Sonlight Community Church

Wedding Day

Wedding

Selman Timberframe

Reception

Our Wedding

<p>The first time I saw Ali was at a football game. It was a Fremont vs. Angola game. I saw her and thought she was a beautiful girl. The cutest girl I had ever seen honestly. I officially got to meet her at church when she came to SonLight with her friend. We had an immediate spark between us. Neither of us acted on that initial spark however, because we were both in a relationship. Over the course of the year we saw each other a lot. My best friend, and best man, Garrit Winans provided me with plenty of opportunities to see her. He would invite me to basketball games where he and Ali were both on the Cheer team of Fremont. This way I&nbsp;got the best of both worlds, I got to see y best friend and I&nbsp;Got the chance to get to know the cute cheerleader.&nbsp;&nbsp;TBC</p>

How we met: The Groom's Perspective 

Our Story

Details

Danica Stimmel is the Bride's sister and best friend. Danica and the bride have known each other for 19 years. Growing up together grew them closer than ever. Her son Greyson is also a part of the wedding as a ring bearer. The bride could not be more honored to have her sister by her side on the big day.xoxo the happy couple. 

Danica Stimmel

Garrit is the Groom's best friend  and basically brother. Garrit and the Groom have known each other for 19/20 years. Growing up together these two were inseparable which gave them the bond of brothers. The Groom is extremely honored and delighted to have Garrit right by his side where he has always been during this special day. xoxo the happy couple

Garrit Winans

Ryan is the Groom's brother, A.K.A. "The Bearded Wonder". Ryan and the groom have known each other for 19 years. Ryan will be coming up from Arizona to be in his little brother's wedding. xoxo the happy couple

Ryan Rice

Abby Hayes is one of the Bride's best friends. They have known each other for 4 years and met in high school. They were introduced through Abby's sister and have been inseperable since. xoxothe happy couple

Abby Hayes

Micah is also the groom's brother. They have know each other for 16 years. Micah is the youngest Groomsmen in the group, he will be a junior in high-school by the time of the wedding. xoxo the happy couple

Micah McCoy

Kierstin Yeakle is a great friend to the Bride and Groom. They are super excited to see the spunk and fun she brings on the big day. The bride and groom met Kierstin their first year at Grace College and have became very close the passed two years.&nbsp;



xoxo

The happy couple

Kierstin Yeakle

Gavin is a best friend of he groom. Gavin has known the groom for 6/7 years, they met at Sonlight Community Church's youth group. Gavin will be a senior in high-school at the time of the wedding. xoxo the happy couple

Gavin Schades

Samantha (aka Sammy) is a cousin to the bride. They have known each other for 19 years. The Bride and Groom are so excited to see the fun Sammy makes on the big day!xoxo the happy couple

Samantha Begley

Trayton is a best friend of the groom. Trayton and the groom have known each other for 15 years. These two met each other all the way back in preschool and have kept the relationship going since then. xoxo the happy couple

Trayton Nafziger

Tessah is one of the Bride's best friends. The bride and Tessah met each other in 2014 at their first cheerleading practice of the season and have been friends since. Tessah and Ali became very close in the 4 years they have known each other by bonding through their love of cheerleading and fun girls nights. xoxoThe happy couple

Tessah Ralstin

Jacob (aka Spider-man) is the groom's roommate from college. They have know each other for two years. They bonded through all of their commonalities, but their love for spider-man is the biggest connection. Jacob will be getting married in June of 2018 as well and we could not be happier for him. xoxo the happy couple

Jacob Crain

Hayley is on the bride and grooms cheerleading team at Grace College. They have become very close with Hayley. Hayley will be coming from Warsaw, Indiana to celebrate and be in the wedding. She has become a very dear friend to the happy couple and the bride and groom are very excited to have her. 

