Explore Bogotá, Colombia with the future Bride & Groom

Wedding Day

Ceremony

Reception

Spring

Our Wedding

Para hablar de nuestra historia de amor, hay que remontarnos a inicios de 2020, en pleno pico de cuarentena. Me encontraba en la búsqueda de un compañero de idiomas o alguien con quien simplemente pudiera intercambiar palabras y afinar el idioma. Sin embargo, jamás pensé que terminaría intercambiando mi corazón y afinando mi vida con esa persona. Breanna llegó a mi vida por medio de HelloTalk, alrededor de marzo de 2020, donde entre chats y llamadas, se fue colando y conquistando mi mente y corazón. Parece irreal ahora que lo cuento, pero sí, fue así. Conocí a la mujer de mi vida y futura esposa por la voluntad de Dios y la conexión del internet. Con el paso de nuestras llamadas de “prácticas” de idiomas, fui enamorándome y encariñándome de ese espíritu humilde y cariñoso de Bre. Su manera de ser, valores, afinidad, química, entre otros, hicieron que algo así calara en mi incrédulo y cerrado corazón. Fue así cuando, entre llamadas y risas, nos declaramos el uno al otro el 3 de agosto de 2021, alrededor de las 7:40 pm, en una llamada de “práctica” y charlas, y nos enteramos de que nos gustábamos el uno al otro. Desde ahí, empezamos a construir y formar esta loca y diferente aventura sin saber a dónde nos llevaría. Pasaban los días y meses, donde hablábamos por interminables horas disfrutando de la compañía del otro, y después de terminar una videollamada, me quedaba mirando al cielo diciendo, “Wow, no sé por qué me encanta tanto”. Conocí a mis futuros suegros por videollamada, una experiencia que no olvidaré. Desde ahí, seguimos construyendo nuestra historia llena de vaivenes, donde a través de citas virtuales nos conocíamos el uno al otro. Fue entonces cuando, en 2022, después de la emocionante noticia de saber que Breanna vendría a Colombia para conocernos, llegó a Bogotá alrededor de las 11:50 pm, el 23 de junio de 2022, y en medio del frío y el nerviosismo, la recibí y abracé con toda la fuerza.

Abdiel

De ahí surgió una nueva y retadora etapa: la relación a distancia, con la magnífica diferencia de que ya éramos novios. Sin embargo, toda acción tiene una reacción, y nuestra decisión de empezar la relación trajo consigo uno de los retos más difíciles que haya enfrentado: la relación a distancia. Fueron meses de tristeza, felicidad, frustración, enojo, aprendizaje y emoción, en los que nos veíamos cada 6 meses y aprendimos a tener paciencia y confiar en Dios más de lo que lo hacíamos antes.

Fue entonces que, entre viajes a Guatemala y Colombia, le propuse matrimonio a Bre en Guatemala el 10 de agosto de 2024, concretando así mi deseo de casarme con ella. Parece mentira ahora que lo cuento, ya que a veces no parece real que nuestra historia fuera así, pero vuelvo atrás, miro y digo: “Valió la pena cada tristeza y frustración”, y todos los demás sentimientos encontrados mientras estábamos en la distancia.

Hoy, con la mayor alegría del mundo, digo que me siento bendecido de tener a Breanna como mi esposa y de casarme con ella el 18 de enero de 2025.

Ephesians 3:20 reminds us that we serve a God who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, and that to Him should be all the glory. I am convinced that meeting, falling in love with, and choosing to love, serve, and ultimately unite my life with Abdiel Tay has been evidence of God’s 'immeasurably more' in my life and proof of His deep and tender love for both of us. Who would have thought that following a mission trip to Guatemala in March of 2020, I would have connected with Abdiel through a language learning app and our friendship would develop and mature so beautifully over time? We would connect a few times a month through messaging and video calls to practice Spanish and English, and I loved every single minute of those calls. Even in the midst of a global pandemic, we found encouragement in our time spent with one another, and I watched as a reserved, guarded Abdiel began to open up and share things outside of pure language learning. We talked for hours about faith, family, purpose, goals, and dreams, and never before had I felt as listened to as I did with him.&nbsp; It shouldn’t have caught me by surprise, but it did. Over time, I realized that I would find little excuses for us to talk not only because I genuinely appreciated hearing from him, but also because of the romantic feelings I had developed for him that were bubbling up to the surface. On August 3rd in 2021, we shared our mutual desire to know one another as “more than just friends” with one another and on June 23 of 2022 we were blessed with the opportunity to spend time with each other in person. Over the course of our friendship prior to the officializing of our relationship in June, we played games over Facetime (one of my favorites being where we would throw pens in a cup and count up our points), did our homework together, shared stories with one another, and asked each other lots, and lots of questions.&nbsp; The day we met for the first time, I felt an immediate sense of peace come over me, wrapping me up like a warm blanket in contrast to the cool of Bogotá. That peace has remained with me over the entire duration of our relationship and engagement. Ever since we first began our relationship in June of 2022 and had to separate two weeks later, we have chosen one another. Countless sacrifices were made over the course of what would become our two year, long-distance relationship. When we were united, I had never felt so much joy, and when we were separated, we cried more than either one of us had before. Long distance brings such a feeling of loss and grief that is very difficult to put into words, especially to those who have not experienced it.&nbsp; Yet, I truly thank God for allowing my path to cross with Abdiel, the kindest, gentlest, most humble, fun, hardworking, and Christ-loving man I have ever met. During this season of long distance, we were blessed to witness the Lord acting as Jehovah-Jireh, our provider. As He provided the means for us to see one another and continue building the foundation of our relationship, both in Colombia and Guatemala as missionaries-in-training, we were able to experience what real, sacrificial love looks and feels like.&nbsp; I will never forget when he asked me to marry him on August 10th, surrounded by Guatemalan hills and peaks, marking our second time together in a country we both love so dearly. I genuinely cannot imagine my life without him in it and the thought of standing together at the altar to promise our love until death brings me to tears. God willing, that vow marks the greatest distance we'll ever face apart again, and it will all come to fruition on January 18, 2025, the day we become husband and wife!

Breanna

Our Story

Photos

Katelyn Watson

Barbara Petzold

Isabella Bejarano

Catherine Escobar

Laura Gongora Rangel 

Jairo Tay 

Yeferson Parra

Mateo Molina 

Wilmer Oros

Miguel Gaona

Wedding Party

Q + A

Travel

Please book your room online based on your travel dates! Transportation will be coordinated separately to get you from the airport to the hotel and back to the aiport after the wedding.

ESTELAR La Fontana Hotel

Transportation will be provided the day before the wedding (January 17) on our "Explore Bogotá with the Bride and Groom" adventure day and (January 18) to and from the wedding venue.

Abdiel & Breanna

Abdiel & Breanna

Budget