We're getting married!

RSVP was July 31, 2024. This is an invite only event with tabled seating. If you were not able to RSVP previously due to an issue, please make sure you reach out to one of us BEFORE August 7 to ensure you have a seat. RSVP IS NOW CLOSED. 2pm-6pm 37 Clarence Street, Elsternwick VIC 3185

Samuel and Kelli met at Costco. We ate food. We fell in love (it wasn’t too hard, Kelli only tore two ligaments in the process). The wedding is in July. Be there or be square.

It all began in a Costco parking lot. Kelli was the cook for the weekend training workshop. The unsuspecting Samuel was pulled at the last minute to aid with the grocery shopping. Samuel noticed Kelli’s beauty, friendliness, and kindness. She came prepared, well-organized, and responded graciously to the stresses of time constraints and unexpected changes. On top of it all, she was shopping with her iPad Pro and Apple Pencil—Sam’s kind of girl. Kelli noticed that Samuel was kind, helpful, and competent. He exuded a confidence graced with humility she had seen so rarely. Best of all, he made her laugh. Within a few hours, Kelli knew she appreciated Sam. Within a few seconds, Samuel knew he wanted to spend more time with Kelli. Samuel spent an unusual amount of time in the kitchen—washing dishes, discussing the menu, asking Kelli why she chose which ingredients, and standing awkwardly in the corner. Kelli quickly noticed this to be Sam’s means of getting introvert time, so she quit insisting he leave. While this observation was spot-on, Samuel had another intent: get to know Kelli. Samuel kept coming around, and Kelli began to notice. She enjoyed conversing with him so much that she didn’t care others also began to notice. Seeing Sam’s attraction and our interactions, a wise friend told Sam to pray with his eyes open. He saw that we got along, and that Kelli laughed more when Samuel was around. Later that day, another friend spoke to happily single Kelli about dating Samuel. He saw intellectual compatibility and shared values, and encouraged her to give Sam a chance. Samuel asked her out that night. While Kelli thinks she would have agreed to go on a date with Sam without a nudge, our friend’s words were certainly in the forefront of her mind, and she felt she should say yes. The following late morning was spent consuming frozen yogurt and conversing. Kelli assumed it would take an hour. His friends made sure it would be longer. One hour turned to ten—great company makes time pass quickly. In his opening sentence, Samuel communicated his full intention. He explained the potential hardships he saw, then made a commitment to give a relationship a chance with Kelli’s consent. As we were parting that evening, he again made his request to continue seeing each other. A few days passed as Kelli considered and prayed. She agreed, but on the condition that he’d never ask her to move to Australia. From there, communication became longer and more frequent. We fell asleep FaceTiming. We traveled across the world to see each other. Funerals, beaches, museums, ministries, culinary enthusiasms, Christmas, road trips, bubble tea, bicycle accidents, hospitals, sunsets, and sightings of Australian animals in the wild—these are just some adventures we partook of together. Love didn’t come at first sight, but it came strong, steady, and secure. Though we grew up in different worlds, we found a shared experience within each other. We both thought we’d be doctors (ha!). A kindred spirit, a rest, a joy, a companion. With love came hope, a hope that brought us together. Each sees in the other an answered prayer. It didn’t take long before we knew we wanted to be together forever, a conviction which took deep root and grew firmer through time and prayer. On January 7, Samuel proposed. This time, Kelli agreed immediately. Now, we are so excited to be planning our lives together—Kelli suggesting we may even spend some time living in Australia.