Rachel Wissman and Alan Busenitz: The "Love" Story

[Witsec7]

Ugh. Those photos don't flatter her at all. There are much more attractive photos of her on her family's blog.

She looks thrilled, he looks pleased, but not entirely thrilled.

If he really is a farmer in Iowa this is his busiest time of year. There is no way he can afford to be out of the fields.

Does he own a home? Are they gonna live with his parents?

[divadivine]

Well that was anti-climactic.

Her skin looks bad.

He looks gone to seed, his teeth are yellow and his suit does not fit.

The bridemaids have icky shoes.

The photography is really, really, really bad.

Trying to come up with something positive.

edited because today, I cannot spell.

I totally agree with your take on the wedding.

[xReems]

This whole courtship/wedding screamed "desperate!" Rachel is 30 and Alan is hitting 40; I think they just settled

and accepted it...well, Rachel might have. She went from not knowing anything about him to falling

madly in love with him out of nowhere. I think she just settled because nothing about their "love story" screamed love, in my opinion.

Her dress is pretty but the added sleeves was very noticeable. If you're going to add something to your gown, don't make it obvious. You can clearly tell that both the gown and bridesmaid dresses were meant to be sleeveless. Tacky.

[Seven Severn]

I totally agree with your take on the wedding.

I also agree with one exception - I think Alan is quite handsome. He's my type. :)

[divadivine]

Well that answers one question of how Christopher is making money.

Unless Christopher Maxwell only puts up certain couples wedding photos, it doesn't seem like he's making too much money from his photography business. This wedding was his first for the entire year.

I read his "criteria".... he's a joke.

[Lady Elaine]

I also agree with one exception - I think Alan is quite handsome. He's my type. :)

I think he is handsome but he has creepy eyes/smile. There's just something about him that seems off.

ETA - probably it's that he's a 40 year old virgin.

[Creaky Mom]

I think he is handsome but he has creepy eyes/smile. There's just something about him that seems off.

ETA - probably it's that he's a 40 year old virgin.

Well then, we will have to watch to see if that changes - the creepy eyes/smile. :dance:

[QuoVadis]

If he really is a farmer in Iowa this is his busiest time of year. There is no way he can afford to be out of the fields.

Does he own a home? Are they gonna live with his parents?

He isn't a farmer in Iowa; he and his brother fun a family farm in Kansas. Summer is pretty busy for farmers in the midwest, but it's better than harvest time. He also has some side implement business, it appears; given that he has family help on the farm, it appears he might be able to be out of the fields for some time.

Yes, he does own his own home. I don't think his parents live on the same site.

[Witsec7]

He isn't a farmer in Iowa; he and his brother fun a family farm in Kansas. Summer is pretty busy for farmers in the midwest, but it's better than harvest time. He also has some side implement business, it appears; given that he has family help on the farm, it appears he might be able to be out of the fields for some time.

Yes, he does own his own home. I don't think his parents live on the same site.

Gosh I must have missed a link. Do you have one? Or are you a FOF?

[QuoVadis]

Gosh I must have missed a link. Do you have one? Or are you a FOF?

That he's a farmer in Kansas is in the Wissmann blog post about the engagement. I just googled for his living/working info. There's a church bulletin somewhere; you can also check any county tax assessors website if you really ever want the property deets on someone, I guess.

[LilMissMetaphor]

This is the young man's explanation for why he hadn't found a wife before he met Rachel

Er, this is the way it works for everyone. If you aren't attracted to someone or they aren't attracted to you or neither of you are attracted to each other, you move on.

It's like announcing you went off to pick blueberries, but the blueberries were all either not ready or too ripe, so it became complicated. WTF?

[Witsec7]

Er, this is the way it works for everyone. If you aren't attracted to someone or they aren't attracted to you or neither of you are attracted to each other, you move on.

It's like announcing you went off to pick blueberries, but the blueberries were all either not ready or too ripe, so it became complicated. WTF?

Eh both of these folks were getting stale dated. It was a now or never. Has this guy lived with his mom until age 40?

Edited to add: I ask if he's lived home until 40 because in a post about her shower Rachael mentioned, they needed household items. If he was living independently I would suggest he already had kitchen ware etc.

