Numerous colleges and universities have a tradition of their graduates getting married on campus, either in a place of worship, such as the church at Notre Dame, or in a notable landmark, such as the George Peabody Library at Johns Hopkins University. In many cases, the personal nature of the locations is what attracts couples to them; therefore, they can bring their friends and family back to the places where their love stories may have begun.
Max Ujdak and Katie Wall, who is now known as Katie Ujdak, were situated at a computer late one night in October 2018 and viewing the Basilica of the Sacred Heart’s website. Basilica of the Sacred Heart is a Catholic chapel located on the Indiana campus of the University of Notre Dame. It is also a well-known wedding venue due to its proximity to Indianapolis, the state capital.
The couple had until midnight to submit a digital form ranking their preferences for a wedding date at the Basilica, which operates on a rotating calendar with reservation openings every two years. The two intended their performance to occur on October 24, 2020, around three o’clock in the afternoon.
They emailed the form at the stroke of midnight, and received conformation from the church that the date they had selected was available and that a time slot beginning at 1 pm had been reserved for them. The couple had been dating for less than a year at the time, so their acquaintances and family were unaware that they were planning a wedding until much later. Despite being ecstatic about the news, they did not share it with anyone else. In fact, they were not even engaged at this point.
Katie Ujdak, age 27 and unengaged, told us that she and her companion are “like, OK, now we have a wedding venue.” We cannot inform anyone else about this.
The engagement and nuptials would occur on the Notre Dame University campus. The couple desired that their wedding ceremony take place at the college or university where they first met and where they later earned their bachelor’s degrees. They submitted a booking request rather than an engagement request because they did not want to risk missing out on the opportunity to obtain a competitive advantage. They have recently relocated to Waunakee, Wisconsin, where Max Ujdak has found employment as a project manager for a steel fabricator. In addition to her law studies at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, Katie Ujdak works as a grant administration specialist in the grant industry.
“Getting married at the Basilica, especially after attending Notre Dame, is incredibly meaningful,” said a 27-year-old man named Max Ujdak. “The Basilica is one of the most beautiful churches in the world.” “The Basilica is a magnificent building with a rich history.” “When getting married there, in that incredibly beautiful space, it’s almost unreal because the location is so significant to your relationship,”
Choosing a location for their wedding reception, which is typically the event that receives the most attention, is one of the most stressful aspects of wedding planning for many engaged couples. On the other hand, the answer appears to be more apparent for those who met while they were both students at the same school.
Numerous colleges and universities have a tradition of their graduates getting married on campus, either in a place of worship, such as the church at Notre Dame, or in a notable landmark, such as the George Peabody Library at Johns Hopkins University. In many cases, the personal nature of the locations is what attracts couples to them; therefore, they can bring their friends and family back to the places where their love stories may have begun.
Blanche Williams, who had been the wedding director at the Duke University Chapel for the previous 18 years, met with engaged couples for premarital counseling sessions throughout this time period. During this time period, the Chapel of Duke University was the site. In March of 2005, Williams began his employment with the ecumenical sanctuary. This marked the start of his career there. By the time she retired in April of this year, she had assisted nearly 800 different couples in navigating the necessary steps to get married on campus. This was her final month of employment before retiring officially.
Wedding dates at the Duke chapel can only be reserved one year in advance, and competition can be fierce. Couples who have their hearts set on getting married at the Duke chapel must make at least one year of preparations in anticipation. Williams asserts that prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, couples frequently camped overnight in the area surrounding the chapel to increase their possibilities of receiving their preferred dates once registration opened. This was a common practice prior to the spread of the COVID-19 virus.
Additionally, Bianca Argueza and Sam Saenz applied to have their nuptials in the Memorial Church at Stanford, where they first met as undergraduates in April 2009, prior to becoming engaged. This was done so that their nuptials could take place there. Currently, Argueza specializes in pediatrics, while Saenz is a psychiatrist in the field of mental health. By vehicle or bus, they can reach Stanford University in a reasonable amount of time.
Saenz, who is 34 years old, is quoted as saying, “Returning to the beginning and reuniting physically in the same place had a great deal of significance for us.”
As a high school senior, Argueza walked to the church courtyard and desired she could attend Stanford University. The following year, she was admitted into the university, fulfilling her desire. She continued to attend Sunday mass at the same parish throughout her four years as an undergraduate student. The joyful couple’s wedding took place there on May 25, 2019.
The event, according to Argueza, who is now 34 years old, “represented many milestones in my life.” Even though we live so close by now, we still make it a point to visit that location whenever we can, whether to attend mass or simply to reflect on the past. Even though we now reside so near by, we still make it a point to visit that location whenever possible.
Williams, who is 72 years old, stated, “It was one of the most enjoyable times of my life.”During the winter holiday season, only one couple sends me a Christmas card with an attached photograph. They do this annually. Since then, anywhere between 10 and 12 years have likely passed.
Jenny Faubion, age 41, and Amit Ranade, age 47, contemplated holding their wedding at a variety of locations, including the property owned by Faubion’s family. However, it wasn’t long before they realized that getting married at their alma mater, the University of Washington, was not only the option with the most emotional value, but also the option with the most logistical value. In 2000, when Faubion was still an undergraduate student at the university and Ranade was still a law student, the two met for the first time. After a period of being unable to communicate with one another, they ultimately did so and began a romantic relationship. Each has a legal vocation, and Seattle is their current residence.
The couple planned to marry in a Hindu and Presbyterian ceremony in front of more than 400 guests, so they required a venue that could accommodate both the size of their gathering and the duration of their festivities.
Faubion continued with a chuckle, “He actually really wanted to get married in Husky Stadium,” which is where the university’s football team plays. The stadium where the events are played is called Husky Stadium. She recalled thinking, “That’s just too far for me.” “I was like, ‘That’s just too far for me,'” she explained. Instead, they chose to get married on July 11, 2009, at Sylvan Grove, a location frequented by University of Washington students both at the beginning and the end of their college careers. It was an appropriate option for the couple, as Sylvan Grove holds significance for both of them.
Seattle is a beautiful metropolis that would be ideal for a wedding, according to Faubion. “However, you will not find a significantly more beautiful location than the campus,” The institution served as both the ceremony and reception location. They chose to have one of their bridal cakes decorated with a mascot of the University of Washington, a husky dog.
