night in March, which was also remarkable, I had the chance to see Olivia for the first time. Though we didn’t have the chance to talk, we became more aware of each other. We had a few small interactions that night, but we think it was preparation for the future.

At an Easter Bridges event, April 19, we had the chance to talk. Olivia was standing at the end of the food line when I walked to it. We smiled, and I can remember her words: “Hi, I don’t think we officially met, my name is Olivia!” We talked over dinner, and I started to like her because she loves God, plays piano, is involved in a ministry and her church, and is passionate about history. Although most people would think a Computer Engineer would feel bored about history, I wasn’t. I was excited to hear more. At the end of the night, I asked to connect with her, and she suggested Facebook. I sent her the request that moment, and she accepted it right away. It was the fastest friend request/approval for both of us! For a few days, I was praying and thinking about Olivia. American dating is not common in my culture, and I wanted to make sure I respected and approached Olivia right. I spoke with a pastor from my church and a minister in Bridges, who happens to be in Olivia’s church too. Their suggestion was to be open and direct right from the start about where this relationship was headed. Especially since honoring parents is a big deal to me and my culture, I told my parents about Olivia and that I wanted to ask her to lunch to get to know her and asked for their blessing. Little did I know that Olivia is also a family girl, and she was already talking to her parents about me during that week. She had even talked to her mom about me back on January 25! Can you believe that? I love it! So, I texted her on Facebook and asked for her number. She replied, and I called her that evening and asked her to go out for lunch that Saturday. Our first date was on April 27. I was nervous as I didn’t know what to say. To my comfort, I discovered later that Olivia was nervous too. But we both were amazed that we spent 4 hours talking that day. We were really enjoying our time! The date ended with a “crazy idea” that she and her parents come visit my hometown and meet my parents.

Although I had to leave for my internship in DC a couple of weeks after our first date, Olivia and I made sure to keep the relationship going, mainly using technology and a few visits with family. On one visit, we talked about taking steps towards marriage. In August, the “crazy idea” became reality, and the Eaneses visited my home in the Holy Land. Both families finally met, and Olivia and I were more than happy to see how both got along right away. My dad had planned for a wonderful tour so Olivia and her parents could get to see most of the locations in the Land during their vacation. But, what made it most wonderful is that they had the chance to meet my grandparents and most of my extended family when we attended my cousin’s wedding. At the end of their visit, both families had the chance to discuss wedding plans and agree on some major points.

A big cultural difference we had was the engagement process. While in the West a couple agree on getting married, and the man buys a ring, asks for the father’s blessing, and then proposes, in the Middle East when a couple agree on getting married, a group of the man’s family members and friends go visit the family of the woman, and then the elder of the man’s family asks the elder of the woman’s family for the hand of the woman for the man. We wanted to respect both cultures, so we did. Olivia helped me with ring shopping, which I really appreciated. I wanted to go with Thanksgiving for the proposal, because I wanted to remember and declare that I am thankful for this relationship. I also realized that the day before Thanksgiving, November 27, was exactly seven months after our first date and exactly seven months before the day we really were hoping would be our wedding. So, I decided to propose on November 27. Olivia’s mom suggested and helped me with this brilliant idea to have someone play one of Olivia’s favorite songs on a violin, and I chose the gardens at UNCC, where I went to school and she worked, to be the spot to propose. Finally, we had the chance to honor the Middle Eastern culture of engagement when my parents came to attend my graduation in December. We went out for a special dinner during which my dad asked Olivia’s dad for her hand. And so, we had a special unique engagement celebration! I never imagined I would have to travel thousands of miles to meet my Olivia. She is worth the wait, and she made all the challenges that I’ve gone through worth it. I am looking forward to all those wonderful moments that we will create together in our special, unique relationship.

The header and footer photos were taken during our engagement photo shoot by Yandle Multimedia Photography. https://www.yandlemm.com/