Eden went to cut a few bunches of flowers, and with her back turned, I got on one knee. With tears of joy, she said yes!
Tell us a little about yourselves, what you do, what you love…
In a perfect world, we would’ve never crossed paths. I’m a coffee shop hunting, fashion-minded, travel wedding photographer and creative and he’s a former D1 wrestler turned firefighter. Despite that, something sparked for us.
How/where/when did you meet – and what were your first impressions?
Eden – When we first met, I was working full-time at a multi-site church in their worship department. While I was planted at a home campus, I also traveled to the church’s other locations. One weekend, I was sent out to another campus and knew a friend who was attending that location at the time. I texted this friend to let him know I was going to be out that way.
Luke – I had been attending this location with my best friend (who was the mutual friend of Eden’s) for a few years. One Sunday morning, he told me that the girl who had helped him in his journey of faith (I had heard about her previously but never met her in-person) was coming to church to lead worship. The first time I saw her (that morning), was when she was singing (and looking) beautifully.
Eden – After the service, in the lobby, I met my friend and subsequently, Luke.
Luke – Meeting Eden in-person, my first impression of her was beautiful, joyful, and had an incredible voice. Eden had finished leading worship, so after some conversation, my best friend and I invited her to watch us as we led the middle school ministry. She agreed to come for a few short moments. As she was about to leave, on a microphone, I announced that Eden was going to join one of the teams for tug-a-war. She unwillingly agreed.
Eden – How could I say no in front of 20 some middle schoolers? That’s how he got me. We ended up chatting after the ministry ended. As I got to know him, I thought Luke was charming, but I can’t say it was love at first sight – I attempted to set him up with my twin sister! But, what won my heart was his steady and intentional pursuit of my heart over the course of several weeks. Through his actions, he showed he was patient, kind, hard-working, and had a good and loving heart for those around him. He’s truly one of the most selfless people I’ve ever met in my life. He’s so admiringly steady – yet so passionate (the Italian in him) – in the way that he lives.
When did you first realize that this was someone you’d like to spend the rest of your life with?
Eden – We realized sooner than most couples – at least, that’s what I’d like to think. Luke says now that he knew within weeks of meeting me. I took a little longer, but, to be fair, I had no intention of entering a serious relationship before meeting Luke. Low and behold, it was a few months into dating and Luke and I were down in Annapolis. He had had an interview for the position he is currently in and we decided to make a date of it.
Luke – The idea popped into my mind a couple weeks before our date in Annapolis and I was toying around the vision of spending my life with her. Our date night in Annapolis sealed it though. We were just walking around the city, enjoying the evening. We found and decided to dance in a quaint and quintessential street of Annapolis and I asked her a question, “do you love me?” She looked like she was trying not to admit it – but I knew.
Eden – I was trying to hold it in and then Luke’s follow-up question cornered me, “What would you do if I dropped a knee right here?” and I said, after a long pause I told him I would say “yes”.
Luke – I told her I felt the same way. That’s the actual moment that we verbalized to each other that we wanted to spend the rest of our lives with each other.
Was there a proposal? Tell us a little about it…
Luke – After weeks of trying to plan a day with the owner of a flower field, it looked like all hope was lost because calendars could never align (Eden and I at that time were traveling a lot for work). Eden had just gotten back from California for a wedding and had gotten her nails done. While traveling for work, the trip got cut short and it just so happened that the flower field’s last day open before closing to set up for their fall season, was that very same day. I quickly called Eden and made nice dinner plans (we would often go on spontaneous dates and because it seemed like I had no time to plan the proposal, Eden later told me she didn’t expect it that day at all). I picked Eden up and I drove her to the flower field saying that we were going to make a pit stop before our reservation. While she was picking flowers, I was frantically looking around for a spot to propose. Eden went to cut a few bunches of flowers, and with her back turned, I got on one knee. With tears of joy, she said yes!
Tell us about the vision you had for the mood or style of your wedding.
Despite dreaming of having a beautiful wedding to celebrate with all of our friends and family, I knew deep down that having an intimate wedding would be the perfect direction for us. We share the love language of quality time, and the idea of an intimate gathering with those closest to our hearts seemed the most special and meaningful trajectory. Because we were having an intimate affair, I wanted it to feel like what it was – two families coming together. That’s why I opted to have the ceremony in the living room, with our families sitting on the sofas and standing around the room. It’s why we chose to have one large dining table. We wanted to feel the way that we had planned it – intimate. To marry with the old-world charm and grandeur of the background of Brockie Mansion, I chose feminine details like delicate bows and an extravagant amount of candles to soften everything. I’ve always loved having my hands in everything – it’s what makes me a true artist and creative. I knew my wedding was going to be no different. I wanted to feel deeply, allow it to capture personality, yet also be a milestone that celebrates loved ones and our love.
What was one element you were happy to splurge on?
Katie Gracen Weddings and Brockie Mansion, with its wonderful designer, Gabrielle Messina, were instrumental in making our wedding day unforgettable. Vendors play a pivotal role in shaping the experience, and as a wedding photographer myself, I understand the significance of having an exceptional photographer and a breathtaking venue as the backdrop for your special day. Gabrielle, who is also a dear friend of mine, made our dream of booking one of her designs a reality. Working with both was an absolute pleasure!
Did anything happen on your wedding day that you laugh about in hindsight (even if it was stressful at the time)?
The way I stressed about planning… To be fair, we got engaged at the end of August and married at the end of October, so it was a quick turnaround time. It was a necessary evil; I feel as if every bride must go through a bit of planning pain. It’s a rite of passage (unfortunately).
Tell us about your main outfits, what was unique, is there a story?
I grew up homeschooled, and during a few years of my adolescence, I felt as if it was a curse. Now, I am eternally grateful for my experience. One of those reasons is that my mother taught me how to sew. Her mother, my grandmother, taught her to sew as well. My wedding gown was hand-stitched by both my mother and grandmother, and for that, I am honored to have a beautiful heirloom of a wedding dress. It was simple yet elegant, the perfect pairing with my veil that had lace trimming and was over 14 ft long. My additional outfits were fun, a pinch of flirty, yet classy all the same. The only thing I wish I did was have more outfits to showcase my personality and love for fashion!
CEREMONY & RECEPTION Brockie Mansion, York, Pennsylvania, U.S., @gabriellemessina PHOTOGRAPHER Katie Hall, @katiegracenweddings VIDEOGRAPHER Adam Bixby, @adamdbixby STYLIST & PLANNER By the Bride: Eden Xuân FLORIST Morning Joy Flowers, @morningjoyflowers CELEBRANT Tim Carver PRAYER Andrew Greer, @andrewmgreer ENTERTAINMENT Brothers of the Bride: Eli and Isaac Beichler, @el3beichler, @beichlerisaac HIRE Orvis Hill Country, @orvishillcountry CATERING Olive Garden, @olivegarden BEVERAGES Martinelli & Co, @martinellisco CAKE Kelly Beichler STATIONERY & SIGNAGE By the Bride: Eden Xuân Other significant jewellery Heirloom pearls from Vietnam (Bride’s birth country) CEREMONY DRESS Custom Made by Mother and Grandmother of Bride RECEPTION DRESS Commense, @commense.officIal; AW Bridal, @aw.bridal EARRINGS Anthropologie, @anthropologie SUIT Michael Kors, @michaelkors
