This page contains excerpts from our wedding website, which we ran for a year before it was taken down by company that so willingly is part of the money making machine that has become the wedding industry. It’s very thorough, so enjoy! (if you make it all the way through…)

INTRODUCTION

Thank you, thank you, thank you to all of you who have surrounded us, supported us, and shown us incredible love.

It is hard to find words that could capture how amazing our wedding day was, but it certainly was beyond what we could have expected. It was a wonderful reflection of so many who put forth a tremendous effort to make it such a special day. Once again, a very sincere and heartfelt thank you.

PHOTOS

Our Wedding Day: October 14, 2006
A very special thank you to Rob and Sandy Huston for these amazing pictures.

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***Other Wedding Photo Galleries can be seen here and here.

Our Honeymoon in Cancun, Mexico

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Beautiful sunny Cancun. Our honeymoon was everything we hoped for, and everything we needed. After an intense year of separation and a lot of planning and intentionality, it was wonderful to truly rest. Thank you once again to the Maldonado family who helped to make this possible. We came away with wonderful memories, not to mention decent tans.

OUR STORY

LOOKING BACK – Raf’s View
It was nearly ten years ago that we met, back at Bethany Christian High School in Goshen, Indiana. I was a senior, Elisabeth a freshman. Despite the significant age difference (particularly for that stage of life) we, from the very beginning, had a powerful yet mysterious connection. Only time could make clear what it was. Through our interaction over the years, we established a very solid foundation of friendship, though we were often unsure how exactly to define the relationship. It wasn’t until many years later, that the timing was finally right, and we were both ready to truly engage the relationship.

LOOKING BACK – Elisabeth’s View
First of all, we have a very long story. We also have pretty different sides to the same story; Rafael’s side is consistent and mine is the more complicated side. However, there was always something that drew us to each other.

Highschool. Like Rafael said above, we met in high school. Rafael knew how he felt towards me pretty automatically, so we got to know each other in the halls and particularly in study hall. I still have the first birthday card that he drew for me. We ended up going to prom together that year, but Elisabeth made it clear that we were only friends.

College years. Rafael went to college, while I was still in high school. It was obvious that we were in very different stages of life, but we did our best to go out once in awhile to stay connected. We’d have these long, intense catch up sessions, which left us more confused afterwards. Rafael left not understanding why we weren’t dating, and I left more confused as to why I felt like I couldn’t date Rafael. There was always something very deep that kept us connected, despite our label of just friends. We got particularly close My senior summer of high school. Then, we had to deal with making a real geographic separation of myself going to PA for college and Rafael spending the year in Montreal. Rafael still wanted to date and I was still non-committal.

Silence. I made a needed break in the ambiguous relationship of ‘friends with potential’- and dropped the bomb that we were not going anywhere. I sincerely thought it best to cut off any idea of us developing into anything more than friends. We were both were hurt. We cut off ties and did not communicate for a whole year.

Friends again. Rafael made the bold move of initiating contact again. After much careful discussion, we decided to repair our relationship and redefine who we were. We communicated over email and letters like that for a couple years. We both wondered “what if,” but never talked about it with each other again.

The Visit and May. My senior summer of college Rafael made a visit to PA and we spent the day together happily catching up. We both left feeling that same strange soul connection… but left it unaddressed. Well, as a result, all these old sentiments arose and slowly but surely developed and grow within me. Practically a year later from that visit, Rafael and I met up half way between each other (in Ohio ) and talked about our relationship once again. I cautiously, nervously, and desperately did some major explaining about how time had changed me. We figured out that our connection never died and we finally decided to try dating.

Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. So, it’s about time that I figure out that Rafael is definitely my soul mate. Not in the cheesy, corny kind of way. But, in the I have to catch my breath, utter vulnerability, see through me kind of way.

Our Story. As I write this, it’s been 9 years we have been friends. 5 months we dated. 6 months we have been engaged. Even though our story is kind of confusing (even to us), it really is about God’s timing that has been beyond our control. All of the stages were needed in being able to know that we are mad about each other. God used all of the stages to season and prepare us for our individual stories to be joined together with our communities. And our stories are only a small fraction of the larger story to which we belong – God’s story. We need your prayers. We love you all so much. We look forward to celebrating our day with you!

