The Wedding Story of... Jared & Julie Arford

Deja Vu, Anyone?

When Julie and Jared Arford were united in matrimony on February 9 the grand event must have seemed somewhat familiar as if they had done it before. Because, in fact, they had. But, that first time was not in a church, with family and friends witnessing the joyful occasion. It took place in Julie's driveway, with Jared's sister presiding over the ceremony. And, they were four years old.

"She even made us kiss!" says Julie of her new sister-in-law--not that the newlyweds mind it now that they are officially grown-ups. As children, the two lived side by side, and Julie's mother was Jared's baby-sitter. "He was such a cute little curly haired boy," Julie remembers, adding that she and Jared were each other's first "best friend."

In time, the two moved away from their Fort Wayne roots--her family moved to Roanoke, Indiana; his to Memphis, Tennessee. Reconnecting, however, was meant to be. "I was looking for old Fort Wayne friends on Facebook," says Julie. When she found Jared, they immediately fell into long-lost friends mode and began catching each other up on their lives, the latest news of their families, and other friends. First through e-mail and then through telephone calls that lasted several hours at a time. About four weeks after rediscovering each other, they met for the first time in years.

"He was coming back for his grandfather's 90th birthday, but he came early to surprise me because he couldn't wait." August 2007 they were engaged, after finding each other on Facebook.

The greatest thing about the wedding, says Julie, is that it was put together by family and friends. "We were on a tight budget, and everyone was very supportive." Her grandfather, Carl--who at one time had his own bakery in Oak Park, IL-- volunteered to make the wedding cake. "He and my grandmother flew in from Albuquerque, and he made the cake in my mom's kitchen. It was just beautiful." That feat in itself provided another sensation of deja vu for the whole family. "He made the wedding cake for my parents and for several of his granddaughters," notes Julie.

While her grandfather was baking, Julie's grandmother helped make bows. A family friend offered to act as DJ for the reception, and Julie's friend Ali Blake did all the decorations, as well as making Julie's veil and a faux fur cape. "She even steamed my wedding dress a couple of minutes before the ceremony," says Julie.

Also very helpful were the bridesmaids, maid of honor Stefanie Stine and Julie's younger sister, Joann Hart. Stefanie handled the pre-wedding fetes, a Hollywood-themed bridal shower and the bachelorette party. And "Joann was a big help throughout the wedding, even though she was only 16," says Julie. Groomsmen included best man Thomas Aldridge and Frankie Newman.

For all the aspects of the wedding coming together perfectly, Julie credits her extremely supportive family and friends. For her reuniting with Jared "this time forever" she credits a higher power. "Funny how God works things out," she says.