How did the two of you meet?
Deana: I met Vincent December 2011 while attending a mutual friend’s graduation. Fast forward 2 years. I had just gotten a new position in Iowa. We reconnected during a dinner. Little did I know he had a crush on me since we were in college. Through our dating I saw the type of man he was. Resilient. As any authentic love would have it, we learned about each other’s ‘crazy.’ Before it became official we agreed that we would live by one rule. Keep God at the center. That rule has carried us through everything. Taking this next step is my testimony of God’s love in my life.
Wedding or no wedding we have to live and do life together. We have to create, maintain and grow the joy between us always and forever. It’s in the continuous work of growing together over time. That is where true joy will be discovered.
Vincent: In 2011 I honored an invitation to a friend’s graduation party. A couple years passed and I was told that Deana had moved back to Iowa and I was excited. Thank God for Mark Zuckerberg! I sent her a Facebook message and she was kind enough to reply back and we exchanged numbers. A friendly dinner was the best idea I could come up with. At the back of my mind I had always wanted to tell her that I liked her. During the dinner I kept thinking of my next move. Then the Lord blessed me with another opportunity when she needed an amateur photographer a few days later. When we both realized that God had an investment in our relationship we decided to surrender to Him.
Photo: Erlinda Babauta
How long have you been together?
We have been together 2 years 10 months and counting.
Give us the proposal details! When? Where? How?
Deana: It was my golden birthday (26) at my parents’ home. I had been planning my birthday and he had been planning the proposal with my parents months prior. My family was there, there were roses in our front yard and right when my dad walked me outside, tears dropped. We danced to Ed Sheeran, ‘Thinking Out Loud’ sang by one of my friends. The moment was simply golden.
Photo: Erlinda Babauta
What has been your favorite experience planning the wedding?
Meshing our uniquely creative gifts together. Vincent is an artsy dreamer who has the gift of using his hands to create beautiful things. Deana is the practical go-getter who has the gift of organizing beautiful things effortlessly. Together we’ve been able to bring out the best in what we do.
How do you stay sane under the pressures of wedding planning?
Prayer! It’s the main thing that has kept us centered.
Photo: Erlinda Babauta
How did you hear about Joy?
Deana: I was doing a Google search looking to compare different websites. The key things we were looking for was ease of putting things together, RSVP system and not too costly. So when we found Joy it was a no-brainer. We needed this and we were excited to see how responsive the team was in answering questions and coding continuous updates.
What is your favorite part of using Joy for your wedding?
The ease. The templates work for us since we don’t do web design and we love how we can manage the RSVPs online.
What piece of advice would you give couples to ensure that they use Joy to its fullest potential?
Make time to check in with the RSVPs that come in. Follow-up with people on any questions you have so you can get clarity ahead of time.
At Joy we believe that even though a wedding lasts a day, joy lasts forever. What does that mean to you?
Yes! We definitely agree. The wedding is just one event in our whole life of love together. We remind ourselves of that often. The wedding is an outwardly expression of the love of God which is manifested between the two of us. Wedding or no wedding we have to live and do life together. We have to create, maintain and grow the joy between us always and forever. It’s in the continuous work of growing together over time. That is where true joy will be discovered.
Photo: Erlinda Babauta
