This home page shows the WEDDING CEREMONY information. If you are RSVPing for the WEDDING RECEPTION in Columbia, IL, please type in your name for the RSVP and the correct information will populate. CEREMONY IN BRANSON: Oct 20 RECEPTION IN COLUMBIA: Nov 29 Please do not show up to the ceremony if you were not specifically invited on your RSVP - this is a very intimate ceremony! Thank you!
Bryce and Jenna first crossed paths in June 2024 at a wedding where Bryce was the best man and Jenna was the photographer (shoutout to Drew and Alayna!). They had one brief exchange in the buffet line — no sparks, no lingering thoughts. Bryce assumed Jenna was married because she referred to a wedding she photographed as “my wedding,” and Jenna, fully in work mode, didn’t notice him at all. Neither imagined that this ordinary moment would be the first thread in a story only the Lord could weave. A few months later, Jenna began attending a new church. Wanting to get connected, she went to a young adults game night. Afterward, Jenna scrolled through the church GroupMe to follow some people she’d met at the game night. Bryce, near the top alphabetically, popped up. Thinking he was a familiar face, she followed his private Instagram — still unaware he was the best man from that wedding. What they didn’t know was Bryce had been planning to leave the GroupMe, feeling it wasn’t serving much purpose since he no longer attended that church. But for some reason, he hadn’t yet. Had he left, Jenna never would have found his profile — another small but clear sign of God’s hand at work. Bryce noticed the follow, realized she wasn’t married after all, and asked Drew if he should reach out. With Drew’s encouragement, Bryce messaged Jenna asking if she’d like to grab coffee (and by “sometime,” he meant the very next day). When Jenna saw the message, she realized — this was the best man from Drew and Alayna’s wedding. Unsure what to do, she texted Alayna, who confidently said, “Say yes.” So she did. What started as coffee turned into a few casual dates. Early on, Bryce wasn’t too sure on Jenna, but a wise friend from church, Lyle, encouraged him not to rush — to get to know her prayerfully, as a sister in Christ. Through those conversations, something beautiful unfolded. On their third date, Bryce gently challenged Jenna’s faith, reminding her that in Christ, she wasn’t just a sinner striving to do better, but fully made new, righteous, and free. He gifted her "No Longer I" by Jake Hotchkiss — a book that would deepen her understanding of the gospel and impact her walk with the Lord. These early days, marked by honesty and intentionality, laid a strong foundation. As they grew in friendship, the Lord stirred affection between them, and on September 10, 2024, they officially began dating. As their relationship continued, the Lord revealed areas where their approach to dating didn’t align with the heart they had for marriage. They had honest, challenging conversations about courtship — about spending intentional time together, guarding against living like a married couple before marriage, and pursuing one another in a way that reflected Christ. It confronted much of what culture teaches about dating — and showed them dating isn’t meant to be a holding pattern, but a season of discernment. A time to prayerfully ask: Is marriage where the Lord is leading us? And if yes, to walk toward it boldly, trusting they didn’t need to have every detail of life figured out first. This shift didn’t just change their relationship — it propelled them forward with clarity, purpose, and peace. While their journey wasn’t perfect, they stayed rooted in the Lord and sought wisdom at every step. Their hope is that by sharing their story, others might be encouraged to step out of casual, indefinite dating and into the freedom of pursuing commitment the way God designed — with intention, prayer, and marriage in view. Looking back, there’s no denying the Lord’s fingerprints on every part of their story — in the timing, the waiting, the unexpected turns, and the gentle way He led their hearts together. Their relationship has never been about coincidence. From the beginning, it has been a story of God’s kindness, His providence, and His perfect plans. All glory to Him — the One who writes the very best love stories.