Welcome to Crystal and Marcus's Wedding Website.

A Message from the Future Braziels ... When we started dating, we desired an authentic love story, not a fairytale, that showcased how God brought together two imperfect strangers for a purpose and love beyond themselves. We wanted a journey with all the stages, a story that allowed love to blossom with time. Although some may view the timeline of our relationship, which took us from friendship to dating to engagement in just fourteen months, as fast or simple, for us and those who have been a part of our journey, it was a result of intentional prayer, counseling, patience, and taking the time to know one another beyond our initial physical attraction or society's timelines Today, only a few months before our wedding, we are deeply in love and thrilled to commit our lives to each other, and we cannot wait to continue writing our story We are honored to share a snapshot of our Love Story below Our prayer is that our love reflects our Savior and our love for one another and encourages others. How it Started ... On a crisp Chicago morning in January 2023, Crystal received an unexpected email from Marcus Braziel, a man she had met six months earlier in California. They were in California as Ph.D. students at Azusa Pacific University. Marcus was beginning his doctoral journey, and Crystal was finishing her coursework. At the time, they had no idea what God had in store for them. In the email from Marcus, who then lived in Florida, he reintroduced himself to Crystal. He told her he was a finalist for a job at Wheaton College in Wheaton, IL, where Crystal was a Student Engagement administrator. Crystal was caught off guard; even though the email from Marcus was professional, her heart secretly fluttered with curiosity and a little excitement. Crystal didn't know what to expect; she immediately mentioned the email to her mom and her "Queens Group" of sista-friends and was encouraged to respond and learn more about Marcus. As Crystal pondered over Marcus's email, she remembered Marcus's kind eyes and his two big dimples; it was rare to meet someone who had dimples like hers. She remembered how effortlessly stylish he was and how he had complimented the blazer she wore during their peer's Ph.D. hooding and recognition ceremony six months earlier. Crystal replied to Marcus, writing: "Hello Marcus, of course, I remember you. Please forgive my delayed response; I didn't see your email when it came through. Congratulations on your candidacy for Director of Institutional Research; this is amazing news. How is Ph.D. student life treating you? I'm in dissertation mode, and it's no joke, especially with a full-time career. However, I am ready and determined to complete this degree. It would be my pleasure to meet with you, show you around campus, and introduce you to some colleagues if you like." Marcus came to Chicago on the coldest week of the year for two days of in-person interviews at Wheaton College. Crystal showed him around campus. They ended up going on two dinner dates and conversed with the ease of two people who had known each other for longer than two days. The seeds of friendship were planted. A month later, while they were on a Zoom call together, Marcus revealed that he had romantic feelings for Crystal. Crystal was deeply flattered but needed time to discover her feelings and get to know a man who lived thousands of miles away. That said, Crystal was intrigued by the beautiful ways Marcus communicated with her. She was deeply impressed by his sincere love for God. She found his patience refreshing. Marcus got the job in Chicago and eventually moved to Illinois. Over time, their friendship grew. Crystal took the time to observe Marcus's character, and her feelings for him slowly changed from friendship to love. Copy and Paste the link below into your browser to read the Full Story; it's a Good One: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1il3zH1XYzNj4r0tZg0YEThvNjN_l5TKnbI5rJ942yPg/edit