September 27, 2008
Who would have thought that a friendly get-together among friends from church to carve Halloween pumpkins would end
up carving an indelible place in the hearts of Erin Gamertsfelder and David Machemer? Well, that's exactly what
happened in Chicago on an October night in 2006. "We had been attending the same church for about a year and had
never met," recalled Erin. "We met the night we were both invited to the pumpkin carving." The couple began dating
right away and soon learned they had even more in common than the same Christian morals and values. They also
enjoyed running. "I ran the Chicago Marathon about two weeks after we met and David ran part of it with me," said
Erin.
After dating about a year, they flew to San Francisco for a weekend getaway. It was there, looking out over the
bay, that David asked Erin to be his partner for life. Earlier in their relationship, David had told Erin he
thought he'd propose to someone in this very spot so she suspected this might be the big moment, however, she began
to wonder by the second day of the trip when no proposal had been mentioned. To calm her anxiety, David assured her
they would be engaged sometime within the next year. Disappointed, Erin's first thought was "oh my gosh, that's so
long!" But even in San Francisco, David couldn't keep her at bay. He proposed just a few minutes later.
David and Erin set September 27, 2008 as their wedding date and although they had nearly a year to plan, they
recognized the fact that with both having busy schedules (he was finishing law school and she was working and
pursuing her master's degree in education), they needed to get started immediately. By December, just three months
after getting engaged, the couple had all of their vendors booked and Erin's dress picked out. "After December, we
just had the little things to work on," said Erin. "I made my flower girls' dresses, the invitations and, with the
help of my mom and my aunt, the decorations, so that took a lot of time. We worked from January through September
on all that."
Although Erin was very pleased with the results of their creative efforts, her favorite wedding memory was the
ceremony itself. "It turned out so great. I was nervous and anxious but just seeing David there, I held his hand
and looked into his eyes and he was just beaming. All my nerves went away at that moment and I enjoyed that part
the most." Accompanied by eight attendants and two flower girls in shades of eggplant and curry, the couple took
their vows and celebrated the occasion with family and friends in the naturally beautiful setting of Whittaker
Woods in New Buffalo, Michigan. Following the wedding, David and Erin spent five relaxing days at the Marina Grand
Resort, also in New Buffalo. "We just took in the area," said Erin. "We went bike riding, exploring the lake,
shopping and just relaxed after a year of planning."
Whittaker Woods Golf Club
New Buffalo, MI
Caterer:
O'Brien's Restaurant
New Buffalo, MI
Photographer:
Steven Fox,
Holland, MI
Wedding Gown:
White Chicago
Chicago, IL
Bridesmaids Gowns:
House of Brides
Chicago, IL
Hair/Nail Salon:
Heath & Co.
New Buffalo, MI
Tuxedos:
Men's Wearhouse
Chicago, IL
Wedding Rings:
New York Jewelers
Chicago, IL
Flowers:
Bloomies Flower Studio
St. Joseph, MI
Wedding Cake:
Dee's Specialty Cakes
Stevensville, MI
Reception Band:
Oregon Dreamchild
Grand Rapids, MI
Transportation:
Whittaker Woods Golf Club
Valet Service
New Buffalo, MI
Honeymoon:
Marina Grand Resort
New Buffalo, MI