My Daughter’s Wedding – Gramazin | Charles Wagner | Take Every Thought to Prayer

Stephanie and Matt’s rehearsal dinner was at Annie Bailey’s in Lancaster, PA

June 15, 2018 was my daughter Stephanie’s wedding to Matt Bedway. It was a beautiful day at Riverdale Manor in Lancaster, PA but not as beautiful as my daughter. The ladies in the bridal party were lovely as well. I’m a little biased, for sure, but my son Chad was the most handsome of the groomsmen. It was a pleasure to enjoy warm greetings with family and friends from the past and to share a table with loved ones including Karen and Kirsten, my sisters and their husbands, my nephew Jeffrey, my son Chad, and my 93-year-old mother. I now have a lifetime of memories thanks to the incredible job Stephanie did arranging her wedding. I will never forget seeing the stunning bride in her wedding gown in the “First See” moment, even before Matt did. I will never forget walking arm-in-arm with her, whispering together, from the farmhouse, down the lawn, and to the banks of the Conestoga River where everyone was waiting for us. I will never forget hearing Stephanie gasp when it became clear I was about to embarrass her to everyone’s delight in my speech at the reception. I will never forget our father-daughter dance, being so proud to share this special privileged moment alone with the beaming bride.

I’m so proud today to call Matt my son-in-law. He’s a wonderful young man who I love and look forward to his being a welcomed member of our family. I am confident he will be a great husband for Stephanie. Special thanks to his parents, Dan and Laura Bedway, who did so much to make the event fantastic. May God bless each of the lives of the nine members of the bridal party. They seemed to really enjoy themselves throughout the wedding.

The wedding was held at Riverdale Manor in Lancaster, PA

Much thanks to Rick Marshall, my mentor, friend, and pastor, who officiated the wedding as he had done two years ago for Karen and I. Thanks to the Riverdale Manor staff whose meal was five-star. Thanks to the cellist and other musicians, the photographers, the videographer, the DJ, and the baker of the delicious cake. Special thanks to Ali, the maid-of-honor, who managed to do what no one else has ever been able to do – get me on the dance floor when the party was rocking. It was a special moment when Kirsten, my dear step-daughter, joined me on the dance floor to guide me with each move, a few feet from Stephanie who was having the time of her life with all the other dancers. I also want to thank “family” from my past, some who I hadn’t seen in over 14 years. They were so gracious and warm to me, making the day all the more incredible. Many prayers were answered as it was an event without any disruption that would taint the day for Stephanie.

I had the opportunity to speak and pray briefly at both the rehearsal dinner, at Annie Baileys the night before to 30 people, and at the wedding reception of about 100 people. I shared that the secret for their healthy marriage is for both Matt and Stephanie to love God more than each other. When they do that, they will love whom God loves which is the other person. They will exhibit the gifts of the spirit as shared in Galatians 5:22-23.

May God richly bless their relationship and their romantic honeymoon destination!

: A moment I will never forget with Stephanie, the bride’s dance with her father at Riverdale Manor in Lancaster PA

: Matt and Stephanie Bedway cut the cake at the reception at the Riverdale Manor in Lancaster, PA

: Stephanie with maid-of-honor Ali Cipollone and bridesmaids Jackie Berrier, Katie Yanushefski, and Sabine Muller. Brittany Haswell was also a bridesmaid.

: Chad and his step-sister Kirsten enjoying breakfast at Park City Diner in Lancaster, PA a few hours before Matt and Stephanie’s wedding

: Stephanie and her step-sister Kirsten at the rehearsal dinner at Annie Bailey’s in Lancaster PA June 14, 2018

: The beautiful bridal party on the day of the wedding at Riverdale Manor, Lancaster, PA – Katie Yanushefski, Jackie Berrier, Sabine Muller, maid of honor Ali Cipollone, and Brittany Haswell

: New brothers Matt and Chad, with the old man in the middle.

: Matt and Stephanie are introduced at the wedding reception at Riverdale Manor in Lancaster, PA

: “Who gives this woman to be married to Matt?” Stephanie, myself, Rick Marshall, Matt, Matt’s parents (Laura and Dan Bedway), and his brother Brian Bedway.

