Aeschliman, White wed in Montana

HAMILTON, Mont. - Melissa Aeschliman and Jonathan White were married on May 22, 2021.

Aeschliman is the daughter of John Corwin (Cory) and Rosemarie Aeschliman, of Colfax, and White, son of Eric and Janice White, of Mountlake Terrace, was celebrated on May 22, 2021 amidst the trees of a mountain log cabin venue in Hamilton, Mont.

Early in the ceremony, the fathers of the couple read from the Bible, Ephesians 6:10-13, about putting on the whole armor of God: one in Afrikaans and the other in English. Officiating was White's friend, Elijah Oachoa, who had become a spiritual mentor to him since his mission's trip to Mozambique several years before. White, who was born in South Africa, has chosen a strong faith in Jesus Christ and has a youthful and kindhearted personality that has provided him with resilience. He is no stranger to experiencing the ups and downs of living in different cultures. Elijah conducted the ceremony by focusing in on the beautiful picture of Christ in the story of the "Woman at the Well", John 4:1-42. The theme verse for the couple chose for the wedding was, Ephesians 5:8 "For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light ..."

Aeschliman, who planned her wedding, wore a fitted long ivory white dress and held a gorgeous dry bouquet filled with colors that complemented the various hues of rust seen on the long gowns of her four bridesmaids. Each maid, donning different fabrics and surrounded by more dry plumes of similar colors amidst many fronds of light pampas grass, were sheltering the national flower of South Africa, the King Protea. The rustic, thick, barn-wood-style, A-frame arch, constructed by her father and White from the family farm, stood high above the bride and groom decorated with a larger arrangement that matched the one she held. Rehearsal day was cold and snowy, but the sun and it's warmth appeared just before the wedding ceremony began, as a crescendo to all the hard work the couple and their close friends and family had come together to do the last several days.

Maids of honor were Aeschliman's two sisters, Deanna Clark and Tiffany Doornink. Best man was Steven Horner, friend of the groom. Ahead of the bride, in white lacy dresses with floral crowns, were two flower girls, Aeschliman's nieces, Elliana (Ellie) Isabelle and Brielle Willow, daughters of Aeschliman's older sister and husband, Tiffany and Greg Doornink. Ring bearers were her handsome nephews, Eli Benjamin and Jack Kelly, and John Maxim Cincinnatus and Jude Kingsley, sons of Aeschliman's brother Gabriel and Nicolette, and Ben and Margeaux Aeschliman, respectfully.

Following the ceremony, guests were welcomed to the reception where guests indulged in charcuteries on each table followed by nachos with all the fixings, while being entertained with toasts, music, and couple and parent dances. The beautiful three-tiered fresh homemade cake with pineapple and strawberry rhubarb filling was made the day before by officiator, Elijah and his wife Maris Ochoa.

The newlyweds are residing in Edmonds, where Aeschliman works as an accountant for a mortgage lender and White is attending school to become an RN and working for a mental health clinic.