I am speaking for many a girl when I say, we all think about the man we want to marry, long, long before our time. How he will look, what kind of person he’d be, and the great ways we’ll share doing life together. More than that, I think God knows what kind of person is the best for us and then little things in that person that would make us happy that we don’t even see.

Both sides of Rachel’s family have a strong foundation in trusting God to lead their marriages. On her father’s side, Samuel David Pandian and Saroji Puranavalli got married in her hometown and then began their lives in Chennai where they had three children and many dogs. They got married on June 1st, 1970. Samuel David worked for the State Bank of India while Saroji worked as a Science and English teacher for the Integral Coach Factory High Secondary School.

Maid of honor Abigail Jebaraj Bridesmaids Alanna Haughey Kristin Wisniewski Hannah Dudeley Best man David Sundararaj Groomsmen Arpith Siromoney Fletcher Passow Kevin Griffin

Sunni Sky’s Homemade Ice Cream — Angier A true local haunt where the ice cream store only accepts cash for its 130+ flavors, one of them being the famous Cold Sweat flavor, a flavor so spicy that one must sign a waiver before trying it. The Outer Banks If you ever want to explore the coastline, just keep driving east until you see the ocean. Attractions include the Wright Brothers National Memorial, various lighthouses, and even seaside restaurants that will cook the fish you catch.

Mr and Mrs Rajiah, Mark’s great grandparents, c. 1941 On Mark’s maternal side, the earliest recorded ancestors are his great-great grandparents, Mr Paulraj and Mrs Pushpammal, who lived in Nazareth, a small village in the Tirunelveli district of Tamil Nadu. Very little is known about them except that Mr Paulraj had a flourishing transport business in Ceylon, and that he was a strict disciplinarian of their eleven children, of whom Mrs Stella, Mark’s great grandmother, was the oldest, born in 1926.

The thirumangalyam, or wedding chain, is a marriage symbol that blends Indian and Christian tradition. It is presented by the bridegroom to the bride during the wedding service as a token of his love and commitment. The thirumangalyam features a heart-shaped pendant with a cross at its center, which symbolizes the relationship between husband and wife, analogous to the relationship between Christ and his Bride — the Church. Historically, the wedding chain served as the outward sign of the marriage sacrament, similar to the role of the wedding ring in contemporary ceremonies.

The wedding ceremony is at Jones Chapel at Meredith College in Raleigh, Rachel’s alma mater. Rachel and Mark will be married by the Rev. Christopher Parrish, rector of St Luke’s Chapel in the Hills in Los Altos, California, where Mark is a member. The organist is Mr Cyrus D’Arcy, an organ student and music major at Stanford University. You can find a list of the service music here. If you would be interested in helping with the singing, please write to Mark at mrkb629@outlook.