St James Catholic Church

Ceremony

University Club of Louisville

Reception

Our Wedding

"Marie and I first met at the University of Louisville. We were both majoring in Bioengineering and a mutual friend suggested that we all be in the same lab group together. We hadn't really interacted that much before this but were pleasantly surprised by how well we seemed to get along. Soon after, we began to have lunches together nearly every day at the McAlister's Deli on campus with Billie (Marie's best friend and Maid of Honor). We'd talk about all sorts of things and as our friendship began to blossom, Marie and I started hanging out just the two of us, seeing movies, going to festivals, and meeting each other's families. Billie kept saying that we'd start dating soon, but of course we kept saying that no, we're "just friends." Well, a couple of months later, Marie and I couldn't ignore it any longer, we had fallen for each other and on August 15, 2014&nbsp;I asked her out on our first official "real date" and we began our journey together."-Evan

Once upon a time...

"Thanksgiving Day of 2017, Evan, along with his brother, Daniel, and sister, Victoria, came up with what I thought was a spontaneous Christmas trip to Asheville, NC but as it turned out this was actually the culmination of a very well-planed and well-kept secret engagement surprise that they had been working on for months! While we were in Asheville, Evan suggested (quite strongly) that the four of us should dress up "as fancy as possible" for our tour of the Biltmore Estate so that we could get some great pictures and the morning of our tour, Victoria took me to get our nails done "just for fun!" As you can see, they really thought of everything! On the afternoon of December 23rd, 2017, with the Biltmore house itself in the background, Evan popped the big question! I couldn't believe it at first and thought he was just joking but that changed as soon as I saw him pull out that ring! I was so surprised and even turned to Daniel and Victoria to see if they knew this was going to happen, only to see them taking as many pictures as possible to capture every single moment! After they finished taking pictures, Evan and I walked up to the top of the hill to really take in what was happening. I was so excited; I just couldn't believe that I didn't realized he was going to do this! On our way down we saw Victoria waiting for us by the stairs and as we rounded the wall to get to the top of the stairs, to my wonderful surprise we found my mom and Evan's parents hiding in wait for us! All said, it was an unforgettable trip and the most wonderful Christmas."-Marie

The Proposal!

"In March of 2020, due to escalating concerns about the pandemic, we made the difficult decision to postpone our wedding day celebration. After spending over a year planning for April 4, 2020, as our day, it was devastating to come so close, only to have it slip away. We spent the next week calling all our guests explaining the situation. And then, we were left wondering: What now? With no clear timeline for when we could safely gather our loved ones, we were at a loss for how to move forward. Then, during a conversation with my brother and Best Man, Daniel Das, he casually threw out an idea: “Why not have a Zoom wedding?” At first, we weren’t sure, but the more we thought about it, the more it made sense. We still wanted to get married, and April 4th was our day, after all. So, with no grand venue and no big celebration in sight, we decided to make it happen anyway. Daniel immediately volunteered to get ordained so he could officiate the ceremony, and from that moment on, we were off to the races. Since our major participants were on the other side of the country, our marriage certificate had to travel cross-country, collecting signatures before making its way back to us in Seattle in time for submission. It was nerve-wracking knowing that if anything happened to that piece of paper, we’d have to start all over again but thankfully, it made it back safely, and we were able to officially become husband and wife! The ceremony was simple but meaningful in its own way. While it wasn’t the wedding we had originally envisioned, it allowed us to celebrate our love and officially start our lives together. We are forever grateful to Daniel for not only helping us save our day but for taking it a step further and actually marrying us. We love you, Brother! Your love and support truly showed us what family means."-Evan

Zoom, Zoom, Zoom!

"We had discussed adopting a dog for a few years, and in the fall of 2020, we decided it was the right time! However, with COVID restrictions still in place, we quickly realized that everyone else had the same idea, and shelters were experiencing record adoptions. We initially applied within Seattle and the surrounding area, but other applicants were faster on the draw. Still determined, we expanded our search across the western U.S., and that’s when we found him: a half French bulldog, half pug, thought to be around 5 years old, and with the grumpiest little face in his profile picture. We immediately knew he was the one for us. We reached out, held our breath, and finally got a yes! There was just one catch: he was in Nebraska, and we had to pick him up in person. So, just a few days after Christmas of 2020, Evan made the trip to bring him home. We had been warned by his foster family that our new addition was timid around men, but when Evan arrived, it was love at first sight. He warmed up almost instantly, happily trotting alongside Evan as if they’d been best friends forever. When they made it home to Seattle, I was waiting at the airport, and the second Evan handed me that shivering little bundle of fur, I fell in love too. We renamed him Eddie, a.k.a. Edward Sebastian Das, giving him the same initials as Evan. Though he had a rough start in life and didn’t even know what a toy was at first, he’s since learned to love his toys, playing, long naps, and snuggling, and has become the perfect addition to our little family. Evan and Eddie remain best friends to this day."-Marie