[ricky_ticky]

Sigh. What probably matters more to them than excellent photographs is that they were taken by a manly "pure" photographer who holds the same xtian standards as they. The photos are all pre-arranged as per the current fundy fashion to emphasize the manliness of the men, (wide legged stance,) and the femininity of the women, (dreamy eyes.) There's not a lot of folks can say they met the conditions of having Christopher Maxwell at their wedding.

As far as Rachel and Alan barely knowing each other that's gonna be make all right by her willing submission in all things. He's got carte blanche to do whatever pleases him knowing that 1. he picked Rachel to be his wife right on the brink of spinster-dom, and 2. she'll never have income independent of him and 3. all marriage failures are the woman's fault (Jezebel) and Rachel will do anything to avoid that!

After Rachel starts having babies that will be the thing they have in common.

[ladyamylynn]

What a crying shame. The love story here is creepy. However, these two are both reasonably average/attractive people. Not ugly anyway. Christopher Maxwell has managed to FUCK these pictures up. As in, if I was Rachel, I would be beyond upset. Their skin looks terrible, awful in the pictures. There is no color, no joy. He may think the gray tones are more classy, or timeless, but it looks forced, joyless, just beyond drab.

[Witsec7]

There is a photo with them sitting with their feet in a pond (in the love story) that has another photographers name. It's well composed and the colors are flattering.

[ladyamylynn]

There is a photo with them sitting with their feet in a pond (in the love story) that has another photographers name. It's well composed and the colors are flattering.

Yeah, just looked at this picture. Very flattering. They look happy here. (Except the hilariously posed side-by-side stiff robot feet-in-water pose.)

[Creaky Mom]

Yeah, just looked at this picture. Very flattering. They look happy here. (Except the hilariously posed side-by-side stiff robot feet-in-water pose.)

Yeah but you can see Alan's ankles. :naughty:

[luckystone]

Those pictures were awful! Rachel looks happy though. It did seem a bit like a "settling" thing though but I hope they are happy.

[SisiL78]

At least at this fundy wedding they seemed to have something other than cake (I assume this because there was a photo of some salad). I just find it cheap beyond belief to only serve cake and maybe fruit at a wedding. You are expecting people to devote a large part of the day to being at your wedding, the least you can do is order pizza or get something cheap that's not dessert. I'm having a super cheapo wedding and we're providing a full meal nonetheless (if we have to resort to ordering pizza then so be it!)

Anyhoo, the photos were AWFUL. They looked sick and gray in most of the photos. He plays with the photoshop features too much. Maybe they can wrestle the untouched photos from him and have a real photographer run them through photoshop. This is what the SOTDRT and iTonRamp course get you. I have been looking at the work of amateur wedding photographers who are just starting out and their work is a whole lot better.

That being said, don't we all "settle". I have many friends who range from late 20s to early 50s and the successfully married ones had a "good enough" philosophy and found people who they could live comfortably with for a long time and they are quite happy. Its the friends in their late 30s and early 40s who won't give up on their crazy a$$ list of requirements because they don't believe in "settling" that are doomed to remain alone. Honesty, if you're 40 you cannot expect to meet a man who is a drummer in a band, gainfully employed, never divorced, no kids, and has a full head of hair. Add to that he must love cats BUT have no cats of his own.... the lists go on. There's something to be said for settling just a little bit at least!!!

That being said I think these fundy courtships are doomed to misery. Perhaps he's lived on his own (his household items could be crap or maybe he ate out all the time etc...)or perhaps not. But, he hasn't lived with a wife and I wonder what sort of adjustment it requires. She'll be far more able to live with him and meet his needs because she's been trained to do so. He's probably gotten stuck in his ways and has no idea how to accomodate others. And when the kids start coming in his peaceful quiet bachelorhood will be officially over. He will expect her to focus on him but she'll have little people to take care of instead. Of course he could be a wonderful guy who will be super happy that she married him etc... I'm just suspicious about him because he is good looking and college educated so if he couldn't snag a girl over the past 20 years maybe he's got some serious personality flaws that less desperate fundy girls and their parents were able to see more clearly.

[alysee]

I look at wedding photography all day, everyday. It's my job. I can tell you Christopher Maxwell is about 5 years behind in the time. You can tell he has moved to what's popular to photograph now. I know you shouldn't always go with the most popular fad of the moment but honestly the weird photoshop things he does to the photos is so gross.

