Kathleen and Bernardo

Kathleen’s Vows

Bernardo, seven years ago, 5,165 miles away, we fell in love in Paris. I am not a romantic like you, so I never believed when people say Paris is the city of love, but there must be something to it. We sat next to each other at a small brasserie for dinner the first night of our summer study abroad program. I remember your smile and your infectious laugh. We quickly bonded over our love for travel, adventure, and long walks.

Three weeks later, celebrating my 20th birthday in Barcelona, you told me that you loved me. I thought you were a little crazy. I was going to be studying in Copenhagen for my junior year and you were graduating ready to start your first job. You said “I will wait for you. I don’t care how long you are gone. I know I love you and want to be with you.”

Turns out the stars must have aligned. My Aunt Sybil, an avid astrologist, said before even meeting you, “Kathleen, you better not break his heart, because Bernardo is your perfect match.”

Well, the wait was worth it and Aunt Sybil was right. Seven years and countless adventures later, I have learned that life is better with you by my side and I would not be who I am today without you. You are kind, funny, and curious about the world. You acknowledge my strengths and accept my faults. You are my teammate, my biggest advocate. You inspire me and have believed in me even when I have not believed in myself.

So here we are. It is not the wedding we originally imagined in Mexico, but I feel incredibly blessed to be standing next to you surrounded by the people we love the most in the world in our hometown ready to take you as my husband.

I cannot promise not to take embarrassing videos of you on the dance floor or that I won’t accidentally steal all the covers at night, but I do vow to always love you and walk beside you through whatever life may bring.

I promise to treat you with kindness and respect. I will always listen to you with compassion and communicate openly and honestly. I promise to laugh with you, comfort you, and support you during both times of joy and times of sorrow. I promise to remain curious and continue to grow and learn from each other.

Through hard work, communication, and remembering that sometimes a long walk never fails to make things better, I know we will weather many storms, but get to enjoy the rainbow on the other side. Bernardo, with my whole heart, I take you to be my husband. Te amo con todo mi corazon. Eres mi mejor amigo.   

Bernardo’s vows

Life is a journey and a journey needs a companion. Kathleen, I vow to always be your travel companion. We met travelling seven years ago and have travelled a lot together. Some of my best memories have been seeing new places with you, Yucatan on my birthday, Angkor Wat, staying in a tent in Petra, barely sleeping on that horrible hammock in la Guajira, proposing to you in Zion. But, our future trips won’t all be far.

I vow to travel with you every day when we go on our walks. I promise to drop you off and pick you up on your important first days. I will be by your side when you are happy and when you are sad. I vow to accompany you when you are sick, hold your hand when you need it. When you are scared and tired look to your side, I will be there.

I won’t always make you happy and my jokes won’t always make you laugh (as you know), but I promise you honesty, loyalty, and companionship. I vow to work hard to maintain a strong and healthy marriage.

I don’t have a travel itinerary to share with you for our future but know that I share my life with you. We are meant to be together.

That is why I will always travel with you, whether it be to watch a show on the couch, around the block on a walk, or far away to other places. You are my companion, and I will travel with you to the end of our journey.

I love you. Te amo.