Peter & Katie

Our Journey

We met like a lot of couples do: at work… over a burrito bowl, and a discussion about the Carina Nebula. Wait, ok, so maybe not like a lot of couples. Actually, very little about our story has been typical, but we really wouldn’t have it any other way.

Since before we even began dating in 2010, God has been writing our story with surprises we could never have predicted! In an unexpected change of plans, Peter returned home to Buffalo after attending college in Orlando, Florida. He began freelancing at The Chapel where he met Katie who (through a series of random changes in staff over a few years) was employed in the job he had left two years prior. The craziness only continued from there as we began dating and together created a cut-paper stop motion animation, witnessed the final NASA shuttle launch, become amateur astronomers, and developed personal relationships with a whole community halfway across the world!!!

Our journey has been incredible so far, but it hasn’t been perfect. In nearly five years of dating we've cried, prayed, struggled, and questioned together; but repeatedly we have marveled as God weaves a single theme throughout every inch of our story: deeply rooted hope. He has sewn threads of hope through our shortcomings, through our most joyful moments, and perhaps most evidently through the steadfast love of our friends and family. We have come to know more about Jesus Christ and His love together (in our scars, and our celebrations) than we ever knew apart. By His grace, we are learning to give when it is hardest to let go, to love when it is most uncomfortable, and to be willing to work through pain in pursuit of unshakable hope. That is the beautifully imperfect love story we feel blessed and compelled to keep telling, with the support of each of our loved ones, as we enter into this new adventure called marriage! And we are immeasurably blessed to have you by our side in the process. <3

Fun Facts:

• Within about a week of dating Peter, Katie got in a small parking lot accident, spun off the road on a snowy thruway, and lost half her front tooth! Luckily they are mutually clumsy and Peter was not deterred

• For their first Valentine's Day, Peter & Katie cooked bacon-wrapped fillets... then participated in a high-stakes, three-round NERF gun battle

• One of Peter & Katie's favorite hobbies is geeking out over the behind-the-scenes of their favorite movies, especially the Lord of the Rings series

• Peter invited Katie to their first date to see the movie Tangled with friends... who Katie soon realized just ‘happened’ to be all couples except the two of them

• Peter & Katie spent two straight weeks constructing [then stop-motion filming] an entire town, a free-standing 3D word, and a miniature light bulb out of paper in an conditioning-free room under hot lighting equipment. This period in their history is now [spitefully...err, um...] lovingly referred to as ‘Relationship Bootcamp’

The Proposal

Little did Katie know, what began as an innocent confession [who, during their first conversation explained, My favorite nebula is the Carina Nebula] would come to define her engagement story 4.5yrs later to this man who turned out to be such a perfect fit.

The proposal was disguised as a belated birthday date night, orchestrated seamlessly by Peter and completely unbeknownst to Katie. As a nervous waitress (she was in on it) stumbled over the specials, Katie was happily oblivious and day-dreaming about her favorite things... mainly, Kobe meatballs. As they waited for appetizers, Katie unwrapped her ‘birthday gift’ to reveal a canvas with an image of the Carina Nebula, taken by Peter himself via a remotely-controlled telescope in Australia! Excited and touched, Katie also noticed of a small flashlight and without hesitation (for Peter to prepare the moment), promptly shined the light. This, however, was no ordinary flashlight - it was a UV light. As it glowed, so did the screen-printed UV inked message: Will You Marry Me? to which Katie eloquently responded, Whoooaaaaah and thought, That doesn’t say Happy Birthday!!! Peter got down on one knee, speaking softly as he presented the ring (shaped as a water drop, full of personal meaning for the couple) and after stunned silence, a shocked Katie finally remembered to say Yes!

Peter instructed that they’d be leaving for a new location and Katie struggled to collect herself, asking if the Kobe meatballs would still be part of the night (...seriously, these are very very good meatballs). Assured that yes, the meatballs were still in the plans, she drank a sip of water, and as reality hit the tears began to flow. Peter then led her to a private room where quiet tears became more of a waterfall, as family and close friends closed in with cheers, ready to celebrate their engagement together over an unforgettable dinner (and, yes, the table was graced with a generous portion of Kobe meatballs). The man went above and beyond, he got the girl, and the rest is history!

Something Blue

Compelled by the love and generosity invested in us by each of you - our community - and the heart of our Creator, we have decided to make our wedding about something so much bigger than just the two of us, as a ‘thank you’ to all of you!

Four years ago we learned that 4,000 children die daily from lack of access to clean drinking water. Four thousand. That's twenty kids per second. Each. Day. Then we learned some of their names, we heard their giggles. We cried at the sight of their mud-puddle water sources, and marveled at their impossible hope in an incomprehensible situation. We looked into their eyes and pictured our loved ones - all of you, whom we can’t imagine life without - and we decided that this statistic is just not ok with us. This became a pivotal shift in our relationship, a flame ignited in both our hearts. It began an active involvement with a Buffalo nonprofit (letthemlol.com) working to tackle this issue in Sierra Leone, West Africa (one of the countries still fighting to end Ebola).

After four years of volunteering and three trips across the ocean, the change that began in us hasn't really subsided (at this point we've entirely given up hope of ever being 'normal' again), so we've decided to embrace this beautiful burden and do something different with our wedding celebration! As a token of appreciation for each of our beloved family and friends, the greatest gift we could dream up is to simplify our wedding plans to fund a clean water well in honor and appreciation of your investment in our lives (aka Something Blue... get it?!). This one small sacrifice will begin to change everything for an entire community of people lacking the most basic resources; we are passionate about that outcome and we want to share that process with you. As an act of gratitude toward all who have been a pillar of love and encouragement in our lives, we are beyond excited to extend this gift of generations of clean water in your name! We can’t wait to continue to celebrate our wedding anniversary year after year with you, and share updates, stories, and pictures of this faraway community as it grows, too.

Please understand the motivation behind our actions: we are not saints, nor are we interested in initiating any sense of guilt. Quite simply, we believe we have been entrusted with a responsibility to use our voice for the voiceless; we believe that in the age of smart phones and facetime, no child or family should have to suffer for lack of access to so basic a resource as clean water. And we have a chance to do something about it, hand in hand with all the people we love most. We can’t imagine a better way to celebrate the beginning of our marriage and we want to recognize your abounding love and support which has inspired us to love so extravagantly in the first place!!!

With gratitude,

Katie & Peter (soon-to-be The Arcaras)

As our wedding day approaches, we'll donate our funds on behalf of so many of you, who have selflessly shown us the meaning of love and support - in the meantime, a donation page exists as an open invitation to any who feel compelled to add to our gift to a community in Sierra Leone.

Registry

If you are looking for ways to give, the greatest gift we could receive is your presence at our wedding. The next best thing we could hope for would be your participation in our efforts to fund a clean water well by donating at my.letthemlol.com/somethingblue

Incase you feel compelled otherwise, we are blessed to have only a small remaining list of necessities noted at the registry link below.