page 112 X metropolitan weddings X Summer / fall 2021
written by photographed by |
| Julie M . Good shelby chantÉ photography
�from the church pew to " i do� "
It was an ordinary Sunday morning at a warm and lively church when Jake Wheeler first laid eyes on then stranger Elli Burns . Elli , unbeknownst to Jake ’ s instantaneous feelings of love , had no idea that the man who would , on that day , begin a tradition of purposefully sitting next to her each Sunday so that he could hold her hand during prayer . Jake said to his Father as he searched for a church pew , “ I ’ m going to marry that girl .”
Upon meeting at church in 2013 , having grown up in close proximity albeit attending different schools , Elli and Jake had an immediate connection . Despite becoming fast friends and keeping in touch for years , the two didn ’ t take the next step in their relationship until their first real date in 2016 . Although the feelings were there from the moment they met for Jake , Elli ’ s approach to their love affair was a bit slower paced . Though , the soon-to-be bride , knew fairly quickly that Jake was her best friend and that doing life with him was something she wanted to pursue forever . What started as a fellowship in their faith , evolved steadily into a genuine friendship and soon thereinafter into love .
After years of companionship and committed courtship , Elli and Jake decided it would be a fun and memorable Christmas gift to one another for the couple to have professional photos taken together for the first time . Elli took the lead in ironing out the details so that their photo shoot would be memorable , but behind the scenes Jake was orchestrating a secret plan of his own . With their families present to “ witness their first photo shoot ” and with their photographer in on Jake ’ s surprise , the couple ’ s final session rolled around . It came as a great surprise to Elli when Jake turned the gorgeous meadow at Fellows Lake into the place that the two inevitably got engaged . With their special moment captured on camera and their family all around , it was an easy answer for Elli to give … “ Yes !”
With a tentative timeline of one year to plan – Elli , her mother and Jake ’ s mother got to work on planning the perfect wedding . With the majority of their planning falling in the midst of a global pandemic , challenges were inevitable , but Elli counts herself as blessed to have had the experience in wedding planning that she did . With help from online wedding planners to Pinterest boards , plus a helpful supportive familial force behind her , Elli was able to enjoy the time she got to spend as a bride-to-be more than she could ’ ve ever hoped for .
As their big day proceeded to take shape and as their December wedding date drew near , big decisions still loomed over the horizon for Elli and Jake . First off , the bride had to " say yes to the dress ." Elli admittedly loved countless gowns that she tried on claiming that they were all beautiful in their own ways , but when she found the dress that she would ultimately say “ I Do ” in , she knew in her heart that it was the one . Next came the venue , a decision that Elli says came incredibly easy for the couple . The Venue at Stockton Lake captured their attention as soon as it was built and the couple knew that the combination of rustic charm and elegance in nature would lend itself as the perfect place for the two to wed .
December 10th , 2020 , was a day that Elli Wheeler says she would relive forever if she could . With a support system to ease her stress and a beautiful wintry wedding before her , Elli knew that she and Jake ’ s big day would be beautiful . From traditional vows to a pizza party reception , every detail came together to make the union of Elli and Jake Wheeler one for the ages . It is with endless love and a steadfast faith in their hearts that the couple will reflect on their love story and their dreamy , mid-December wedding and recount how their path unfolded enchantingly before them leading them both from the church pew to “ I Do ”. XmB