Peter and Brooke grew up seven minutes apart. They drove the same roads, had their favorite pizza places, knew many of the same people, yet never met. They often reflect, throw their hands in the air, and wonder at the seeming impossibility of this prospect.

But, this is a story you've heard before. You've watched a movie or read a book that plays off of this paradox. There are thousands like it all over Cortland, NY; America; the world. Two people somehow avoid bumping into each other despite all odds. Love finds a way, they say.

When they met at a ministry event in 2022, it wasn't love at first sight. You're kinda cute, they thought. But, little by little, the place they grew up-- the space inside them shaped by church events, VeggieTales, Tops, six-month winters, Route 281, and a deeply individual relationship with the God of the universe--started to harmonize with itself. Over car rides and making crêpes in Brooke's kitchen, they talked about starting to acknowledge this harmony as connection, and, eventually, love.

In their three years of dating, they've grown to understand why, exactly, they never met. Simply, they weren't ready for each other. No, they weren't terrible people or even rough around the edges (as I'm sure you know). They just weren't ready for each other. The love of their parents, the embarrassments of high school, the successes and challenges of college, and their interactions with each one of you shaped them into two individuals who were ready to enter into this relationship. And now, into marriage.

Peter and Brooke grew up seven minutes apart, in Cortland, NY. They met each other by the will of God, and he, in his perfect timing and design, grew a space in their hearts for each other. Little by little, he has changed them through this relationship.

We pray that our lives, and our love for each other, are a signal fire for the coming Kingdom of God.

We cannot wait to celebrate with you all on our day!

- Brooke and Peter