Garden of the Gods Wedding Bridals // Colorado Springs, CO // Mark & Kari

“Having been married for only a couple of weeks, when you think of getting old together and looking back and having to say what the secret was to a happy marriage, what do you hope you would say?”

Kari: “I would like to look back and say that it was a couple of things working in tandem. First and foremost, I believe that Jesus must be the center of our relationship. He is our glue and the reason for all we do - including marriage. Second, I would say intentionality plays a huge part. Marriage isn’t a passive relationship. We both need to be continually intentional about pursuing one another and growing deeper together holistically. I will never know everything about Mark, but I get to spend the rest of my life discovering his complexities, digging into his mind and heart, and learning how to love and care for him with my whole being. That’s pretty exciting to me, and I love seeing that same passionate pursuit in older couples with strong relationships that are full of life.”

Mark: “The secret to a happy marriage is found first in one’s utter devotion and love for Jesus. ‘If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple.’ Luke 14:26. This verse is not saying to genuinely hate yourself and everyone you love, but rather it is saying that in order to love Kari and my family best, I must love God most! Second, I believe patience and a desire to learn and grow play a large role in a lasting marriage. Kari and I are similar in some ways and very different in others, but I believe that in order to have a happy marriage, one must have a permanent mindset and mentality that seeks to learn about her heart and my own. One must seek to help aid in the growth of the other person and as well as be humble and honest where one must grow personally as well. Finally, in order to have a happy marriage, one must have patience. A lasting marriage takes patience for a lifetime. Both people will be growing and maturing for the rest of their lives. Be patient with one another both for walking through that all with them and for the end result. I believe it will all be worth it in the end :).”