Jefferson Bethke and Alyssa Joy Talk Their Autumn Wedding, Newlywed Life
On Oct. 14, 2012, spoken word poet Jefferson Bethke married his girlfriend of two years, Alyssa Joy Fenton, in a beautiful, intimate ceremony at Kelley Farms in Bonney Lake, Wash., in front of 200 of their closest friends and relatives.
Bethke, the faith-filled 22-year-old known for his popular YouTube videos, such as "Why I Hate Religion, But Love Jesus," attended the same high school and the same college as Fenton, 24, although the two did not officially meet until they were introduced by a mutual friend at a wedding after college.
As the couple previously told The Christian Post, they both knew after their first date that they had met their one and only.
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Bethke proposed to Fenton in April 2012, sharing with his Facebook followers shortly after the engagement was confirmed that he was marrying a "beautiful/amazing/stunning woman of God!"
Now, the newlyweds share with The Christian Post the perks of married life and why they love waking up to their best friend every morning for the rest of their lives.
CP: How was the wedding experience overall? Did you feel nervous or stressed while preparing for the wedding, and was it all worth it once the special day arrived?
Mrs. Bethke: The wedding was magical! It was better than any day I could possibly have dreamed of. There were definitely moments that were stressful while planning, but the Lord really used those times to make me grow, causing myself to rely more on Him, and to lean more into Jeff. I saw a lot of areas of my life where I needed to trust the Lord, and not try and control or worry. It was a sweet time to really grow as a couple, and to celebrate with my parents and friends. Throughout the whole process, I was brought to tears because I understood more clearly how the Lord loves His bride, and how exciting it'll be when we are with Him forever.
Jeff was the most handsome, and sweet groom, and I am so thankful that I get to be his wife.
Bethke: It seriously was amazing. I couldn't have asked for a better day! I was definitely nervous, but I think excitement was the overall feeling. The biggest thing for me though was noticing how amazing everything was, and Jesus still says it's a shadow of what's to come. The first time I saw Alyssa walk down the aisle, beautifully dressed in white, I finally got a glimpse into the joy Jesus has for His bride and what it will be like the day the doors of heaven open up and we walk down the aisle to Him.
CP: Tell me about making a home together. What is your favorite part of living together?
Mrs. Bethke: It's so fun! It's just fun seeing your lives merge together. I love living with Jeff. My favorite part is the mornings. I love waking up next to Jeff every morning — having my best friend right by my side. And I love when he comes running down the stairs (I usually wake up first), and goes straight towards me to kiss me good morning. Then reading our bibles and praying. LOVE IT!
Mr. Bethke: For me it's constantly being around your best friend. We get to do everything together. We no longer have to say goodbye, or tell each other to "text me when you get home", etc. Also having a space you can call your own, to have people over, to show hospitality, is definitely my favorite.
CP: What is the biggest plus about married life in general?
Mrs. Bethke: Wow, there's so much! I guess the best part is that you live life with your best friend, knowing that they aren't going anywhere — you're going to be by each other's side through thick and thin, growing more like Jesus each day. It's beautiful, even in the mess sometimes. And Jeff certainly sees my mess — my tears, my cranky times. But he keeps pursuing me — prays for me, forgives me, and talks things out.
Mr. Bethke: Spiritually the biggest plus is you always have someone there to check you, convict you, pray for you, nudge you, challenge you, etc. Also I love being able to build and start traditions together (like for example we just got our first Christmas tree, we had Thanksgiving at our house this year, and things like that).
CP: Do you get annoyed by any of each other's habits? How do you deal with them?
Mrs. Bethke: Yes! Sometimes when things annoy me I tell Jeff and we talk about — how can we serve one another in this? Other habits that kind of bother me but aren't a big deal I just give over to the Lord — thanking Him that I have a husband. For instance, cleaning someone else's toilet isn't my favorite thing! (Even though I use it too!) But, then as I clean, I thank the Lord that I can serve my husband in this way and it becomes a blessing.
Mr. Bethke: Of course! She probably gets more annoyed at me though since I have more of the random/quirky habits that make no sense. I think in general though that is one of the beauties of marriage. You are living life on life and you rub up against each other and quickly see just how sinful you really are, but also learn how to forgive, love, and pursue like never before. I always think of marriage (and those habits specifically) as each person being like a piece of sand paper. We are both rough, ragged, and sharp and the more we rub up against each other the more we smooth each other out and look alike.
The Bethkes reside in Tacoma, Wash., and both attend Mars Hill Church at Federal Way in St. Auburn.
