Long Distance Relationships Can Work | Johnny and Naomi’s Wedding in Golden, CO | The Pines at Genesee Weddings | Apollo Fields

    Many take the idea of having a long distance relationship as a futile effort at romance, but Johnny and Naomi have proven that nothing can stand in the way of love and communication.  For the past several years, they have each been stationed at Air Force bases in different states, only managing to see each other once or twice a month. Yet the irony of their relationship is that the distance between them brought them closer together.

    Johnny and Naomi’s first date was actually on Johnny’s birthday five years ago at Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana.  That’s a lot of expectation to place on a Tinder date—but obviously his gamble paid off. They met up for coffee, spoke about their respective trips to Israel, and took a short walk to Naomi’s favorite waterfall.  Their conversation was natural and fluid and Naomi thought the date went really well until Johnny said at the end, “we’ll keep in touch,” which was not exactly the most reassuring of phrases to conclude a romantic evening.  Naomi would later learn that phrases like these were just quirks of his personality.

    Over the next few years, as distance became an issue, the small moments they did share obviously became more valuable.  In the pre-wedding questionnaires we gave to them, they both spoke about times where they were about to spend an extended amount of time apart, and each of them said or did something that made them realize they really loved one another.  For Naomi, it was when Johnny returned from summer break one year and asked if she “wanted to spend every night together,” knowing that in the near future he would be shipped off to Air Force training. For Johnny, it was when Naomi was training for ROTC and began getting very nervous.  She was so stressed that she started talking to her socks, and it was then that Johnny knew that they each represented a calming presence to each other. It was because of these timing restrictions that they learned to express their appreciation of one another.

    Naomi and Johnny like to joke about a time they went canoeing when Naomi would just put her paddle in the water to make them go in a zigzag or circle pattern rather than floating in a straight line.  I like to think about that story as an analogy to their relationship as they maneuvered through the difficulties of long distance dating with attention and appreciation for one another. They say that they almost hit a boat of fisherman—just like I’m sure there were points in their relationship that seemed like they thought they were going to crash.  But because of their effort, trust and honest communication, they were able to carve out time for one another and laugh as they floated through time like they floated down that river.

    Working as a wedding professional, I’ve learned that there’s no such thing as a “perfect relationship,” where every moment of every day is like the song “So Happy Together” by The Turtles is playing in the background.  Like every other great thing in life, a solid relationship requires work, and more often that not the path of our canoe is going to zigzag or go in circles. The important thing is having a partner that can work towards a shared goal and laugh while doing it.  If you can manage to find a partner like Johnny and Naomi have in one another, then you can embrace every adventure and hardship with an equal hand; where the serenity of a mountain lake with a beer in your hand is that much more sweet, and the sunshine reflecting off a field of yellow flowers is that much more bright.  Distance is only an obstacle for your relationship, but with the right amount of effort and love, it can be conquered and wind up bringing you closer together.

The Vendor Team:

Photography: Apollo Fields
Getting-Ready Venue: The Dove Inn
Ceremony Venue:  Pines at Genesee
Party Planner / Day-Of Coordinator:  Vivian Weinress
Officiants: Rev John Witkop & Debbie Kintish
Florist:  Fleur de Liz
DJ / Band:  Drake Dawson "DJ Drake" 
Dress : Allure Bridal | Purchased at The Bridal Boutique
Veil was made by "the Button the Needle and the Wardrobe" (alterations), everything else is Etsy!
Suit: Dillards
Rings : Goodman & Sons in Virginia | Engagement ring was Johnny's grandmothers
Hair and Makeup: Prodigy Salon
Invitations and Save The Dates:  My Big Day Designs