Ezra + Alita | Red Barn Villa Wedding

Ezra and Alita are somehow deeply young and yet an outrageously impressive power couple. Ezra’s efficient rise to college, his own business, and being ready to marry the amazing Alita was a beauty to behold. Alita, smart and accomplished and violinist and ballerina as all get-out, is the only babysitter our boys have every had who brought her own matchbox cars & coloring books, and will forever be believed as the most magical. Broke many hearts in our home when she left for college, and broke more getting married, but thankfully, our whole crew was invited and got to enjoy such a delightful day from the inside (Peter) and from the outside (the rest of us—except on-the-way-baby).

These two families joining powers, as it were, are pretty special ones—I still remember going to Ezra’s parents wedding (on my birthday) twenty+ years ago, and his dad is a pastor at our church, mom is our Obie’s Sunday School teacher, brings treats to my book club, and is delightfully wise team with her husband, and our forever goals for launching their children into jobs and independence efficiently! Alita’s parents have been such an inspiration and encouragement to us, not less so since Jordan comes from a family of exclusively (seven!) boys. Our crew of five can be a bit rabid around the ears, but sitting in church with occasionally all seven of these godly men, with many of their families, is such a testament of the fruit of faithfulness and the Lord’s kindness.

We’ve been kindly hosted, even sat around talking about the mission of hospitality, many times by both of these families, and now they were hosting their own children’s wedding!

Ezra and Alita’s reception was at the beautiful Red Barn Villa in Oregon City, which our boys declared “magical”—bamboo passageways, frogs, fields for sprinting, a forest! Everything you could wish for.

We always talk about how our favorite weddings are when a close community comes together to use their gifts and skills to create an amazing party, and this was even more exciting, since it was our community! Sound, emcee-ing, focaccia, flowers, wedding coordinating—a concerted effort of so many people who love these families so dearly.

A friend said they’re getting old enough that when they go to weddings, they notice and empathize with the parents of the couple now, which is so real. Father of the bride mentioning the song he sang to his daughter every night during his toast? CAN’T COPE. Thankfully I was pretty focused on keeping toddlers and so avoided various pregnant emotional breakdowns that could have occurred (see also: mother-son dances, you KNOW it). But overall, getting to even attend, let alone get the special inside-track, was such an honor.

Captions below by Peter!

The ladies got ready at Alita’s family’s home, accompanied by their only boy, Ander, a vivid reminder of the difference between sons and daughters, as he brought the mischief and the joke book (literally) to the party.

Ander “admiring” someone’s jewelry, only in the way boys can.

Ander bringing in his joke book for Alita’s benefit.

Sister of the bride + sister of the groom.

I asked Jordan, “why are you sitting in the nursing moms’ room?” He said “It’s quiet and it has AC”.

Dad (Jordan) practicing removing the veil.

Neighbor Chris came in clutch for a family picture of us. <3

Steven (the bride’s uncle) is doing all the DJ-ing (and his wife was the hair master for the day).

The chaos before the extended family photo.

Below, Ezra’s older brother/best man, Judah.

If you want to see even more photos from the wedding, here is a more comprehensive “sneak peek”.