With a background in art, event planning, and floral design, Rebekah brought an artistic, deeply personal vision to her wedding day with Brock—a celebration that unfolded like a love letter to family, craftsmanship, and intention. Set at the beautiful Glass House Creative Community in Zeeland, Michigan, their October wedding was a peaceful and thoughtful gathering of their nearest and dearest.
From handmade desserts to a coffee cart welcome, every detail reflected care and creativity. The bride’s mother, a florist, lovingly designed the florals alongside Rebekah, and even their cake topper was sculpted by the bride’s brother—the same brother who introduced the couple years earlier. What emerged was a celebration as meaningful as it was beautiful: a day centered around faith, family, and the quiet strength of love.
“Don’t get so caught up in the ‘what’ of wedding planning that you lose sight of your ‘why.’”
How did you two meet? What were your first impressions of one another?
We met through family. My younger brother and I were living in the same town, several hours from where we grew up, and he met Brock through a mutual connection—they quickly hit it off. I first met Brock briefly after church one Sunday, but our first real interaction came when my brother brought him, along with a few other friends, to our parents’ home for the Easter weekend.
At the time, I thought he was the same age as my younger brother—ten years younger than me!—and since he was talking to someone else, we barely acknowledged each other during that visit. Still, from that weekend on, Brock started joining our family gatherings from time to time.
It wasn’t until three years later, during an impromptu family bowling night, that something shifted between us—and three years after that, we were married. Brock still remembers my dad saying at the end of that first Easter weekend, “I don’t think this will be the last we see of you.” Little did he know, a few years later, Brock would become a permanent part of our family.
Brock is a man of few words and incredibly observant. I remember feeling intrigued by him in a way I couldn’t quite explain—and it didn’t hurt that he was kind, with a thoughtful and handsome face.
My first distinct memory of Rebekah is seeing her for the first time at church. I thought she was beautiful and had a quiet intensity about her.
Describe a hurdle you had to overcome in your relationship or during your wedding planning.
I (Rebekah) come from a large, close-knit extended family with a tradition of big, joyful weddings. Brock, on the other hand, comes from a small family and an elopement was more his style. Finding the right way to celebrate our union was a challenge—my heart was set on a day surrounded by loved ones, while his was focused on keeping things small and centered on the commitment we were making to each other. In the end, we found the perfect balance, and I’m so grateful he felt strongly about a more intimate celebration. Our wedding day was peaceful, personal, and full of meaningful moments shared with each other and our families.
Any special ways you incorporated your family or family history into your wedding day?
Infusing our wedding day with meaningful, personal touches was one of the most important parts of our planning process. We wanted the day to celebrate not just our marriage, but also the families, friendships, and shared histories that shaped us. One of our favorite elements was a photo display featuring a picture of every guest—capturing moments from different stages of our lives, both individually and as a couple.
Throughout the day, we felt deeply supported and surrounded by love. I carried a necklace wrapped around my bouquet in memory of Brock’s mother, and several loved ones played special roles in the ceremony—including a grandfather, a brother, and a dear friend who officiated. My father offered a heartfelt blessing as we sat down to dinner, adding another meaningful layer to the evening. Even our desserts reflected our shared story—many were homemade and included favorite family recipes.
Our families were also involved in many of the creative details. My mother is a wedding florist, and I (Rebekah) grew up helping her and learning the art of floral design. Working side by side with her on my own wedding flowers was incredibly special. Another favorite detail was our cake topper—hand-sculpted by Rebekah’s brother, who also happens to be the one who introduced us. Including handmade elements from those we love made the day feel deeply personal and uniquely ours.
What part of your wedding day was/is most important to you?
Creating a thoughtful guest experience was one of the things we talked about most while planning our wedding—and it was especially important to Brock. One of our favorite decisions was hiring a coffee cart to serve warm drinks as guests arrived. We were married outdoors on a cool autumn afternoon, and having a cozy beverage in hand made the ceremony even more enjoyable for everyone.