OUR ENGAGEMENT STORY

Elisabeth’s Take:
Our trip to IN had been highly anticipated, since marriage talk was increasing and we wanted to be face to face to hash everything out. So, what better timing than a roadtrip, right? WRONG… because Raf was being secretive and didn’t want to talk. He had something specific in his mind and it apparently was not good timing to talk about it. I didn’t want to pry too much, so we spent the first HALF of the roadtrip talking about other things, listening to music, and trying to ignore the fact that there was an underlying and forbidden topic that we were avoiding. My initial confusion turned into frustration which then turned into anger. I was so mad that we had waited all this time to finally be in person, and then we couldn’t talk about it. He could sense the frustration/anger from across the seat, so he reluctantly pulled into a plaza along the turnpike…………… We got lost in each other for the next hour and half after fully understanding what he had intended all along. I was shocked, floored, taken aback, and overwhelmed with emotion and delight at the thought of spending my life with Rafael. I said, “yes”. We spent the rest of the ride to IN trying to unravel what this huge decision would all come to mean.

Raf’s Turn:
So, I would consider myself a romantic guy, and though I never had a lifelong dream of the perfect way to pop the question, the way it actually turned out, was a far cry from what I would have ever envisioned…

May 15, 2005. From the beginning of our dating relationship, we knew it was a serious thing. Even before we ever “officially” dated, we had mentioned marriage in a very general way – simply that we saw admirable qualities that we would one day like in a marriage partner. So it was no surprise that up front, right from the beginning, we truthfully looked at the implications of this dating relationship. Well, after several months, general “if we would marry…” type conversations turned to “when we marry…” type conversations. We began making more and more specific plans. So as we started doing this, I was thinking, “Uh…maybe we should get engaged before we talk about specific details of a wedding.” So in my mind, the stage was set, and the question at hand became – how?

October 8, 2005. It has been a couple of weeks since we had seen each other, and we had planned a trip to Goshen to see Grandma Krabill and my parents. We were both very much looking forward to the drive so we could finally talk in person about the things we were thinking about. In our previous discussions, we had casually mentioned Laurelville Mennonite Camp as a possible wedding location. Well, on our trip to Goshen we would be driving right by, so I tried to plan “casual stop” – you know, just to check it out.

Well, this place is not exactly easy to find, so being casual was just not working. When we finally got close, we missed the road, Elisabeth got a call on her cell, and the next exit wasn’t for 10 miles… That was a problem, because we were already behind schedule and to drive back ten miles to the camp then the ten miles back west again, plus looking around time… that is just hard to swing…

“Ok, just regroup Raf, think quick, I need a plan B, hmm, perhaps a scenic overlook could work…” I’m thinking hard, my eyes shooting around for a nice spot. Well, guess what? Our nice little interstate highway has a whole lot more truckstops than scenic overlooks. So by now, I had unintentionally stunted our long awaited wedding planning conversation, and we are both very frustrated, since my “explanation,” if we can call it that, was less than impressive. I finally gave in…

And so, (sigh) yes, it’s what you think… we pulled into a truck stop, into the far side of the parking lot… And there it is my friends, try to think of a more romantic spot if you dare. But location details aside, the romance of hearing the love of your life say “yes” to such a simple and loaded question… it truly surpasses any expectation you could ever hope for.

OUR WEDDING PARTY

Andrew Burkhalter: My best man. Andrew has been my best friend since high school. We went through high school as soccer buddies, leading a successful Bruin squad to the Sectional Championship — which we then proceeded to lose… But our bond goes far beyond our love of the the beautiful game. Drew’s proved himself a true friend staying connected on the deeper level of life’s joys and trials, despite the many miles that separate us. Drew will be making it to the altar two months before me. Contratulations buddy!!

Mary Laura Krabill: Sister of the bride. This is my one and only baby sister who’s 20, but going on 35. We’ve had many phases of our relationship. As a baby, she used to keep Matthew and I up at night crying in the village where we, then, had to sing her to sleep. Later on we used to fight a lot – especially when she used to sneak and read my love notes from boyfriends and always stole my clothes. In our later years, she outdid me in boyfriends and for sure fashion. The fighting subsided and we have come to know each other as maturing adults. I love many things about my sister: her humor/impressions (she has me crackin’ up), unique character of depth and sensitivity, her striking beauty, her amazing creativity (drawing and bangin’ cooking), and her inquisitive mind where she is constantly evolving by the different people and experiences that she is surrounded by. That’s my baby girl!

