Trew-Johansen Wedding
Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you with love, Mr. and Mrs. Johansen!
Joshua and Jenna united in marriage on the bow of the Polaris during an intimate cruise on Geneva Lake with only their parents and children in attendance. Their custom family flag flew high above the deck, and live musicians serenaded the newlyweds. It was a magical day and a lovely joy to unite this wonderful couple in marriage.
Enjoy a few excerpts from their ceremony below.
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Today, in the presence of God and family, Joshua and Jenna are ready to be united as one.
When you look back at where this all began- a friendship, a deployment in Japan, and a welcome home- it’s been a remarkable journey to get to this- the moment that starts your forever- your wedding day! Your love spanned oceans and grew despite being worlds apart. We will never fully understand timing, but suddenly, after years of friendship, there you both were- placed with gentle perfection by God onto the same path- and your love story was right there- waiting for you. Today, your two hearts become one love.
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From struggles and obstacles to the happy chaos and matching jammies of a Christmas proposal, every up and down- every “dumpster fire in a hurricane”- was preparing you to become husband and wife. Together you have a remarkable way of finding joy during the most difficult of times and extracting goodness out of every intentional moment you spend together. You have chosen who you want to struggle and thrive with, and for the rest of your days, you will never do either alone again.
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Vows
(Joshua) Jenna Nicole, Mama Bear, my angel, my love:
I can’t even begin to describe how much your heart, your soul, and your love for life and family have captivated my heart. The infinite ways you love our children and me every single day, despite all the obstacles life gives you, is truly inspiring. I am continuously humbled by your love. There is no one else I’d rather spend the rest of my life with, forever learning, loving and growing old together. What I love most about us is that- together- we have a way of taking every single part of life and making it fun. Through the lens of our love, even the parts most would consider mundane, boring or even traumatic- like surgery, we find a way to view as enjoyable and shape them into endearing memories we can look back upon with smiles. I look forward to every moment we share, because no matter what, every moment is full of love.
- I promise I will love you with all that I am- every day- from now till forever. If I don’t know something, I’ll learn it. If I don’t have something we need, I’ll build it. If something is in the way (literally or figuratively), I’ll move it. There’s nothing that will ever prevent me from being with you and loving you.
- I promise to make time and space in our marriage for you to pursue your personal hobbies, goals, and dreams.
- I promise to actually finish the endless projects I’ve started.
- I promise I’ll try to learn how to move you when you fall asleep on my chest, my tea is getting cold, you’re covered in drool, and my arm goes numb.
- I promise to love our children, support them as they grow, and demonstrate through my love, respect, and support for you what they should expect from their future husbands.
Today, under God and before our families, I promise to always be at your side no matter what challenges await us in this life. There is no trench too deep and no dumpster fire too hot.
I’m yours now and forever, Jenna Nicole. I don’t know what tomorrow holds for us, but I will be right there with you.
(Jenna) Dear Josh,
Before “Mama Bear,” before “Papa Bear,” before kid mayhem in the front lawn, there was us, and our friendship. There was indescribable support through the work trenches, convincing me to start Friday movie nights with the girls on my own, providing bright ideas like “just extend your Navy contract!” and conversation across continents in different time zones that was easier than breathing. There was constant humor about our dismal circumstances that made even surgery days and hospitalizations feel like a day I’d love to relive again and again. There were dreams of life we couldn’t quite picture but wanted anyway. And now it’s here. It’s endless laundry, dishes miles high after a single meal, conversations interrupted by not-so-small voices calling our names, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.
It’s backyard camping with bon fires and smores, giant bubble bath disco parties, and bike rides. It’s “battles” in the basement with the girls, jumping in the bounce house, playing ball and slip and slides, placing Band-Aids on invisible boo-boos, and hearing the endless screaming roar of kid laughter. I’m reminded that we made it. This is the dream, and I am so very grateful to live it with you. It’s not perfect, but it’s ours, and it’s overflowing with so much joy. In the midst of chaos, you catch my eye, and I feel every ounce of love in one look. Flooded. This is it, your look seems to say. Our life! And boy, is it FULL!
I admire you as a father, but when the house fiiiiinally falls asleep, I see you. Every piece of you, undistracted. Without your impenetrable Papa Bear armor. The tender side that not very many people get to witness. And I’m so thankful it gets to be me. You truly make me want to be better every single day for all of you.
It’s because of this, and so much more, that I promise to love you all the days of your life. Provide you way too much food in your lunch box and accidentally burn all your dinners. But your coffee cup will happily be waiting for you the next morning, filled to the brim like our hearts.
I promise to love our girls, all four of those Farrel animals, will all the fierce love a momma bear can provide. To teach them how to love, set boundaries, work hard and play hard. To learn self-confidence and resilience when life throws them a curve ball.
I promise to support you, deeply respect you, laugh and cry with you, be your biggest cheer leader and encourage those 5-minute projects that took 5 days to plan and 8 months to execute. Because I believe in you. Every bit of you. With all my heart and soul. Every day of my life, Papa Bear. It is an honor to stand before you, to stand beside you, and to stand behind you. In every way, our shared love guides our path. Our next chapter is just one more leap away. And together, we dive headfirst!
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Joshua and Jenna, may your marriage be modern enough to survive and thrive through the everchanging years and old fashioned enough to last forever. With blessings from God, it is an absolute joy to present you to these witnesses and to the world, for the first time and for always, as Mr. and Mrs. Johansen!
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Cheers to Joshua and Jenna and a lifetime of love!