We're getting married!

https://youtu.be/kkfhiKv5H9Q Wedding Mass Program: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1u5GMTnpoVqJn1rrQrg1Q-FLbwr33ZDEY/view?usp=sharing

Dear family and friends, We hope you are all safe and healthy! As mentioned, we are still planning to get married on June 13th. Northern Virginia entered into “Phase 1” of reopening on Friday, which allows for 50% capacity in churches. This allows us to celebrate the Mass and wedding ceremony with any of our guests who feel comfortable attending. If you decide to attend, we ask that you abide by the Diocese of Arlington’s expectations for gatherings, which are as follows: -Guests are expected to wear masks as an act of charity towards other attendees -Only every other pew will be open for seating. Please allow for six feet of distance between families. -The congregation is asked to refrain from singing during the Mass. For those who are out-of-town or feel safer not attending, we will have a livestream of the Mass and ceremony. Details will be forthcoming, both on our website and as a reply to the email sent today (May 30th). Unfortunately, we are limiting the reception to our immediate families and wedding party. We are so sorry that we cannot include you in the celebration that we had planned. We hope that you will still attend the church ceremony, whether in person or through the livestream. We kindly ask for you to look for updates and RSVP accordingly on our wedding website zola.com/wedding/reniahandpatrick. Thank you all for your continued support and understanding. We are very grateful for having each of you in our lives and we ask for your continued prayers. Love, Patrick and Reniah

We (Reniah and Patrick) are still planning to have our wedding ceremony on June 13th. Understandably so, you may have questions about the state of our wedding in this strange and uncertain time. Although the Commonwealth of Virginia is beginning to re-open with "Phase 1" starting this Friday, May 15th, municipalities of Northern Virginia have delayed entering "Phase 1" until the end of May. While this is disappointing, it gives us hope that restrictions will ease enough for us to celebrate with more than 10 people! We are very thankful that our venues and vendors have been gracious and supportive of us despite the uncertainty. We hope to know how Northern Virginia plans to roll out Phase 1 by the last week of May: if the restrictions are to 10 people, then we will do 10 people; if the restrictions ease to allow 50, then we will do 50; if we are allowed 100, we will do 100; and so on! So, where does that leave you, our beloved family and friends? If we are only allowed a smaller, intimate ceremony, we will prioritize immediate family, the bridal party, and couple sponsors in our numbers. Your health and safety are of utmost concern to us. Please only be open to attending if you are comfortable and healthy. We will be live-streaming the ceremony (link to be posted on this website), so you will not miss out! If you live out-of-town/state, we highly encourage you to adhere to the restrictions/orders of your area and limit travel. At this time, we are of the understanding that most out-of-towners are not planning on attending, unless you have RSVP'd otherwise. If you are local, (except for immediate family, bridal party, or couple sponsors) we will personally reach out to you if the ease of restrictions allow for us to have you present. Thank you for your understanding and support during this time. We ask you to continue praying for our marriage, as well as for the end of this pandemic. Love and prayers, Reniah and Patrick

Patrick & I met at Pope Saint John Paul the Great Catholic High School (circa 2010). We only knew of each other through classes we had together, but Patrick was on the top of my list of “Guys I’d go to a Dance With”. Flash forward to Junior Year (circa 2012) and to my complete surprise, Patrick asked me to the homecoming dance! We hit it off at the dance & grew to become good friends. I was not allowed to date yet, so Patrick intentionally and patiently waited for over a year until he was allowed to ask my parents for “my hand” in dating. After graduating from high school in 2014, Patrick went to UVA and I went to Marymount University. Boy! Between the work load of nursing/engineering schools and being broke college kids, the distance was difficult. For four years, we learned a lot about patience, prioritizing, and communication - which became essential when Patrick moved to Los Angeles in 2018 to pursue his doctoral degree.

Patrick flew home for a week during my birthday this past June. On one of the last nights of his trip, we got all dressed up and he took me to a fancy dinner at a French restaurant in Occoquan. It was storming during the entire delicious meal, but had cleared up just in time for Patrick to suggest we grab a drink on the waterfront. Fast forward 20 minutes later, we are on a pier in Occoquan overlooking the Potomac River during golden hour with that 'just-rained' effect... and Patrick was on one knee asking me to marry him. YES!!!!! As soon as I said yes, my little sister Jessa and my best friend Julia were screaming from the shrubbery, where they were staking out and hiding to sneak pictures of the proposal :) Afterwards, Patrick had planned a get together with our families at his house, where we popped some champagne and reveled in the excitement of this brand new stage of our relationship.