Technology + Prayer = Meant to Be in Bridgeport

Shelby Elizabeth Toompas & Aaron Michael Hudnall
Bridgeport | 10.3.20

photographed by Alisha Faith Photography

It was a little technology and a whole lot of faith that brought Shelby and Aaron together in 2018. One day after church, Shelby prayed with her pastor about how she was ready to meet her soul mate. That night, she downloaded an online dating app, messaged Aaron, and set up a date. They spent an evening at Morgantown’s Flour & Feed, bonding over their love for coffee, antiques, and adventures. Later, Aaron called his mom to share that he’d “found the Joanna to his Chip Gaines,” and Shelby went home and deleted the app.

A year and a half later, a series of birthday gifts led up to one grand surprise: a proposal. The two decided to get married in Shelby’s hometown the following fall at a church she had admired since she was a young girl. Her dress was champagne and ivory, with pearls all the way down the train. Attendants coordinated in shades of navy and slate blue. Aaron’s dad married the two, and family and friends were moved by their written vows.

They added a “coffee unity” to the ceremony, mixing coffee and creamer to create the perfect cup. Guests enjoyed an outdoor reception at Pete Dye Golf Club, where they were greeted with a his or her drink, dined from a varied buffet, and enjoyed a slice of cake made up of two unique flavors: champagne with raspberry filling and blueberry with lemon zest filling. Shelby and her dad surprised guests with a choreographed dance to their favorite song, “Summer of ’69.”

The evening ended with everyone singing “Take Me Home, Country Roads” around the couple, a sparkler exit, and one groovy getaway car: a 1973 Volkswagen Beetle belonging to Shelby’s parents. The newlyweds enjoyed a picturesque fall honeymoon along the coast of Portland, Maine, returning home to married life in Morgantown.

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