I am cheap by nature so our wedding isn't extravagant but there are two things I want to be good. The food and the photos. These photos are not good. He needs to spend some time looking at good photographers(although he won't because they won't be fundie photographers so he will see legs and shoulders!)

[SisiL78]

I look at wedding photography all day, everyday. It's my job. I can tell you Christopher Maxwell is about 5 years behind in the time. You can tell he has moved to what's popular to photograph now. I know you shouldn't always go with the most popular fad of the moment but honestly the weird photoshop things he does to the photos is so gross.

I am cheap by nature so our wedding isn't extravagant but there are two things I want to be good. The food and the photos. These photos are not good. He needs to spend some time looking at good photographers(although he won't because they won't be fundie photographers so he will see legs and shoulders!)

Is it me or is the lighting off in the photos too? I feel like the lighting is coming up from the floor instead and highlighting every flaw in their skin that way. Its really some of the worst photography I've seen. The photos that are best are the overhead one of the bride and bridesmaids (the colors seem overly vibrant but they don't look unnatural or gray) and the photos that he's put into sepia/gray tones as it covers up a lot of the sins of lighting and poor photoshopping.

[alysee]

Is it me or is the lighting off in the photos too? I feel like the lighting is coming up from the floor instead and highlighting every flaw in their skin that way. Its really some of the worst photography I've seen. The photos that are best are the overhead one of the bride and bridesmaids (the colors seem overly vibrant but they don't look unnatural or gray) and the photos that he's put into sepia/gray tones as it covers up a lot of the sins of lighting and poor photoshopping.

Maybe he needs a refresher course. How often is he shooting these weddings? Doesn't look like many but he does have a household to cover so maybe his costs are high? Or are they low since he doesn't have a mortgage? Either way he needs to shoot more.

[Noon]

Am I the only one who wants one of those bridesmaid dresses? The vaguely 1930's sleeves and silhouette are adorable.

[Witsec7]

...

That being said I think these fundy courtships are doomed to misery. Perhaps he's lived on his own (his household items could be crap or maybe he ate out all the time etc...)or perhaps not. But, he hasn't lived with a wife and I wonder what sort of adjustment it requires. She'll be far more able to live with him and meet his needs because she's been trained to do so. He's probably gotten stuck in his ways and has no idea how to accomodate others. And when the kids start coming in his peaceful quiet bachelorhood will be officially over. He will expect her to focus on him but she'll have little people to take care of instead. Of course he could be a wonderful guy who will be super happy that she married him etc... I'm just suspicious about him because he is good looking and college educated so if he couldn't snag a girl over the past 20 years maybe he's got some serious personality flaws that less desperate fundy girls and their parents were able to see more clearly.

My eldest bro was a virgin to age 42, living at home when he finally married. He'd had one failed 'courtship'. When he did marry he bought the home next door to my parents, paid cash.He bought every single item for the house, even though my SIL was living independently. My SIL had to trash everything she owned except for clothing. He chose all the furniture, household items down to the can opener. It lasted about 4 years, my SIL was a smart Italian woman who knew she made a big mistake. Through out the years of the marriage my mother made my bro's meals, packed his lunches for work and ironed his shirts.

Yea there were reasons why he was an eligible bachelor at the age of 42 :roll:

[BlueChair]

Unless Christopher Maxwell only puts up certain couples wedding photos, it doesn't seem like he's making too much money from his photography business. This wedding was his first for the entire year.

I read his "criteria".... he's a joke.

I just noticed that on his photography website and had to see if it had already been mentioned. This is listed under "Wedding Criteria (types of weddings I accept)

General Criteria:

No Sunday weddings

First wedding for bride and/or groom

Valid marriage license

No alcohol

No dancing (except between the bride and groom)

Modest attire for bride and bridesmaids

WTH? Running a profitable business: You're doing it wrong. I have a hunch that he's not in such hot demand that he's in a position to turn away business. Is it his choice? Yes. Do I support people not wanting to do business with genocidal dictators? Of course. Declining a business opportunity because the cap sleeves didn't cover enough of the sexy, sexy upper arm region? You're an effing idiot.