BRIDAL SHOWCASE: A love story in letters | Feature Stories

Tucked absent in a series of shoeboxes in just their Washington residence are the appreciate letters that Clayton and Andrea (nee Feldmann) Voss have published to each and every other in excess of the years. The pair, who were married June 19, 2021, have prepared hundreds of letters to each other. 

“Basically since we started out courting, we have been creating each other letters every single month,” Clayton explained. The custom of the handwritten letters, which typically array from a fifty percent-web page to three web pages, stems from when Clayton was a increasing senior at St. Francis Borgia Large University and attending a religious retreat. The guidelines prevented him from having his mobile cellphone and Andrea sent him a letter, in hopes of encouraging him to complete the retreat but also to express how she felt about him. 

“That was the 1st time that I at any time definitely expressed interest in a little something much more than a friendship,” reported Andrea, who attended the retreat beforehand. The pair had identified of each and every other, but even with developing up in the similar Washington neighborhood and having attended Borgia collectively for many years, never ever truly interacted. 

“The only time I would see him was when he would occur in to the classroom for his math course, which was immediately after my course. I was generally a truly extended exam taker, so I would be the last one particular to go away the classroom and he seemed to constantly be the 1st one in,” said Andrea, who is the daughter of Dan and Michele Feldmann. She graduated from Borgia in 2014. Clayton, a 2015 Borgia graduate, is the son of Kurt and Kim Voss. 

The pair’s first interaction came all through Andrea’s senior year at Borgia, when they had been ready to dangle out at a friend’s dwelling next a basketball sport. 

“Obviously, she is incredibly quite — that was the 1st issue that caught my notice,” Clayton explained. Soon after that social gathering, Clayton and Andrea explained that a friendship grew. 

A friendship that turned into a thing more, many thanks, in component, to a letter. 

Clayton experienced requested Andrea — unsuccessfully — to go out a handful of occasions, but then he obtained that very first letter. 

“Getting that letter was pretty surprising to me,” Clayton mentioned. That letter sparked additional letters and now the few, who have been together for 8 several years, say they have sent more than 200 letters to every other. Even nevertheless they trade other presents, the pair will write letters on specific occasions, these as graduations, birthdays, new careers, Xmas and other holidays. The month to month letters ongoing, even with Andrea transferring to Columbia, wherever she graduated from the Sinclair School of Nursing at the University of Missouri. The pair continued to write every single other throughout the adhering to yr when Clayton enrolled at MU, in which he studied accounting and would later on graduate from regulation college.

“It is a great reminder for the other person, how substantially they are cherished,” Andrea stated. “It is also a fantastic reminder for the particular person crafting the letter how substantially you appreciate the other individual. Every month, we check out to make it a issue to remind ourselves and the other human being about why we’re collectively.”

Clayton, who will acquire the Missouri Bar Test afterwards this year and has been hired by Thompson Coburn, a St. Louis-space regulation agency, claimed the letters “allowed me to categorical thoughts extra evidently and eloquently than I could have if I was just speaking to her.” 

Andrea, who now operates for Mercy Hospital’s orthopedic surgical treatment clinic, and Clayton both of those reported they appreciated the old-fashioned way their modern day working day romance developed. 

“I’m not in the dating pool, nor have I been for a prolonged time, but I bear in mind in large college how a great deal almost everything revolved all around texting and social media,” Clayton said. “I can only envision how substantially additional that has been exacerbated now. I consider we seriously appreciate that our partnership got more robust because we set the telephones down and linked with just one one more by putting our feelings, our feelings on paper.” 

On June 13, 2020, Clayton proposed to Andrea — near the swings in Krog Park, which was the website of one particular of their initial dates — with a ring from Altemueller Jewellery. In true fashion, the pair wrote about their engagement in letters later on and would exchange letters on their marriage ceremony day. 

Andrea stated she thinks they will still be composing letters to every single other in 2071 — when they rejoice their 50th wedding day anniversary — and beyond. 

“Who doesn’t have 15 minutes a thirty day period to sit down and tell anyone what they necessarily mean to you?” Andrea explained. “I feel that’s the reasons we will be carrying out it in 50 years. It is our way of demonstrating that we are a priority to every other.” 

The Wedding day In Detail

With their last letters as singles exchanged, Clayton and Andrea Voss have been married in a double-ring ceremony at St. Francis Borgia Church in downtown Washington on June 19, 2021. The marriage ceremony ceremony was officiated by Rev. Mike Boehm. 

For the ceremony, Andrea wore a easy, fitted ivory gown that she chose from White Traditions Bridal Home, a St. Charles bridal boutique. The dress, which matched her ivory-coloured flooring-length veil, experienced no outward gildings of rhinestones, lace or beading. As a substitute, the lining of her dress experienced been stitched with two heirlooms. The initial heirloom, which was supplied to her by Clayton’s mother, was a bow from his baby blanket and a notice that stated Andrea is the “most cherished possession that he wishes to hold onto for the rest of his existence.” The 2nd heirloom was a blue-coloured bow from Clayton’s excellent-grandma. 

As she designed her way down the aisle, she carried a bouquet of coral roses, periwinkle blue hydrangeas and other greenery. The bride’s bouquet was designed by 4 Seasons Florist. 

Clayton reported the sight of his shortly-to-be wife remaining him as well shocked “to even smile.” 

“She seemed so lovely in her dress that I just froze, but I’ll often keep in mind that wander down the aisle,” claimed Clayton, who wore a vintage black tuxedo, with cummerbund, that he experienced decided on from Marriage ceremony Creations in Washington. His boutonniere highlighted a massive coral rose to match the bride’s bouquet. 

Standing with the bride and groom were six bridesmaids and groomsmen. The bridesmaids were being dressed in periwinkle blue attire, which they experienced preferred from an on the web retailer. The groomsmen wore black tuxedos, also from Marriage Creations. 

Pursuing the ceremony, the few celebrated their marriage with a reception at the KC Corridor in Washington.