And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

-Romans 8:28

Only God could have orchestrated the events that led Nikita and Alex to find each other.

Nikita and Alex first met at Blessed Trinity Catholic Church in Ocala, Florida. Alex was a guitarist and singer in the Life Teen band, and Nikita was a member of the Life Teen group. At that time, neither of them had eyes for the other.

Time moved on. Alex left Ocala to enter the seminary, where he studied and discerned a vocation to the Roman Catholic priesthood for five years. Meanwhile, Nikita pursued a degree in Biology at Florida Southern College in Lakeland, Florida.

It was through Nikita’s mother that Alex and Nikita maintained their friendship and communication. As Nikita was finishing her last year at Florida Southern, Alex was nearing the end of his discernment at the seminary.

On May 28, 2021, Alex and Nikita went on their first date and knew from that moment their friendship was growing into something special and sacred. Their love for each other quickly deepened, and two years later, on November 19, 2023 (the feast of Our Lady of Divine Providence), Alex proposed to the love of his life at Queen of Peace Catholic Church. It was fitting that, since Alex and Nikita met in a church, they would continue their journey of deeper discernment there.

This time of preparation has been fruitful, but neither of them could have anticipated the many graces they would receive during the Catholic Engaged Encounter weekend. Perhaps the most important lesson they learned was the very motto of the retreat: A Wedding is a Day, A Marriage is a Lifetime.

We are both very excited to share this day with all our loved ones. More importantly, we look forward to sharing the sacrament we receive with everyone we encounter.

Love that leads to marriage is a gift from God and a great act of faith toward other human beings.

-St. John Paul II

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