Four years ago I was filming a promo for Texas A&M dining services in College Station. The scene called for a freshman guy’s dorm room, and I was quickly running through my list of friends at A&M asking if they, or anyone they knew, still lived in one.
Within an hour, my good pal Adam replied to me saying his friend Michael lived in a dorm and would be happy to let me film there. Yes that’s right, my first time meeting Michael was knocking on his door and filming in his dorm room at A&M. It ended up being the perfect scene for the video.
Fast forward a few years, and Michael had moved out of the dorm, graduated, and left College Station altogether for bear country an hour and a half north. Realizing he knew no one in Waco besides his brother, he visited Antioch Community Church, joined a life group, and there met a young woman named Cathleen.
According to Cathleen, she’s not the type to just walk up and start talking to a guy, even if he’s at Bible study. But that first night they met, this woman from Baylor met a man from A&M, and they hit it off. Michael knew he was interested in her, but didn’t want to rush things. Cathleen on the other hand knew they had a chemistry, but chose to wait patiently for him to figure things out.
Finally after much planning, he was ready to ask her on a date. That Sunday at church, he saw her across the parking lot. Throwing caution to the wind he ran to her car….out of breath….he asks her out. To which she replies, “Really? Yes.”
Four months of dating followed with hikes, swimming, and exploration all over the state. By month five, Michael knew he wanted to marry her. By month six, Cathleen knew she wanted to marry him. Month seven arrived, and ring in hand, Michael set a proposal date. At this point, disaster struck.
Hours before the proposal, Cathleen knocked a vase over, and in the process of cleaning it up sliced her foot, tearing a tendon in one of her toes. A quick trip to the ER and she was going all David After The Dentist hopped up on pain medications.
Wanting to make sure Cathleen is in her right mind when making a decision as large as agreeing to marry him, Michael wisely postponed the proposal date for two weeks. During this time Cathleen described herself as “mad at the world.” Her foot was in pain, she was frustrated over not being able to walk easily, and she was in a general foul mood.
Thankfully, Michael didn’t beat around the bush, and in a garden on the Baylor campus he proposed. Cathleen, now in her right mind, said yes, and they both freaked out.
In the coming weeks, I received a call from Michael asking if I could make a video for him (though definitely not in his dorm). They set a wedding date for a chilly January one year after they started dating. Thankfully, the venue in Waco ended up being beautiful, with a roomy industrial vibe that kept us from having to run around outside and freeze.
The band was loud, the BBQ was delicious, the pies were decadent, and God was glorified through it all. Also, I don’t believe I’ve ever had a minister yell so loudly in excitement when he pronounced them husband and wife. He was thrilled, Michael and Cathleen were overjoyed, and I was happy to be there to film it.
Interested in having my wife and I film your wedding? Get in touch!
