Katie and Ross shared a joy filled DC wedding day surrounded by incredible relationships. So many friends and loved ones stepped up to serve them just so they could be a part of their day: including neighbors, guests turned assistants, colleagues, roommates, Army, Navy, Marine Corp, etc. Friends from Switzerland unfortunately were stuck on the tarmac, and Katie’s brother Johnny got a sudden deployment notice weeks before the wedding so he appeared in cardboard cutout form only. People were missed, but the party among those present was a beautiful thing to witness.
One thing that always strikes me as a testament to the couple is the interactions I have with their bridal party. Gentlemen offered to assist me at points throughout the day and complimented my work; ladies moved tables with me in the bridal suite, brought me water, and hugged me at the end of the day. If you are the company you keep, then Katie and Ross are people-oriented, thoughtful, and serve with joy. What a gift it will be to them to head into their marriage surrounded by such remarkable relationships. It should be noted that yes, the entire bridal party did join them at the end of their first dance!
They met through their shared ministry, Greek InterVarsity, at a missions conference- though only Ross remembers their first interaction (of course that’s true: Ross sees with intentionality). They reconnected over a charity golf tournament where they spent 11 hours golfing over 100 holes! They decided if they still liked each other at the end of the day, they should probably go for a date. They went to brunch the next day and they both knew they had found their spouse. After a few months of flights back and forth to visit, Ross proposed while on a ski trip with Katie’s parents. His gift to her: a photo album filled with pictures of favorite dates and memories. Next to each image was a note detailing what he learned about Katie through that experience and how it lead him to realize he wanted to marry her.
One thing I’ve always loved about Katie is her ability to be joyfully present no matter what else may be going on. She coordinated and thought through a lot for her wedding, including a babysitter for the officiant’s children, dismissing each row personally to get say hello to everyone, and even switching family formal locations at the last minute. Her care for people over perfection is beautiful. We even did their first look the night before so she could maximize her time with her guests on her wedding day. I have so much respect for Katie and Ross and the things they have prioritized already in their relationship.
Katie says, “in our marriage, we are most looking forward to building a life together that glorifies God and points people to Jesus. We are excited to be married as we work with college students so that we can (hopefully) show them an example of what a Godly marriage looks like and is worth waiting for. We LOVE hosting others and hope to have people over in our home all the time!”
Katie and Ross, you two are a breath of fresh air. I hope you’re enjoying Riviera Maya! So much love for you, Mr. and Mrs. Haymond!
Lindsey-these are amazing photographs! Love your written recap of Katie and Ross’ character. It was a joy and privilege to be part of their day!