Kate + Marc

Photography by Ro Ducay

Kate's Story

There are many things I love about Marc: the fact that his college buddies call him "Smooth Marc" because of his way with the ladies (this is, to be clear, a joke), that he calls his parents every day, that he is committed to kindness in his professional and personal life, that he loves board games, that it took him six months to ask me out, that he owned the same pair of shoes for 15 years. However, the thing I love the most about Marc is how genuinely good he is. He encourages my faith, my career, and our life together every day. Falling in love with Marc was like coming home, and I can't wait to begin to build our new life together.

Marc's Story

I won't ever forget the first time I met Kate. It was at a birthday party that she was hosting, and I knew that I liked her from the moment that I met her. She was articulate, funny, and absolutely beautiful. The same qualities I noticed that night hold true today, and are some of the reasons why I love Kate so much. I write "some", because there is so much more that I have grown to love and cherish during the past two years. Kate's kindness, loyalty and honesty are perhaps what I love most about her. She makes me a better man through her own example, and she always makes herself available to support me regardless of the circumstances. Even more, Kate has taught me the importance of honesty. I don't just mean telling the truth; I mean the practice of being completely open with oneself and with those around you. I feel like I can be 100% honest with Kate, and she will accept me no matter what. Kate is an incredible woman, and I feel so blessed and fortunate to spend the rest of my life with her. She truly is one of a kind.

CROSSING PATHS

Marc and I met on August 31, 2013 at a birthday party I was hosting for a close friend. Over the next few months, Marc and I kept running into each other-at friends' houses, at parties, and at church. We even spent the whole night talking one night, but Marc never asked for my number! Our timing just never seemed to be quite right, though we both were interested! After several months, I wasn't sure it would ever happen, but I knew that Marc was exactly the type of person I was supposed to share my life with. In fact, many of my prayers at night went something like this: "Okay, God. If it's not Marc Phillips, please send me someone just like him."

Not too many weeks later, our friends conspired to have us meet up again-and this time it stuck. We went out on our first date three days later, and we've never looked back.