We also wanted our vows and the commitment we were making to each other to be the true focus of the day. That intention helped guide what we included—and what we chose to let go. We opted out of many traditional wedding elements like a bridal party, toasts, or a first dance. Instead, the day centered around our vows and a quiet, intimate dinner with the people dearest to us.
Of course, we couldn’t resist ending the night with something a little more fun— desserts and dancing, all set to a playlist crowdsourced from family favorites, much to the delight of our nieces and nephews.
What is the best thing you’ve learned from one another?
Brock has taught me to slow down, be intentional, and savor the simple pleasures in life. He’s my perfect balance, and I’m so grateful for the joy and laughter he brings into my world.
Rebekah has shown me unconditional love, and through that love and sense of security, she’s inspired me to become a more selfless person. She challenges me to grow in my faith and continually encourages me to become a better man.
What was your favorite part about planning your wedding?
With a background in art, design, and event planning, I was thrilled to take on the creative challenge of designing our wedding from the ground up. From the initial mood board to the final tablescape, every detail was thoughtfully curated to reflect not just my style, but the things we both love and share in common. I especially enjoyed being hands-on by designing everything from the paper goods to the curated tablescape. One of my favorite small details was the set of vintage stamps on our invitations from Little Postage House. Each one told a little story about us, who we are, and what we share together. We are so thankful to the many talented vendors we worked with from the wedding venue to our amazing photographer. We were surrounded by individuals who made the planning process a joy.
If you had one piece of advice for other couples, what would it be?
Don’t get so caught up in the ‘what’ of wedding planning that you lose sight of your ‘why.’ Focus on what honors the commitment you’re making to each other, and celebrate what makes you unique as a couple.
It also seems fitting to share advice given to us from Rebekah’s father on our wedding day, “The strength and love of a marriage does not depend on being in love, but on love being in you.”
What is the most honest thing you can say about love?
We’ll answer this question by sharing words from C.S. Lewis we included in our ceremony.
“If the old fairy-tale ending ‘They lived happily ever after’ is taken to mean ‘They felt for the next fifty years exactly as they felt the day before they were married,’ then it says what probably never was nor ever would be true, and would be highly undesirable if it were. Who could bear to live in that excitement for even five years? What would become of your work, your appetite, your sleep, your friendships? But, of course, ceasing to be ‘in love’ need not mean ceasing to love. Love in this second sense—love as distinct from ‘being in love’—is not merely a feeling. It is a deep unity, maintained by the will and deliberately strengthened by habit; reinforced by grace which both partners ask, and receive. They can have this love for each other even at those moments when they do not like each other; as you love yourself even when you do not like yourself. They can retain this love even when each would easily, if they allowed themselves, be ‘in love’ with someone else. ‘Being in love’ first moved them to promise fidelity: This quieter love enables them to keep the promise. It is on this love that the engine of marriage is run: being in love was the explosion that started it.”
Photography: Kelsie Johanna Photography / @kelsiejohanna
Venue: Glass House Creative Community / @glasshousecommunity
Coordinator: Victoria Bergen / @vbergen
Catering: Distinctive Catering / @distinctive_catering
Coffee Cart: Clique Coffee Catering / @cliquecoffeecatering
Cake: Rise Authentic Baking Co. / @riseauthenitcbaking
Florals: Diane Dell & Rebekah Bollen
Wedding Dress: Luxe Redux Columbus / @luxereduxbridal
Groom’s Suit: Manno Clothing and Tailoring / @mannoclothing
Invitation Stamps: Little Postage House / @littlepostagehouse
Rings: Melanie Casey / @melaniecaseyjewlery
Hair: Joan McGivern – Headliners Design Studio / @headliners_
Cake Topper: Dell Sculpture / @dellsculpture
Publisher at The White Wren and Bajan Wed, Award Winning Photography + Videographer at Live View Studios, Dad, 80s music lover, crunchy health advocate
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