How did you meet?
We first met in the Writing Center at Saint Mary’s College when Nick, a confident and poor graduate student, walked up to the young woman at the front desk and asked, “Can I work here?” Sabrina had no idea who this person was or what kind of authority he assumed she had, but she said “yes, probably,” bewildered but intrigued.
Nick did eventually get that job and the two became co-workers. Their second day working together, a large box arrived to the front desk, which, once empty, was roughly the size of Sabrina, if she hunched down. “Don’t you think you could fit in that box?” Nick asked. “Yes,” Sabrina said, and climbed in, closed the flaps, and continued her work right there in the box. That marked the second time Sabrina had said yes to a request that surprised Nick. The next week it was Sabrina’s turn to ask him a question she hoped he would say “yes” to.
“Can you help me with something I’m writing?” Sabrina asked Nick one evening at the Writing Center.“Yes,” said Nick. “What are you writing?”“A musical,” said Sabrina, after obvious thought. A musical? About what?” “Ghosts,” she said, inventing her writing project on the spot. “Ghosts?” She nodded. “And capitalism,” she added with a shrug. “The two sort of go hand in hand I feel. Can you help me?” Nick, who had been doing some actual, serious work for an impending deadline, closed his laptop, looked at the short blond girl who had said yes to a job, yes to climbing in a cardboard box, and nodding seriously, said “Yes. Yes, I can help you write a musical about a ghost.” “And capitalism,” she reminded. “And capitalism.”
For the next four hours they pitched ideas back and forth until they looked up to see it was dark and they were the only two left in the building. When they were finally finished they realized they’d written perhaps the worst musical of all time. [Note: All records of “Ghostie, A Musical,” including, but not limited to: lyrics, plot lines, and characters, have been intentionally destroyed. All requests for re-creation of the musical will be denied.]
It was only a few weeks later after several “non-dates” they’d said yes to at romantic locations such as: Safeway, Dining Hall and Idling Car, that Nick called his mom and told her he’d met someone. And that, he was pretty certain, he was going to marry her.
When did you become engaged, and how?
We became engaged December 18, 2022. It was the morning of our “couples Christmas” before Christmas with the larger family. One of the presents under the tree was a re-creation of the first gift Nick ever gave to Sabrina six years prior (including a potato (her favorite food)). While Sabrina opened it Nick gave a sweet speech reflecting on the past six years of their relationship and informed Sabrina that this was only part of the gift. He made her hunt through the branches of the Christmas tree to find a velvet green box (very difficult). When she finally found it she turned around to Nick on one knee, and he asked her to make the rest of their years as wonderful as the first six.
#WeddingGoals
We knew we wanted a venue that was outdoors in nature and a string quartet for the ceremony, but most importantly we wanted to make sure our guests had a great time.
How did planning go?
Our favorite time was looking for the venue; whenever we got to each one, we imagined ourselves being married there. The worst moments were toward the end of planning when the fun stuff had already been decided upon, and we were working on logistics and details, like where people were going to sit, what time the shuttle should arrive, etc. It was at that moment when we reflected on how having a wedding planner would’ve probably been a wise use of some of the budget.
What was the biggest challenge of wedding planning?
The time commitment and decision fatigue. It felt like everyone had a question every day, not just vendors, but family members and friends as well. It was a part-time job which was difficult to manage on top of the everyday full time commitments we already had.
How would you describe the ceremony? Was there anything specific that made it unique to you as a couple?
It was a beautiful ceremony. Our focus was primarily on our vows. Having both met at a writing center and both of our jobs being heavily writing focused, it was important to both of us that the ceremony was based on how we expressed our love and commitment to one another.
Any memorable moments from your reception?
So many! Nick’s grandparents winning the anniversary dance (60+ years together and still dancing!). The fact that almost everyone was dancing – even people who said they wouldn’t. Honestly, seeing everyone we love celebrate under the lights and the trees was such a special time for both of us.
Any funny or unexpected wedding moments that happened throughout the day?
Part of Nick’s vows contained a knock knock joke, and throughout the rest of the night people were saying “Knock Knock.” One of Nick’s Grooms-mates had to go shoe-less for part of the day because Nick forgot his shoes. Luckily someone was able to bring them to Nick eventually.
What was the best part of your day?
Sabrina: The vows, but it was also the most nerve wracking. I think saying something very heartfelt in front of our friends and family made for such such a special moment.
Nick: Our first look. Steve at Function 45 unexpectedly played our song and the whole thing felt so real in that moment.
The Dance Songs
First Dance Song: “Forever Like That” by Ben Rector
Father/Daughter Dance Song: “I Wish” by Rascal Flatts
Mother/Son Dance Song: “Simple Man” by Lynyrd Skynyr
Last Dance Song: “Mist of a Dream” by Birdlegs and Pauline
What was your favorite detail from your wedding day?
The florals were so beautiful–more beautiful than we could have imagined! Also, each table name was after our various pets, which added such a personal touch.
#VendorRaves
Our DJ, Steve Schon from Function 45, made the day flow super smoothly and set everything up for us with minimal input—something that ended up being a lifesaver at the end of the planning period. Our photographer, P.J. Oswald from Fits & Stops Photography, was such a pleasure to work with, kept the mood light (even during stressful moments), and helped us create beautiful, lasting memories.
What will guests remember?
Some of the guests told us they felt included in the day; that they were part of the wedding instead of simply watching it. This was something we were hoping to achieve and is something we hope made our wedding memorable.
Advice from the couple:
Invest in a wedding planner if you can. As wonderful as the day was, it was extremely stressful leading up to it. Think about the wedding not as a spectacle to impress people, but as an event that is about including your loved ones. It takes some of the pressure off. Work with great vendors, they made our lives so much easier. Focus on what is most important to you and don’t sweat the small stuff.
What would you have done differently if you had the chance?
Hired a wedding planner. We can’t stress this enough.
