Willow Gardens

Wedding Day

Wedding

Reception

Our Story

Our Wedding

A Biased and Subjective Retelling of how David and Shelby fell in Love

Told by David, Edited by Shelby

David and Shelby lived in the same dorm freshman year. David doesn't remember when they first met, but it must have been through Bayard. It wasn't until second semester when they really first started interacting with each other when they sat at the same table in Dr. Walter's wellness class. One of the first memories David has of Shelby was being in the same group on the first day of class as everyone told a story and filled out a sheet of their first impressions of everyone else. David was impressed Shelby remembered he was an MK. He also remembers a time they were standing on opposite sides of the room on the topic "You should be able to tell your best friend anything." With one fell swoop Shelby changed his mind (not if it's told in confidence) and he crossed to the other side of the room.

The Fearsome Five

What began freshman year morphed into a group of five friends who started eating lunch together. Eventually, they started doing lots of things together-- watching movies, cooking chicken and rice on Sunday nights, celebrating Easter, going to an opera down town, and so on. Abby and Shelby became roommates, and so did Bayard, Brian, and David (although in different combinations each year of college). These friendships shaped both David and Shelby's time at college and survived periods of study abroad, dating, break-ups, illnesses, distance, and even graduation. The spring of Junior year, Abby was studying abroad and suddenly Shelby found herself doing the things she used to do with Abby and David (going on runs, weekly dinners, discussing ideas) with just David. As they spent more time together he started to wonder if maybe he liked her. And so he thought about it and talked to Bayard and he put off asking her on a date and he severly over-analyzed it.

The Next Step

But finally, late in the spring 2013 semester, after a long run past Glen Ellyn, where they smeared streaks of mud on each other's faces (Indian paint) he got up the courage to ask. That Monday they went on a long bike ride. A really long bike ride. Shelby had dressed up and looked really pretty. And David, well... not so dressed up. But he had good intentions. And as they rode and talked, mostly about normal, mundane things, they enjoyed each other's company. And it was really good.

Seniors at Wheaton

When they returned to campus after summers of limited communication on different continents, Shelby was fairly confused. Thankfully, David asked her on another date. It would be too painful to tell of all the bumps that followed in the next semester. Suffice it to say that though they were not very good at communicating, they started to get better at it (Shelby awarded them "Most improved" in communication, two years running!). And the relationship gradually went from something that was sometimes intermediated by their roommates to something that belonged to the two of them. And they liked that a lot. Senior year finished with many walks exploring the city of Wheaton, aimlessly wandering and talking and getting to know each other better. A month after graduation, Shelby and David met up with 7 other friends for their long awaited trip to Ecuador. The highlight of the trip was rescuing Bayard from Colombia by bringing up his cédula and then getting to run around Pasto, Colombia preparing flowers and other surprises for Bayard's proposal to Emily. That trip was also the first time David told Shelby he loved her, sitting on a trampoline in his backyard on a starry night, overlooking the city of Quito.

Chicago

That fall they both moved into Chicago. David began working at RJN, an engineering group in Wheaton. And Shelby began nursing school at Rush and learned all about communication, catheterization, and Chicagoization (the process of moving to and becoming comfortable in a large city). Through navigating the messy and hard decisions of adult life the next year and a half, they continued to grow and to grow together, to feel more confident in their relationship, and to get better at talking and working things out. They had a long time to think and talk about it and they knew committing to each other for life wouldn't be easy, but David became more and more sure it was worth it, that she was the one he wanted to marry. That there was no one he'd rather spend the rest of his life with than Shelby.

Easter Sunday

Then, one afternoon, on a picnic to Morton Arboretum, David asked Shelby to marry him. And she said, "It would be my honor. Absolutely, yes!"

In Christ Alone

David and Shelby would both like to acknowledge that Jesus Christ is the only reason this relationship is possible. He died for these two sinners so that they could have a right relationship with God and with each other. And they are so thankful that Jesus Christ is the foundation upon which they are able to build a marriage. For Christ and His Kingdom!

Our Story 1

Willow Gardens is a wedding venue on a wholesale nursery owned by our dear family friends, the O'Briens. Shelby grew up playing there, so it is a very special place for her to be married. Los Osos can be cool in the evenings, even in August, so please bring sweaters or light jackets. Also, the older barns on the property are a beautiful back drop for your photos, but please do not enter past posted signs as they are not safe for guests.

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Bayard Pickens

My faithful Wheaton Roommate of three years, fellow runner, partner in crime, and dear friend. 

Abigail Schmidt

Brian Williams

Though we never actually lived together, she was such a fixture in our dorm rooms and apartments at Wheaton, we called her our "third roommate" and I am blessed to call her friend. 

Jennifer Pfaff

My wonderful soon to be Sister in Law. We like playing basketball, making pancakes, and creating things out of clay together, on the rare occasion I get to see her in Ecuador. 

Lindsey Edgren

Joel Edgren

The coolest little brother Shelby could ask for. She really likes riding in his truck and on his motorcycle when visiting him in Texas.

Larson Patty

My niece Charlotte is an excellent gymnist and will be starting Kindergarten in the fall! We like creating clay creatures and playing on the jungle gym together!

Charlotte Coleman

My nephew, Robert is a lego architect and baseball player. We enjoy racing paper dragons from the top of the swings and bike riding! 

David & Shelby

David & Shelby

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Willow Gardens