United in Love: The Anderson Legacy
Published:Thursday | June 14, 2018 | 12:00 AM
It was Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius who once said, "Accept the things to which fate binds you, and love the people with whom fate brings you together, but do so with all your heart."No one demonstrates the destiny of uniting in holy matrimony more than Shauna-Kay Battick and Cory Anderson.
The two lovebirds were nothing more than acquaintances attending the Meadowbrook United Church. At the time, Cory had just begun his Christian journey and didn't know many persons in this house of worship.
"After some time, the pastor invited me to be a part of a group of leaders who were to lead the youth arm of the church. And lo and behold, who was one of the leaders: Shauna. We introduced ourselves and started a great friendship," he explained.
Shauna shared that she distinctly remembers that after meeting him that night, she thought, "Hmm, there's something different about that guy." It was a thought that had never come to her mind before, but she never made much of it at the time. He asserted that she did look familiar, which later attributed to their roots at Meadowbrook High School, and remarked that she looked good, too, but confessed that she seemed so mature and out of his league, "I quickly caught myself and said, 'Man, you're in church. You didn't come here to look woman!" But sure enough, God set us up."
His best friend and lover
Cory declared that they were best friends for such a long time and he could really be himself around her, "She brings out the best in me and her love for me is beyond anything I can think of. She's the love of my life."
The epitome of grace and mercy, Shauna stated that he's more than she thinks she deserves, "He has been the funniest, most caring, supportive and God fearing man I've ever met who takes full responsibility for his role in our relationship. He's a man of excellence and he pushes me to do my best everyday. I couldn't have prayed for a better man." Four more years would pass before he proposed.
Everything appeared to have been going well - family and friends were to hide in the secret spot, the bedroom, and during the prayer of giving God thanks for the nice apartment, with Shauna's eyes closed, they were to walk out slowly behind. When she said, "Amen" and opened her eyes, she'd see her friends and family all around and Cory on one knee. He would then make a heartfelt proposal, she would say yes, and they would be full speed ahead on the path to preparing for their happily ever after. Sounded like a good plan, right? Until someone stepped on something while coming out of the bedroom. This, of course, startled Shauna, who didn't expect anyone else in their home. Frightened, she opened her eyes to see what could have made the noise. Fortunately, for them, the intimate proposal team who thought quickly on their feet shouted, "Surprise!" And Cory followed through, delivering a tear-jerking proposal, receiving a resounding 'Yes!' from his soulmate.
They both described the wedding planning process as a great experience, enlisting assistance from family members and friends, Cecile's Bridal and Pollyanna, who made their dream wedding a lovely reality. They added personal touches of an online registry, wedding teaser videos and activities for guests at the wedding before the ceremony even started.
Perfect Wedding
On March 3, Shauna-Kay Battick and Cory Anderson declared their unconditional love for each other, before God, among friends and family, and became husband and wife. The bride and groom stood in pristine white among a sea of blue, with waves of gold. The groom revealed that it was the best day of his life, "Filled with love, laughter and dancing, the day was beautiful, the venue, was beautiful, my wife was beautiful." The blushing bride reflected that the wedding couldn't be any more perfect. "Everything was on time, our guests responded the way we had hoped and the whole day went smoothly from beginning to end. It was a day filled with love, laughter, and happy tears, one I'll never forget," the beautiful bride shared.