Hayley Thompson

Dustin has known the groom for 11 years. They have been best friends since the fourth grade.&nbsp;It all started from a kickball game in Dustin's front yard. These two bonded from all the sports they played together and the fact that they have been neighbors since fourth grade.&nbsp;

Dustin Osos 

Wedding Party

Photos

Q + A

Registry

Travel

Things to Do

The Brides Perspective

Bride: ALI 

<p>We met our Sophomore year of High School at a football game for the first time through a mutual friend. He was near the entrance of the Fremont football field with a crowd of friends around him, so I did not really meet him other than by passing. That same mutual friend went to Sonlight Community Church and invited me to their youth group. She describe the&nbsp; youth of her church, but went into detail with the people around our age. She first described Garrit (The Best Man) and then went onto describe another guy, Dawson. You know when someone is trying to be extra nice about describing them? Usually they're total weirdos, right? (ISN'T THAT THE TRUTH) Well, we went to church later that day and I met Dawson (for real this time) and I turned to our friend and said, “Woah, you never said he looked like that." (not joking) I know that was very superficial of me, but there is no argument that he is very handsome. So, later on we both got into different relationships and we became pretty good acquaintances. Garrit (The Best Man) was a cheer lifter on my team and he would bring Dawson to the games (Shout out to Jen LaRose for allowing him to come on the bus) and our friendship bloomed from there.&nbsp;Fast forwarding a little bit, my passed relationship did not end well and the day it ended was a game day and Dawson walked in with Garrit for an away game. When he showed up I was crying because I was explaining what happened and (what D told me was..) he asked Garrit what was wrong with me and he told him. Dawson came up to me and hugged me with out saying anything and just comforted me. Anyways a couple months after this I messaged Abby (Bridesmaid) if I could come with her to church because I felt I lost myself and that was because I lost my identity in Christ. So, Abby said yeah come over this weekend and we can go to church. I went to church with her that weekend and Dawson was there as well and came up to me and hugged me and I remember that&nbsp;entire day I was freaking out over the big crush I had on him and that afternoon he texted me &hellip; I WENT NUTS&hellip;. well we started dating not long after that and we became closer than I ever did with anyone else. I started seeing the world in a way of how can I do all I can for a person to show them that I care for them? I know it sounds mushy, but he brought out a side of me that I did not even know existed. And even better was despite his charming good looks he loved God and I never had a relationship where we strive for God and I found that that quality I liked so much, I fell in love with. A couple years go by and March 4th, 2017 swings by and he told me he had a huge plan for our anniversary. We were going to princess on ice. (AHHH I KNOW RIGHT!?!?!?) Well Dawson was busy most of the day before the date and I told him that I was hungry if we could grab a bite to eat before the show and (of course this man loves me and feeds me) he said yes. Well he said we would go to Caruso’s.. When we were driving he passed Caruso’s&hellip; And for anyone who knows me knows I CANT GO WITH OUT FOOD.. and I said.. You passed Caruso’s and he just replied with Ok&hellip; I looked at him and then sat back in the seat and then he drove down a dirt road leading to Crooked Lake (I think thats the name) and I said what is going on. I see Tammi (My soon to be mother-in-law) setting some thing up in the back of the Sequoia (D’s car at the time ((we were driving Tammi’s car at the time))) And she ran behind the tree and I just scream HI TAMMI lol! Then I peak in the back of the truck and it was a beautiful picnic set up for us. There was a Beauty and the Beast build-a-bear and I push for the sound and in my head I was thinking, “That isn’t a beauty and the beast song??” And the next thing I know is that Dawson was on his knee asking me to marry him and the only thing I can say is, “What, What, YOU’RE AWESOME!” And that is true. I could not be marrying a more loving, God-fearing, caring, kind-hearted, AWESOME man. I am a truly blessed woman and I cannot wait until June 9th, 2018 to be named his wife.</p>

Dawson & Alison

Dawson & Alison

D&A

Wedding Day

6:30 PM

Wedding

Reception