The events that brought Ruth Igielnik and Benjamin Wieder together play out like a movie script. The two found themselves caught under the same awning in the pouring rain at a bus stop in Baltimore. After striking up a conversation, they discovered they both lived in Washington, D.C., (just blocks away from each other) and had a Missouri connection: Ruth is a native St. Louisan, and Ben got his master’s degree from the University of Missouri.
The two never exchanged information, but as fate would have it, Ben saw Ruth’s profile on an online dating site months later and contacted her. “It is by far the weirdest thing that has ever happened to me,” Ruth laughs.
The couple had been dating for two years when Ruth moved to Pittsburgh for graduate school. They maintained a long-distance relationship and when she returned to D.C. a year later, they found an apartment together. Ben made moving day extra memorable. After the last box was unloaded, he said there was one thing missing from their new home, and he proposed. To make it a family-wide celebration, he had secretly invited their parents to town, and afterward the couple went to Peru. “We had already planned the trip, but Ben surprised me with lots of adventures throughout the week to make it extra special,” Ruth says.
Many friends and family are traveling to St. Louis for the big event in October. “World’s Fair Pavilion was our top choice because we needed a large space, and we wanted something that was classic St. Louis for our guests,” Ruth says. “We’re going to have toasted ravioli and Ted Drewes and plan lots of fun local activities throughout the weekend. We’re hoping the Cardinals are in the playoffs!”
Ruth says both her mom and wedding planner, Jenny Kehm, have been instrumental in helping get things checked off her list. The couple will honeymoon in South Africa. “We wanted to go somewhere exciting, and my parents went to Africa on their honeymoon, which makes it even more special.”
The bride and groom live in Washington, D.C. Ruth is a research analyst at Pew Research Center, and Ben is a data reporter at the Center for Public Integrity.
[resources]
Ceremony | World’s Fair Pavilion
Reception | World’s Fair Pavilion
Photographer | Elisa Peterson Photography
Caterer | Ces & Judy’s
Honeymoon | South Africa
[wedding party]
Maid of Honor | Elana Schrank
Bridesmaids | Julie Guttman, Jessica Igielnik, Emily Silverman, Jessica Katz, Lynn Courter
Best Man | Michael Wieder
Groomsmen | Ben Igielnik, Jon Igielnik, Ethan Greene, Jay Lopez, Eric Schwortz
Bride’s parents | Simon & Debbie Igielnik of Clayton
Groom’s parents | Richard Wieder & Judi Brenner Wieder of Plainview, N.Y.
Photo: Elisa Peterson Photography