Ranee and John’s story began all the way back in high school, when they attended Greensburg Central Catholic together in the 1980s. They dated for about two years before Ranee broke things off (something John still enjoys teasing her about all these years later.) From there, life took them in completely different directions: they both married, started families of their own, and Ranee moved to Chicago.
Decades later, their paths crossed again. After John’s dad passed away in 2015, a connection between their families prompted John to reach out to Ranee. One text turned into catching up, which eventually turned into lunch together when Ranee was home in Pittsburgh for Thanksgiving. And from that point forward, Ranee told me there hasn’t been a single day that they haven’t talked.
If this story feels a little bit like something straight out of a book you read once upon a time – I feel the same way! It’s one of those real-life-is-better-than-fairy-tales kind of stories. Two high school sweethearts who went their separate ways, lived completely separate lives, and yet somehow found their way back to each other decades later. Ranee eventually moved back to Pittsburgh, and in 2018, she and John were married in Hilton Head with just their children and parents by their sides.
But there was still one chapter of their story they really wanted to write: getting married in the Catholic Church. It took years of patience and preparation to make it happen, which made this wedding celebration especially meaningful. After decades of knowing each other, years of building a life together, and a love story with quite the unexpected path – Ranee and John were finally able to stand together in the church and celebrate being officially married in their faith.
It wasn’t simply another wedding day.
It was the continuation of a story that started when they were teenagers, took a very long detour, and somehow found its way back home.
Their wedding day reflected exactly where Ranee and John are in their story. They kept their ceremony small, with their family standing beside them as their bridal party and around 50 of their closest friends and family there to witness the moment they had worked so hard to reach. After years of waiting, there was so much joy in finally being able to say that they were officially married in the Catholic Church.
Their reception at DeNunzio’s was just as intimate and intentional. There was no packed timeline, no dancing and no long list of traditional reception formalities. Instead, Ranee and John simply wanted to share a delicious meal with the people they loved and have plenty of time to make their way around the room, sit with their guests, catch up and enjoy being together. And considering DeNunzio’s was where they shared those first dates together when they reconnected all those years ago, it felt especially fitting to return there for this celebration.
The entire day was simple, sweet and completely centered around what mattered most to them: their family, their closest friends, and finally getting to celebrate a milestone that had been years in the making. More than anything, Ranee and John just seemed incredibly happy. After everything it took to arrive at this day, they could finally celebrate being married in the church, surrounded by the people who had been part of their story along the way.
Huge shout-out and thank you to the amazing team of vendors, as well as friends & family, who helped make Ranee and John’s wedding day absolutely perfect!
Ceremony Venue: Mother of Sorrows Roman Catholic Parish in Murrysville, PA
Reception Venue: DeNunzio’s Restaurant in Jeannette, PA
Bridal Gown: One Enchanted Evening in Zelienople, PA
Bridesmaids Gowns: Birdy Grey
Groom’s Attire: Men’s Wearhouse
Rings: S Kaufman Jewelers in Pittsburgh, PA
Florist: Rosebud Floral in Murrysville, PA
Invitations: Minted
Photographer: Kara Abbey Photography in Irwin, PA