: Pastor Rick Marshall has just instructed Matt “You may kiss the bride”, Matt and Stephanie Bedway at Riverdale Manor in Lancaster, PA

: Pastor Rick Marshall introduces, for the first time, Matt and Stephanie Bedway

: My son Chad, my wife Karen, my step-daughter Kirsten, myself, Stephanie, and Matt at the rehearsal dinner at Annie Bailey’s in Lancaster, PA

: Matt and Stephanie Bedway at their wedding reception at Riverdale Manor

: Stephanie and her old man at the rehearsal dinner at Annie Bailey’s in Lancaster PA

: Matt and Stephanie Bedway on their wedding day at Riverdale Manor

: Stephanie and Matt with my mother, Grandmom, at the rehearsal dinner at Annie Bailey’s

: Stephanie and Matt with my sister, Aunt Joan, and my brother-in-law, Uncle Jay, at Annie Bailley’s in Lancaster, PA

: Stephanie with my sister, Aunt Lynn, my brother-in-law, Uncle Dan, and my nephew Jeffrey at Annie Bailey’s in Lancaster, PA

: The Palmer’s hosted Karen, Kirsten, and I at their lovely home in Mt. Joy PA.

: The Palmer’s hosted Karen, Kirsten, and I for two nights at their lovely home in Mt. Joy PA. They went so far as to have K and C coffee cups, either by design or by incredible coincidence.

: Stephanie’s mother Louise Wagner on the left in the photo, enjoying the rehearsal dinner at Annie Bailey’s in Lancaster, PA

: Matt, Stephanie, and Matt’s parents Dan and Laura at the rehearsal dinner

: Matt and Stephanie dancing with the guests at the reception at Riverdale Manor

: Practicing walking with the beautiful bride-to-be during the rehearsal at Riverdale Manor

: The rehearsal with Pastor Rick Marshall, who married Karen and I two years ago, and the Conestoga River in the background

: Stephanie with her Uncle Dan Kraftson at Riverdale Manor in Lancaster PA

: My nephew Jeff Kraftson and my daughter Stephanie at Riverdale Manor in Lancaster, PA

: Stephanie with her Aunt Joan and Uncle Jay at Riverdale Manor in Lancaster PA

: Stephanie and Matt Bedway wait to be introduced at the reception at Riverdale Manor in Lancaster, PA

: My mother is seated by my brother-in-law Jay at Riverdale Manor in Lancaster, PA

: My sister Lynn who was blessed with the health she needed to attend Matt and Stephanie’s wedding

: My nephew Jeffrey, myself, my mother, my sister Lynn and husband Dan, and my sister Joan and husband Jay at Riverdale Manor, Lancaster PA

: I walk my daughter Stephanie down to the wedding ceremony at the river at Riverdale Manor in Lancaster, PA on June 15, 2018

: My wife Karen and my step-daughter Kirsten dancing at Stephanie and Matt’s wedding at Riverdale Manor in Lancaster, PA

: My family together. Jeff Kraftson, Dan and Lynn Kraftson, Chad Wagner, Matt and Stephanie Bedway, Eleanor Wagner, Karen and I, Kirstin Salo, and Jay and Joan Ball. Unable to attend the wedding was my other step-daughter Meredith Salo and my nephews Todd Kraftson, Brett Kraftson, and Cory Kraftson.

: Myself, my new son-in-law, Matt, Stephanie, and my wife Karen

: My step-daughter, Kirsten, and Karen and I at the wedding reception.

: I’ve been going to weddings for 40 years and I’ve refused to get on the dance floor. “When hell freezes over”. Well, I made an exception for my daughter’s wedding. Here I am with Stephanie to my left and my step-daughter Kirsten on my right.

: Jackie Berrier caught the bouquet with my step-daughter Kirsten Salo looking on.

: Stephanie’s dress was gorgeous!

: My 93-year-old mother has overcome a stroke, a heart attack, a broken femur, and cancer and here she is dancing with Stephanie at the wedding reception.

: Clockwise from the left: My sister Lynn Kraftson, her husband Dan Kraftson, one of their four sons Jeff Kraftson, Stephanie Bedway, myself, my son Chad Wagner, my mother Eleanor Wagner, my sister Joan Ball, my brother-in-law Jay Ball, my step-daughter Kirsten Salo, and my wife, Karen.