Couple Spotlight: Jacob + Claire

We are excited to introduce you to Jake & Claire!  They met, they fell in love, then they asked really great questions about what marriage is like beyond engagement and honeymoon.

As we met together, Jake and Claire regularly pulled out their notes from conversations they were already having about what type of couple they wanted to be and in what ways they were living accordingly.  I have never had a couple be so thorough in defining their ideal marriage and planning to live it out.

One of the most notable things about Jake and Claire is their desire for their marriage to be something that impacts the people in their lives.  They are incredibly hospitable and their marriage vision includes always being available to friends and family who need help, support, or encouragement.  I [Mark] have the privilege of officiating their ceremony this weekend and even the Bible verse they chose for their ceremony is all about loving and serving others.

Couples Spotlight: Q&A

Q: When is your wedding?
A: July 10, 2021

Q: Describe your current family unit? 
A: Soon to be just the two of us.

Q: Where do you live?
A: Downtown Grand Rapids.

Q: What is your favorite thing to do on a date night?
A: Watching the sunset, going for walks and cooking dinner together.

Q: What is one thing you have learned from marriage coaching?
A: Oh goodness, one thing? Too many things to count. One big thing is learning what it actually means to “love” someone. This has been especially prevalent as we transition from dating to engagement and into marriage.

Q: What is one thing you are most excited about for the coming year?
A: Getting married, doing life together, and learning more about each other.

Q: What is one of your rules for fighting fair? 
A: We work to give each other a heads up about tough conversations that we need to have.

Q: When and where do you connect most often to invest in your relationship?
A: Walks, driving, monthly coffee shop dates.

Q: What is the best marriage advice you have received or a key take-away from your Meaningful Marriage experience?
A: One of the best pieces of advice we have received is to work to not see our differences as bad but instead just differences that are complimentary.