Big Eddie Energy

"For Thanksgiving of 2022, Marie, Eddie, and I took a trip to Leavenworth, WA, a charming Bavarian-style town located in the Cascade mountain range that goes all out with its Christmas decorations. While we were there, Marie started feeling a little off, and just in case, she decided to avoid drinking. In solidarity, I did as well, except for one German beer that Marie insisted I try on her behalf (we were in Leavenworth, after all). When the feeling lingered even after we got home, we made plans for her to take a pregnancy test the following Saturday. By then, I was pretty sure she was pregnant, so I secretly picked up cupcakes and sparkling juice to celebrate just in case. Saturday morning, lo and behold: Positive! We were ecstatic. For about a month, only the two of us knew, and we were floating on cloud nine. By Christmas, we were ready to announce. We made a trip home to Louisville, and handed out sealed envelopes to our families, each containing a surprise message. Marie’s mom, Kathy, opened a "Merry Christmas, Grandma!" card, while my siblings, Daniel and Victoria, got Aunt and Uncle cards. My parents, Suresh and Parri, opened "Happy Retirement!" cards since they had always joked they wouldn’t retire until they had grandkids. There were a few seconds of silence as everyone opened the cards, followed by laughter, cheers, and happy tears. On July 20, 2023, I held my son for the first time, and it was pure magic. He was so small, and all I wanted was to protect this tiny bundle of love. A short while later, our parents arrived, and we finally announced his name: Damian Suresh Das, with his middle name honoring my dad, the best father I could have asked for and whom I strive to emulate as a father myself. Shortly after, we learned that Damian would need to stay in the NICU for a few days, which turned into nine. Those were the longest nine days of our lives. Looking back, the only reason I know for sure it was just nine days is because we remember the date he came home. It felt so much longer. Through it all, Marie was amazing, recovering from delivery, dealing with the stress of having our son in the NICU, and making trips between home and the hospital. I’m so proud to be raising my son with her. Finally, on July 29, 2023, we brought Damian home, and just like that, our new lives as parents began."-Evan

Welcome Home, Baby Damian

Our Story

Pictures

Wedding Day Details (original)

The Wedding Party

The Bridal Brigade

Billie Benningfield&nbsp; (Best Friend/Matron of Honor):&nbsp;

Magnolia Hensley (Cousin/Bridesmaid):&nbsp;

Victoria Das (Soon-to-be-sister-in-law/Bridesmaid):&nbsp;

The "I Do" Crew

Billie Benningfield (Best Friend/Matron of Honor, Left): How do I begin to describe the amazing friend Billie has been to me? My college years at the University of Louisville wouldn’t have been the same without her, and I am all the better for knowing her! From starting our friendship struggling through Engineering Graphics together and enjoying frequent lunches at McAlister’s on campus, things took off from there and haven’t slowed down since! My love of New Orleans came from trips the two of us took for UofL’s Sugar Bowl game one year and Mardi Gras another year. Billie and T.J. helped me and Evan move into our first apartment in Louisville together, which immediately made it feel more like home. Through graduations, dinners, concerts, Billie and T.J.’s beautiful wedding, and many nights out on the town, we have built a lot of great memories together. More recently, we have been keeping one another updated on our milestones from afar, including the birth of their first child and my highly detailed descriptions of life as a Pathology resident, which Billie patiently and kindly listens to :). And now that Evan and I are in Seattle, we love getting to see them each time we go back to Louisville to visit. On top of her busy career and being an amazing mom to their little girl, Billie still takes the time to be the best friend I could ask for.



Magnolia Hensley (Cousin/Bridesmaid, 2nd from Right): Ever since I can remember as a kid on the way to every family gathering, I would ask my parents, “Will Magnolia be there?!”, always so excited to see her. And to this day, I still look forward to each time the two of us get to catch up and wish it could happen much more often! Magnolia is the cousin that immediately brings a smile to everyone’s face, with her vibrant, funny, and warm personality. I have so many great memories of us growing up together, from birthday parties to trick-or-treating on Halloween to giving impromptu theatrical performances for family at Christmas at our Mimi and Pa’s house. Even then, Magnolia’s talent and love of the stage was already clear! When I first introduced Magnolia to Evan, she immediately saw why Evan is the one for me. During trips back home, Evan and I have a blast whenever we get to see some of Magnolia’s performances in theater and improv. I’m so thrilled to have Magnolia as one of my bridesmaids, and can’t imagine celebrating this special occasion without her!











