cloverdale barn wedding // brandon & ellen

Weddings

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It was an absolutely perfect September day. A slight chill in the air with lots of sunshine. And there was anticipation. The barn had been decorated, the ceremony had been set, and all that was missing was the bride and groom. Ellen arrived smiling, wearing Brandon’s shirt, and looking beautiful as ever. As her girls arrived, the excitement only mounted because Ellen is pure sunshine and the room lights up around her. She slipped into her dress and exchanged hugs with everyone she could find. Her eyes were lit up whenever someone mentioned how Brandon was doing. Brandon waited around the corner, so very anxious for his bride to come out and meet him. He broke into a wide smile when she finally tapped him on the shoulder and he was allowed to turn around and see her. And then the emotion of it all overtook them both! An end to long distance, an end to phone calls, a lifetime in each others’ arms. They took turns hugging and smiling and laughing and practically bouncing with joy. Ellen proudly proclaimed she was going to be his “wifey” which made them both descend into a fresh fit of laughter.

All Brandon and Ellen want is for people to know Jesus and to feel known by Him. And their wedding day was about just that. Their stories were told, the people who led them to Jesus were acknowledged, and they celebrated with so much joy. During the ceremony, the sun peeked out just in time for the end of “All Glory be to Christ.” They exchanged vows to sacrifice and promises to love Jesus first and each other second. They vowed to be each other’s safe place. And in marriage, they would finally get to see the consistency of that promise! They were giddy when they walked back down the aisle as husband and wife. They exchanged tearful hugs with friends and family and kept coming back to each other’s arms. Brandon and Ellen have the kind of joy that’s contagious to be around. You catch it in the way Brandon is curious about Ellen’s every thought and in the way Ellen sees the beauty in everything around them. Spending time around either of them means you’ll feel safe and loved and joyful, just like they are.

A lot of people had been looking forward to this wedding day for a long time. And we were just two of them. Brandon and Ellen are two people who have loved well and have been loved well, and they wanted the day to be about more than the two of them. It was a celebration of what God has done in them and through them. The family and friends who had brought them the Gospel were there. The friends they’d brought the Gospel to were there. And the whole guest list was representative of the people who’d made them who they were so they celebrated that just as much as they celebrated each other. It was the most beautiful day that God had orchestrated since the beginning and it was such an honor to be a part of.

(Brandon and Ellen! We love you guys! I’ll always get tearful thinking of how much God did to bring you two to each other. It’s a privilege to have seen your lives the past few years!)