I'm Michele

I first met Catherine a few years ago when her brother told me she was an amazing artist and photographer. He was right, of course. She was a wonderful second shooter for me that summer, not to mention one of the sweetest people I know, and we continued to stay in touch.

I was so happy to hear from her earlier this year, only this time it was to tell me she was the one who had met someone really special — and they were getting married! We caught up over coffee and I got to hear about this very special man who had captured her heart.

Catherine and Mike had both been attending Wellsping Church in Englewood for several years but didn’t know each other. When Catherine volunteered to help paint a wall in Mike’s ministry area during their renovation, they met and in fact visited with each other the entire day Catherine was painting.

When I asked about Catherine and Mike’s first date, I found out that, as with many couples, there is an ongoing debate. Catherine says the first time they met up at Amethyst Coffee was their first date, but Mike considered their first date to be the time they went to dinner and visited the Santa Fe Arts District. They compromised and decided that their first date was at Mount Falcon Park on March 19, 2018 — the same location where they chose to take their engagement photos!

Catherine knew the morning Mike was going to propose, because that morning he sent her a box of treasures. It contained a polaroid picture they had taken during one of their first dates, together with a page torn out of the introduction to East of Eden and instructions where to find him later that day — at a special park where they’d spent a lot of time together. I love that Catherine had all day to anticipate the proposal — so unique among proposal stories, at least the ones I have heard!

One of the special qualities of Catherine and Mike’s relationship is that their personalities are so similar. Whoever said opposites attract certainly doesn’t know Catherine and Mike! “Both of us are slightly introverted and not necessarily ‘open books’ to all people. So, our mutual openness with one another is deeply special.” Catherine admires Mike’s ability to communicate clearly and authentically, and she treasures how he encourages her in everything she does. Mike loves Catherine’s depth of personality, and her openness and vulnerability towards him.  

These two love reading together, cooking together, going on hikes, visiting art galleries, traveling, and flying kites!

They are looking forward to their Colorado wedding this July, where they’ll be surrounded by everyone they love, and who loves them, as they celebrate their first day of marriage together. I can’t wait to meet all of their friends and family, the special people I’ve heard so much about, who have been so special in their lives.