Victoria Das (Soon-to-be-sister-in-law/Bridesmaid, Right): I have a sister now!!! Not only have I found the love of my life, I can now also say I have a new sister, Victoria, and brother, Daniel, which is really exciting for me as an only child! I’ll always be grateful for how they both made me feel welcome and part of the family from the beginning. Victoria has been so supportive of me and Evan as a couple, and I have loved getting to know her over the years. To speak to her kind and caring nature, Victoria went above and beyond in the role she played assisting Evan with the surprise proposal planning. I found out after the engagement just how much she and Daniel helped Evan coordinate everything; and they all pulled this off so secretly without my knowledge of any of it that I’m still so impressed! Not only is Victoria super sweet, but she is also so smart and driven! She is a third-year medical student at the University of Louisville, and will be an amazing doctor. Evan and I will be cheering her on!

The Groom Squad

Daniel Das (Brother/Best Man, 2nd from Right): Daniel and I go way back: you could say that we go just about as far back as he or I could go. I’ve been told time and time again that when we were little, I was always so excited to have a little brother, calling after him “My Brother, My Brother!” Always so protective of the little guy. As we got older though, I started noticing his more mischievous tendencies: a favorite story of ours was the time where he pretended to jump off the Natural Bridge near Morehead, KY and made our mother sick for the rest of the day! That darn kid! One thing about my brother that I’ve always admired though is that he sets high goals for himself, and he has learned to work hard to achieve them. Ever since he was young, he has dreamed of becoming a physician and I’m proud to say that he has achieved his goal and has recently started his first year of his Internal Medicine residency!&nbsp; Marie and I are so happy for him and can’t wait to see what he does next!















Philip Dennison (Cousin/Groomsman, Right): Philip: the man, the myth, the legend. There are stories told about people such as him. People who have talents and abilities that far exceed that of mere mortals. His talents of string and tongue are unmatched, as is his desire to gain knowledge. But seriously though, growing up, Philip would always bring a string instrument or two to family gatherings to entertain us with his adept skills. When we were younger, whenever I saw Philip with an instrument in his hands, I’d ask him to play “Pink Panther” and while I’m sure he got tired of my repeated requests, to my delight he would humor me every time. He was also always up for a good game of Halo on the Xbox or Smash Bro’s on the Gamecube, and by good game, I mean that he dominated the field every time! In recent years, it has been a little harder to see him as he left us all behind for a year in Kyrgyzstan, doing crazy things like living in a yurt and drinking fermented horse milk! However, since he came back to the States, Marie and I have been able to enjoy going over to his and his wonderful wife Sarah’s home for amazing food and company. We always look forward to the next time we get to see them again!











Sunil Nagar (Cousin/Groomsman, Left): Sunil joined our family when he married my cousin Sushma over a decade ago and since then, I've come to really appreciate the bond we have developed in that time. Every time I get a chance to hang out with Sunil, we end up having a great conversion. Whether talking about technology, pop culture, or his two beautiful daughters Anjali and Sonia (our very own Junior Bridesmaid and Flowergirl, respectively), we always have a blast together! More recently, Marie and I had the amazing pleasure and surprise of Sunil, Sushma, and the girls showing up the day after we got engaged and celebrating the occasion with us, having driven all the way out to Asheville, NC to see us. We were so overjoyed and touched that their immediate reaction to hearing about what was happening was to drop everything and come support us. They truly embody the word family and having them in our lives means the world to us.

Photos (old)

Wedding Party

Q + A

St. James Catholic Church

Friday, April 4, 20255:00 PM - Doors Open5:30 PM - Ceremony Begins Address:&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1826 Edenside Ave, Louisville, KY 40204, USAWebsite:&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="http://www.heartofthehighlands.org/st-james-church" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">http://www.heartofthehighlands.org/st-james-church</a>Parking:&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Behind the church and school, otherwise street parking is also available. St. James Church is a historic Roman Catholic church located at 1826 Edenside Avenue in the Highlands section of Louisville, Kentucky.&nbsp;March 1, 1982, it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places as St. James Roman Catholic Church, Rectory, and School.

Friday, April 4, 20256:30 PM - Doors Open / Cocktail Hour7:30 PM - 11:00 PM - Dinner, Dancing, and Celebration Address:&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;200 E Brandeis Ave Louisville, KY 40208, USAWebsite:&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://www.uclublouisville.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.uclublouisville.com</a>Parking:&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;University Club of Louisville Private Parking Lot. The University Club of Louisville is a historic venue located on the University of Louisville's Belknap Campus. Originally founded in 1991, the club has become a cornerstone for gatherings and celebrations, offering an elegant and inviting atmosphere. Its timeless charm and modern amenities make it the perfect setting for our reception.

