PAGE 126 X METROPOLITAN WEDDINGS X WINTER / SPRING 2024
WRITTEN BY | MEG DANIEL PHOTOGRAPHED BY | FOUR 2 NORTH PHOTOGRAPHY
a fight for love
Jeni and Josh know how to put up a good fight . No , they are not trading blows , but they know when you have something really special , you have to fight for it .
The couple met while Jeni was working at a quarry . Josh was a customer who kept coming in around closing time for a load of gravel for his property . At first , Jeni was annoyed he always arrived so late , but one thing led to another and before you know it , Josh asked her to come and see his property where he had been putting all the gravel he was buying . He had a campfire , cooked her dinner and the relationship ignited from there .
After about six months , Jeni just had to let him know how much he meant to her . In January , she wrote him a letter , professing her love and that she wanted to marry him , but he would need to make it official . He stopped by that day at lunch to make it official and say “ yes !” The couple first decided who was most important that they wanted to be present at their wedding . Number one on the list was Josh ’ s 92 year old grandfather . Hence , they decided August 5 , 2023 would give them about eight months to plan and implement the wedding of their dreams .
Next , Jeni went to look for a dress in February . She knew she wanted to purchase her dress from Wedding Expressions by Geri and tried on about every dress in the store . Feeling overwhelmed , she told her sister she needed a break and to go find one more dress for her to try . Her sister brought her a dress that was stunning , form-fitting with cut outs , all things she thought she did not want , but it made her feel gorgeous . Fast forward to May , when Jeni went to have a fitting of the dress , it did not fit . Jeni battles multiple sclerosis and Crohn ’ s disease and because of her medication , had gained weight . Unfortunately , with the dress design , it could not be altered . Crying , desperate , and as a joke , she tried on a black wedding dress . Jeni actually loved the way it fit , but knew Josh did not want her to walk down the aisle in black . Luckily , the store had the exact same dress in ivory and it was perfect .
The next battle would be to find a place to tie the knot . Jeni and Josh wanted a small , private ceremony with close family and then have a larger reception . The cabin on Josh ’ s property had meant so much to them and held many special memories , but when they walked out there to visualize a ceremony , they quickly realized they were covered in ticks and this would not be a good place to get married . They decided to have the ceremony at his parent ’ s pond with a larger reception at Twin Oaks Event Center .
Jeni and Josh knew their wedding photos were one of the most important things at their wedding and wanted to use a photographer who would capture the uniqueness of their relationship , not just pose them for standard pictures . She must have talked to 100 photographers , but when she found Four 2 North , they were overwhelmed with their portfolio and guaranteed the couple they would “ catch their emotions ” on their big day . Jeni says owners Gary and Tracy were amazing to work with , and not only did they capture the essence of their relationship , but Four 2 North was able to whip out a slideshow in under an hour to project on a big screen at the reception of the private ceremony they had at his parent ’ s pond . It was a great way for all the guests at the reception to share in their joy .
At the ceremony , one of the most precious moments was when Josh ’ s 92 year old grandfather , their ring bearer , proudly brought in the wedding bands . The couple was so grateful he was able to participate in their wedding . Not only did the couple exchange vows to each other , but Jeni also professed vows to Josh ’ s mother how much she loved her son and what kind of wife she would be . To unify this couple , Jeni and Josh did a whiskey blending ceremony , combining whiskey into a miniature oak barrel that they will be able to share a drink from on each anniversary .
At the reception , the couple decorated with burgundy and dusty rose florals , lots of greenery and sheer chiffon . This theme was carried over onto their cake . Mike Elder , world famous baker who has made award winning cakes for the rich and famous , is a friend of Jeni ’ s . She told him what she did not want in a cake and gave him free reign . Not knowing what her cake would look like , they walked into their reception and saw he created a masterpiece . It was a four-tier lemon cake with raspberry filling , decorated with dusty rose florals and a chocolate tree limb wrapping around the cake with edible cherry blossoms . Mike definitely knocked it out of the park .
Reception guests enjoyed a delicious dinner catered by Matthews Catering and then had a blast with DJ Cameron Beck . But the highlight of the evening was when Jeni ’ s seventeen year old daughter gave a toast and asked Josh to adopt her and be her dad . There was not a dry eye in the house !
A marriage like this is worth fighting for . Jeni says , “ everything happens for a reason ” and is so glad they can take off the boxing gloves and enjoy life together . Xxoxo