No, we're keeping it pretty simple. Our main focus is celebrating our matrimony with our friends and family on April 11. We'll be doing an afternoon wedding at our church. We will be celebrating afterwards in the same location with an awesome DJ from Asheville, NC and some light hors d'oeuvres. Chattanooga has some wonderful spots to enjoy, and we hope you'll check them out while you're in town! Some of our favorites are under "Travel" and we recommend bringing anti-histamines if you haven't been to this area during spring!

No. We will have non-alcoholic drinks and light hors d'oeuvres with dancing at our reception. We will end with plenty of time for folks to find drinks safely later on their own, if they would like. The church isn't far from downtown, but it's not a very walkable area to the kinds of restaurants and bars tourists tend to frequent. Chattanooga heavily relies on cars for transportation, though there is a bus route by the church.

The service will be the high Episcopal (Anglican) liturgy of the Sacrament of Holy Matrimony. The Episcopal Church is socially progressive, inclusive, welcoming, and affirming of the dignity of every human being. While the service is a religious one, we want to be very clear that religious belief or participation in the religious aspects of the service are in no way required. There will be hymns, religious vows, and a Eucharist. For those not familiar with the Episcopal tradition there will be a "crash course" briefly describing who we are and what we're about prior to the service. We recognize that for those with religious/spiritual trauma and/or neurodivergent minds, it may be helpful to ask questions in advance to understand the culture, expectations, and meanings behind these rituals. For some information on what Grace Episcopal Church looks like and supports, you can visit www.saygrace.net or view services online at Grace's Youtube account @gracechatt https://www.youtube.com/@gracechatt

Grace Episcopal Church has been a part of both Lauren's and Evan's lives for years. Lauren grew up attending Grace with her family. She also attended elementary school at St. Nicholas, which was housed at Grace until her graduation year. Evan has attended Grace at different times since the early 00s and lives across the street. We are current members and enjoy the community, mission, and traditions at Grace. Lauren's mother Diana teaches yoga at Grace. Diana also hosts the Joseph Campbell Roundtable at Grace where Evan and Lauren often connect with others interested in comparative mythology and Jungian concepts. Grace has several community initiatives separate from doctrine that you can check out here: https://www.saygrace.net/ministries

These days, weddings can range from elaborate Pinterest displays to a courthouse wedding. Evan and Lauren find meaning in the rituals associated with their faith traditions and invite our loved ones to witness this ritual. In the midst of Christian nationalism obscuring the meaning of the Gospel, we choose to engage in this ritual consciously. Lauren knew she was interested in Evan when he shared immediate understanding of her intellectual and spiritual leanings. He was one of the first millennials she had met who shared her appreciation of the Episcopal liturgy while also respecting a lifetime of nuanced interactions with tradition. We invite our loved ones to have their own experience of this ritual, whether it is familiar or new to you.

We're so excited to celebrate with you, and thank you for being a part of our lives and union. As two adults merging households, we have an abundance of items that have serve us well. We are so appreciative of any gifts that made you think of us or items made by our creative friends. However, we want to remove any pressure to give gifts, especially when budgets may be strained. We decided to opt for gift cards or donations towards home repairs or a more extensive honeymoon in 2027. However, we are extremely fortunate in our circumstances and would be equally as delighted if you chose to donate to one of our favorite local organizations. If you (like we) have some ambivalence about contributing to large corporations (which is all this website offers for gift cards), we hope you will consider our local organizations for a donation that fits your budget without any strain. Evan has requested donations go to Chattanooga Room in the Inn, a shelter for local women and children. Their donation page can be found here: https://www.chattanoogaroomintheinn.com/donate Lauren suggests donations go to the Chattanooga Audubon Society, which is Chattanooga's oldest nature conservancy. https://www.chattanoogaaudubon.org/donate.html. (We won't know which one gets more, and it's not a competition but just a chance for us to share a bit about our community organizations.) Thank you so much for reading and being a part of our celebration!

Windy City Eats (rehearsal), Acropolis Grill (ceremony), Marckita's Munchies (bridal cake and gluten-free cupcakes), Monica's Bridal, Bespoke Beauty (day of hair and makeup), Array Hair Design (hair preparation) Emerald Dove Photography (engagement photos on website), Lumiere Visual Arts (wedding photography). We also have incredible artists who have contributed, such as Evan's mother Diane Jones who did our invitations and the cover to our order of service. Meghan Greene provided our amazing cranes and crane-fetti. Lisa Denney provided the loom and has wonderful art available at ClearStory. Lauren also has worn Melodia Designs (California) for photos and dance party. We used Of the Earth (Oregon) for our favors.

Only service animals (animals that have been individually trained to perform tasks directly related to a person’s disability) may be brought inside the church buildings.