Ceremony & Reception Info

Parking: Hotel has onsite Parking Garage for self-parking. Street parking is free between the hours of 6pm-7am.Last Day to Book Discount: Friday March 7, 2025&nbsp;Cancellation Policy: 72 Hours prior to arrival to avoid 1 night room and tax penalty&nbsp; Located in the heart of NuLu (New Louisville), this hotel is surrounded by great restaurants, boutique shopping, and local bourbon distilleries. If you're looking to explore the city, you're just a mile from KFC YUM! Arena and Louisville Slugger Field and only 10 minutes from the Kentucky Bourbon Trail® and the Muhammad Ali Center. Enjoy a fresh and modern stay with well-designed rooms, complimentary Wi-Fi, and premium in-room amenities. For dining, grab a gourmet coffee or light bite at Moonsong Café, or take in stunning rooftop views while enjoying dinner at High Stakes Grill.

Tempo by Hilton Louisville Downtown NuLu

For a stylish and comfortable stay, Cambria Hotel Louisville Downtown offers a prime location with modern amenities. This hotel is just minutes from Louisville’s best shopping and attractions, providing everything you need for a relaxing and enjoyable trip. During your stay, enjoy plush bedding, complimentary Wi-Fi, a microwave, mini-fridge, Keurig, and Bluetooth mirrors in every room, plus spa-inspired bathrooms stocked with PURE bath products. The hotel also features a heated indoor pool, a fitness center, and fresh breakfast options to start your day right. When it’s time to unwind, check out the Magnum Moon Hayloft Bar &amp; Grill for delicious dining or Jackdaw Coffee &amp; Bourbon Bar for local flavors.

Cambria Hotel Louisville Downtown-Whiskey Row

Hotel Options

Saturday, April 4, 2020 5:30 PM Attire: FormalSt. James Church is a historic Roman Catholic church located at 1826 Edenside Avenue in the Highlands section of Louisville, Kentucky.&nbsp; March 1, 1982, it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places as St. James Roman Catholic Church, Rectory, and School.

Things to Do

Registry (old)

A Special Milestone in Our Marriage

We are so excited to celebrate this important moment in our lives with all of you! Our Convalidation ceremony is a meaningful way to honor our marriage within the Catholic tradition, and we’re grateful to have our family and friends with us as we take this step.

A Tradition of Blessing and Recognition

In the Catholic Church, a Convalidation is a ceremony that officially recognizes and blesses a marriage as a sacrament. It’s a way for couples who were previously married outside the Church to affirm their commitment and have their marriage celebrated in the eyes of the Church. While it’s a formal ceremony rooted in Catholic tradition, it’s also a heartfelt celebration of love and commitment.

A Meaningful Celebration

A Convalidation ceremony shares similarities with a traditional Catholic wedding. It will take place in a church and may include readings, prayers, blessings, and the exchange of vows. While the ceremony is meaningful within the Catholic tradition, it is also a celebration of love and commitment that we are excited to share with all of you. Whether you’re familiar with Catholic traditions or not, we hope you’ll feel welcomed and included.

Honoring Our Marriage in a Special Way

For us, this Convalidation is an opportunity to reaffirm our commitment to each other in a way that reflects what is important to our family. It’s a meaningful step that brings our marriage into alignment with Catholic tradition, and we’re honored to share this occasion with those we love most.

We’re Excited to Celebrate with You

Thank you for joining us for this special occasion. Your presence means so much to us, and we can’t wait to celebrate this meaningful milestone together!

What is Convalidation?

Your presence at our wedding is more than enough, and we kindly ask for no gifts. However, if you would like to contribute, please consider making a donation to <a href="https://www.homeoftheinnocents.org/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Home of the Innocents</a>, a Louisville-based nonprofit that has been providing care, hope, and love to children in need for nearly 150 years. The Home serves over 10,000 children annually, offering services such as residential care for children who have been abused or neglected, and also operates the Kosair for Kids Complex Care Center, the only pediatric skilled nursing facility in Kentucky, providing both long-term and short-term specialized care for medically-complex children and young adults.&nbsp;&nbsp;If you’d like to contribute, you can donate directly through <a href="https://www.homeoftheinnocents.org/help-the-home/donate/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Home of the Innocents' donation page</a>. Thank you for helping us make this special day even more meaningful! We love you all!

Marie & Evan

Marie & Evan

Pictures