The Wedding Story of Danny and Julie Rodts

Danny and Julie Rodts began their story the way all epic love stories start: with a romantic bike ride that ended in a pouring rainstorm. (Is anyone else thinking of that scene in The Notebook?) Instead of calling their first date a wash (pun absolutely intended), Danny and Julie did what all successful couples do—they went for Plan B. Plan B involved going to Wal-Mart for some dry clothes, specifically, matching sweatpants. Their date continued at an orchard with hard cider and doughnuts, followed by dinner and ice cream. And like all perfect first dates, it concluded with singing and dancing.* 

*Editor's note: The world would be a better place if we all had first dates that consisted of unexpected rainstorms, matching sweatpants, dancing, doughnuts and ice cream, wouldn't it? 

Of course, with a remarkable first date story like that, the expectations were rather high for Danny and Julie's wedding. With an October wedding at a rustically wonderful historic barn, their special day was an exact replica of who these two are as a couple. 

the details

Julie knew one thing about her future wedding: it would be held in a barn. Her indisputable desire to have a barn wedding stemmed from her childhood growing up on a farm. Coincidentally, Danny also grew up on a farm so the theme was a perfect fit for these two. After researching and touring other venues that had autumn availability, they stumbled on The Homestead 1835 in New Carlisle, Indiana. Julie says it was love at first sight when she envisioned stringed lights hanging from the rafters and felt the glowing ambiance. 

Once the venue was secure, Julie relied on Pinterest for the remainder of her inspiration. She also credits her mom for being a visionary asset throughout the planning process and Danny for being a "very involved, opinionated groom." (Her words, Danny, not ours!) 

Danny and Julie's wedding was sincerely a family affair with both sides offering their D.I.Y. skills. Julie and her mom made almost of the decorations including the centerpieces, the ring bearer sign and ceremony decor. Danny's dad built the trellis that was used at the ceremony and Julie's sister-in-law designed vintage-style lace buntings. 

And that's where this wedding becomes even more special. With the sentiment of family in their hearts, Julie and Danny adhered to what mattered most to them throughout their entire wedding process: their Christ-centered relationship, appreciating their families and the conviction that each day is God-given. When family members on both Julie's side and Danny's side were diagnosed with cancer during the year of their wedding, the couple was able to take a step back, and grasp how fleeting moments are and how precious family is. And while some get caught up in the whirlwind of flowers and dance floors and wedding favors and stringed lights, love is what really makes a wedding a once-in-a-lifetime occasion. 

what we love

The first thing we noticed about this couple and their wedding was the fashion sense. Julie bought her plunging-back dress from Here Comes the Dress in Chesterton, Indiana. The form, fit and lace of the gown was perfect for Julie's figure. And let's not forget to talk about Danny's style; his Calvin Klein suit looked  sharp, especially against the gray-ness of his groomsmen! And of course, we're suckers for any D.I.Y. elements to a wedding so we really love that Danny and Julie's entire family brought this wedding to life.