Kristen & Jacob

Todays elopement comes with a tissue warning. Kristen and Jacob's story is one heart wrenching love, but with an incredibly happy ending. They chose the gorgeous city of Copenhagen to say their vows, and their simple but stylish day is full to bursting with emotion and intimacy, all captured beautifully by Rochelle Coote Photography. Ready for some Friday feels?

Our Story

Kristen the Bride : Jacob was an exchange student from Berlin, Germany at my old high school in 2008. I was already graduated from high school, so unfortunately we didn't cross paths at that time. Jacob and I met through a mutual friend who I roomed with my sophomore year of college in 2009. We met over a skype call and I was introduced as the roommate and we said hello and that was that. After we were introduced, I was asked if I could pick up something for my roommate, as Jacob and his mom had come back to my hometown to visit for fall break and he had brought her a gift back from Berlin. I was headed home for the weekend so of course I said I would. When first meeting Jacob in person at the homecoming football game at my old high school, I automatically went and gave him a hug. It was a bit strange that I felt the need to hug when first meeting him. It felt like an instant connection, and from that day on I just wanted to learn more about him and talk to him ALL of the time. When he returned back to Berlin from his visit, we were constantly in contact online. I remember getting on MSN messenger just waiting on him to message me. It was the most special part of my day, everyday. It killed me to think that we were so far away from one another, when I knew I obviously was so connected to him. Fast forward to summer 2010, when Jacob tells me that he will come and stay for two weeks in the summer to visit nearby colleges. Long story short, we fell in love during those two weeks. It killed us both the day he left to go back to Berlin. I felt like my heart had been ripped out of my chest. I was then a junior in college, in love with a guy from Berlin. As the time passed, we new we couldn't make it work and that it wasn't realistic. After a while, we didn't talk so often. I got back with an old boyfriend, and then it went from talking everyday to not talking at all. In July of 2011, my boyfriend and I broke up. It never felt right, and I always felt like something was missing from my life. One month later, Jacob wrote me on Facebook to tell me that he had accepted an offer to play for a soccer team at a college 15 minutes away from my hometown. I was in shock. I automatically thought this is it, we will be together. Jacob had me a little confused in the beginning. I believe he was unsure of how he wanted to spend his time during his time in college in the US. Thankfully, he decided he wanted to be together. This was the start of our relationship. After 3 months of dating, Jacob told me that he would be going back to Berlin after only one year in college in the US. I was heartbroken. We had to decide then if we would break up or stay together and do long distance. I remember one night that we both just decided we didn't want to not be together, so we would try our best to make it work. After one and a half years of us going back and forth to visit one another, I decided to move to Berlin in 2014 and become an au pair. All in all, I lived and worked in Berlin for three years. In April of this year, Jacob and I spent spring break in Morocco where he asked me to marry him. On June 22nd, we traveled to Copenhagen to get married! Now, I am back in my hometown working as a teacher, and Jacob is back in Berlin waiting for the visa process to be completed. We weren't prepared for the long waiting time that we are going to have to endure. Everyone thinks that once you are married, then that is that. Well, I am here to say that it's not. It is so hard having to be apart during such a special time in our lives. We had to be apart after only three weeks of marriage. It definitely isn't an ideal situation, but I wouldn't have it any other way. I love Jacob, and we have been through so much. We made it through so much, and I know we can make it through this as well!.....love knows no distance!

Why we chose Copenhagen

We knew it was super easy to get married in Denmark because of the marriage laws for international couples. We chose Denmark because they truly believe that it should be easy to get married if you truly love one another. Copenhagen was always a place I wanted to go, and after seeing photos of the city hall I knew it was the perfect place! It will always be a great memory of getting married and walking the streets of Copenhagen on my wedding day! :)

Our Photographer

My words to our photographer, Rochelle Coote Photography, after receiving our photos, "We can't thank you enough for helping us celebrate this special day! These photos are amazing, and I really can't imagine them being any better! I am so lucky to have found you! You helped make our day so very special, and now we will have these photos for forever to help us remember this special day! It's so wonderful. You're so kind and so sweet, and I couldn't have picked anyone better to take our photos!"

My flowers

Were done by Cool and Cozy in Copenhagen.