McKinnon in the Making

Nicholas and I met in college at Belmont Abbey in North Carolina. We were introduced to each other at a party by a mutual friend, Justin (Groomsman). I had never seen Nick before, but I immediately thought, "wow, he's so cute." Shortly after I started noticing him more and more on campus, he may or may not have caught me staring a couple of times in the cafeteria! After our first interaction, we spent the next few months trying to get to know each other until May, when it was time to leave campus, and Nicholas FINALLY asked for my number. We texted all day, all summer! We got to know each other so well, and eventually, I told him I liked him, and he felt the same way. We spent the rest of the summer developing a friendship. By the time we had made it back to campus for the next school year, I knew he would be my boyfriend, and he asked for that first week of classes! A month later, I looked him in the eyes and said, "I love you, and I'm going to marry you," and of course, I was right! XOXO The Bride

Hayley and I have been together for going on 5+ years and I knew pretty early on that we were going to get married. St. Anthony of Padua preaches a homily dating back to the 1200s that, “actions speak louder than words; let your words teach and your actions speak.” As I reflect on the vow “in sickness and in health,” sometimes it feels like an empty promise because it seems too easy and obvious. Thinking to myself: “of course, I’m going to care for Hayley whether she’s in good health or bad.” However, things are always easier said than done, especially when that task is staring at you in the face. This specific vow is a core theme of the sacrament of marriage for multiple reasons, some obvious and others not so. The not-so-obvious reason, I think, is willingness. Hayley and I both had easy lives at Belmont Abbey, families who love us, and lots of friends who not only support our relationship but value us individually. I graduated in the class of 2019 and Hayley in the class of 2020. We both were at a complete loss for how her senior year was going to go because I was starting a new job with Mecklenburg County Government and she was going to be in school and needed to focus on her studies. The anniversary of our relationship becoming official is August 17th and we celebrated our first anniversary just after her senior year began. That day was really fun; we had dinner plans but decided to skip them to attend a fight watch party. Throughout the night everything was great until Hayley fell into a hole and sprained her ankle very badly, it bruised up pretty much instantly. Hayley is a classically trained dancer. With that being said, her ankles are extremely important. We were both distraught as one can imagine. My first decision to make was whether I was going to go to work or not. Many who know me know I’m quiet, but I’m also very stubborn. Naturally, I hate not being at work- I think I get it from my mom. I was very adamant taking her to the doctor, I’m the only person taking you! From an action perspective, I think this is where things changed for us, me specifically. Family means a lot to Hayley and me, her family was over 3 hours away and I felt like as Hayley’s boyfriend her well-being fell to me when she was in North Carolina. Almost every day after work I made sure she had everything she needed and we hung out until she went to sleep and I would drive home, there were a lot of late nights for me as my parents live 45 mins away from Belmont. We got a lot closer after that spiritually and emotionally. To me, I knew there was no one I rather marry than her. It was such a tough time in our lives but being willing to go through it with her and suffer with her was super important to me. As St. Anthony of Padua preached, all the I love you(s) we exchanged, in general, taught us how much we love each other, but I think my actions and willingness showed me that protecting and caring for her has to be a top priority. Some may disagree, but I think you can only get this very real feeling with one person. A feeling where there is never a question or doubt in your mind on how to care for that person. A natural choice to do the task whether it is easy or hard does not register with you because it does not matter. Vowing “in sickness and in health” is an essential expression of willingness. Willingness is an essential component of the denotation of marriage. Hayley’s parents as well as mine have been married for well over 25 years and are our role models as we begin our marriage. We thank them for constantly showing us how hard marriage is while simultaneously showing us how rewarding it is. Sitting, talking, hanging out, and most importantly, my willingness of myself for Hayley is by far my favorite things to do in the world. Hayley and I are so glad you guys are witnessing us participating in the holy sacrament of marriage and we cannot wait to celebrate with you all. -Nick