Courtney and I have thoroughly enjoyed planning our wedding day and marriage. One of the wedding planning norms is to go down to a big box store, grab a sweet scanner and start racking up items that will look oh-so-sweet in a kitchen drawer or in the media cabinet. One of the discussions that kept coming up for us was the conversation between need and want.

Every one of us addresses the decision of purchasing items every day. Whether that item is a need or want often involves perspective that we have gained from our family, faith, and societal influences over the course of our lives.

We realized that while we were on the right track when we were out with the laser gun, our perspective still remained ignorant to the fact that RIGHT NOW, almost a billion people on the planet donâ??t have access to clean, safe drinking water. Thatâ??s one in eight of us!

Then we found out that $5,000 can build a freshwater well in a village and provide 250+ people with clean drinking water.


Conversely? More than $100 billion is spent on weddings every year in America.

That was enough information for us to make the decision to join charity:water, and along with our personal donations, allow our wedding guests to forgo the normal wedding gifts and instead contribute to the charity: water campaign and make a lasting impact in the lives of 250 people. We're raising $5,000 to do so, and every cent you give will go directly towards our wedding well.

We have 1 month until our wedding day. Instead of dishes, furniture and tablecloths, we're asking our wedding guests to give people in developing nations years of water. However, if you insist on buying a traditional gift, we have provided those options.

This is our registry.

We're blessed to have such great friends and family. We cant wait to spend our lives together. We'd like to celebrate the future by funding a well and helping a community get life's most precious need.

Please join us.