David Oliver: David is my brother in law. Through the years of getting to know the newest (until October…) member of my family, I’ve been priveleged to discover whole new world of music and writing. He is truly a poet at heart, and his alternate perspective helps to fuel that creative impulse. It is also often challenging, but has become a reliable source for off the wall humor, for spotting potential problems or issues, and for being stretched.

Anita Oliver: Sister of the groom. For 9 years, I’ve only had a relationship with Anita through Rafael. Since the beginning, I’ve had a lot of respect for her, but have always questioned what she has thought of this girl that has been in an ambiguous relationship with her dear brother. We’ve been getting to know each other for the past year firsthand and I have not been surprised by the quality, integrity, giftedness, generosity, beauty, and nurturing spirit that I have come to know in Anita. I look forward to a life time of getting to know her better.

Matthew Krabill: I’ve known Matthew for years, but always from a bit of a distance. I think that in some strange way, it was due in part because of my relationship to Elisabeth, even though Matthew and I are closer in age, only a year apart. But even from a distance, it was always easy to admire his headstrong demeanor, advanced wisdom and insight, and astute observational skills (a Krabill specialty – trust me). I’m definitely excited to have a new brother in law.

Lauren Arnold: My sweet wifey. I have had the sheer privilege of rooming with her for three years. She has walked with me daily through very formative years of my young adulthood. The most outstanding characteristic about her (and, believe me, there are countless) is her capacity to love others. Even if you only have the chance to meet Lauren one time, you will leave knowing that her heart is pierced with a love that is out of this world. She has changed my life forever.

Jonathan Reuel: Jonathan was a catalyst in a giant leap forward in my personal growth. With a natural inclination for mentoring(along with much of his own learning and intentional growth in this area), Jonathan simultaneously provided purposeful and casual mentorship for me, offered a much needed different perspective, and often helped to diffuse some pretty (in)tense situations. Another highly gifted writer and artist, Jon embodies a creative spirit, seeing immense beauty in many places the often overlooked.
Renee Glick: Renee has had to endure the agony of our drawn out relationship. She was there with me in our freshman year Spanish class when Rafael gave me my first birthday card to 10 years later of continuing to process the latest thoughts as we cook in the kitchen as housemates. Not only has she seen me through every stage with Rafael, but has been my ever-present dependable processor in helping me to work through and define my very identity. Her intelligence, creativity, empathy, global perspective, and extreme giftedness can’t help but seep into her artwork and the depth of her relationships. She is one of a kind. ***Note: Renee has done our save the date cards, invitations, and programs.
Joel Jimenez: Joel, tico loco, smahair. Joel is the kind of guy you just can’t help but love. He’s a natural and incredible talent on the bass, which may be his claim to fame, but the real meat lies in his sincere and unapologetic love for life. This is most obviously reflected in his easy going disposition, the joy he finds in music, his silly sense of humor, his concern for indivduals and the world, his love for his wife Rachel and new baby Ian. Joel is a true incarnate of his country’s slogan ¡¡Pura Vida!!

Sabrina Calloway: Sista’ spice! Even though I’ve only known Sabrina since college (6 years), I feel as though I’ve known her a lifetime. Dancing, singing/music, and imitating are all things that ignite us, but those are not the things that define our relationship. The depth of our relationship comes with our unique ability to read each other. We have often been alarmed by how much we function alike and the natural way that we anticipate each other. I often feel as though I am sitting with myself when in her presence.
Nate Butler: It’s kind of funny that I could pretty much form a (boy) band with all the musicians in this group. Nate has distinguished himself as an excellent, disciplined drummer and quality studio producer. Another lover of music, his careful ear picks out what many would never even think to think about. But Nate’s greatest attributes, beyond his sometimes unbelievable rambunctiousness, is his giant heart, his strong overcoming spirit, and earnest love for music, art, and those close to him.

Stephanie Miller: Stephanie was my first friend at Eastern (6 years). You can never forget Stephanie; She is one of the most pure, sincere, strong, hopeful, and sweet people you’ll ever meet. If you’ve ever scratched beneath Stephanie’s sweet conversation and contagious smile, you’ll find a pillar. Since her marriage of almost 2 years, we have been separated by thousands of miles where she currently lives in CA. Distance does not change a bond of sisterhood.

OUR HOME

Rafael & Elisabeth Barahona
1207-A Mowbray Place
Charlottesville VA 22902

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