Preparing for their double wedding, Heather Sullivan, 20, Overland Park, receives help with her dress from sister Katherine Sullivan, 22, Overland Park. The sisters will marry their future husbands July 28 at Whitefield Academy, followed by a reception at the Overland Park Convention Center.
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Here Come the Brides
Sisters find love, plan double wedding ceremony
By: Holly Kramer, Staff Writer
Two women, two dresses, two grooms, one ceremony.
Sisters Heather and Katherine Sullivan plan to share their wedding day July 28.
“There’s been no big disagreements,” Katherine said. “It’s unique planning a double wedding. There’s nothing out there really to help put together a double wedding.”
The double wedding will be held at Whitefield Academy, Overland Park, and the reception will follow at the Overland Park Convention Center, 6000 College Blvd.
Katherine, 22, met her fiance, Kenny Rutzmoser, on a mission trip to Ireland in 2007.
“I had suspicions he was the one,” Katherine said. “We started dating in July and by September, I knew I wanted to marry him.”
Katherine said she and Kenny had an agreement that they would not say “I love you” to each other until they knew they wanted to get married.
Kenny talked to Katherine’s parents, Nina and Mike, in November about proposing.
Meanwhile, Heather, 20, who had been dating Brian Morsman since high school, also talked about getting married in a year.
When Brian proposed Dec. 4, 2007, Heather said she felt surprised, but not taken off-guard.
“I thought it was going to happen sometime, maybe before Christmas or after Christmas,” Heather said.
Brian, 20, wowed Heather by asking her to marry him in front of 150 people at their university. The event featured Brian “fighting” off friends dressed in cardboard armor and was covered by their school newspaper.
Two weeks later, Kenny surprised Katherine with a proposal during a horse-drawn carriage ride in the Country Club Plaza. Kenny pinned the ring to one of her Christmas gifts, a pair of gloves.
The idea for the double wedding came from a shopping trip to a bridal store right after Heather became engaged.
“I helped her find dresses and my mom knew that Kenny was going to propose, so she said I should try one on, too,” Katherine said. “I felt really awkward at first but then I found one that I loved. Then, Heather found one she loved. We stood next to each other and the dresses looked awesome together. The styles and colors didn’t clash. My sister started crying, she was so excited.”
After both girls became engaged, they started planning a double ceremony, a concept that had Heather and Kenny a little worried at first.
“(Heather) was worried we would fight a lot, but it’s been pretty smooth sailing,” Katherine said. “I put a Web site together for the four of us. It’s been fun to incorporate our personalities. There’s been little things we’ve had to give up but in the end, we want to get married. That’s the point.”
Kenny said he feels excited about the double wedding.
“At first I was a little scared that it wasn’t going to be Katherine and I’s day, but those fears have disappeared,” Kenny said. “I’ve been getting to know Brian and Heather. It’s been a real privilege. It will be a special day for all four of us.”
Kenny gushed about his future bride.
“She is a wonderful person,” Kenny said. “She loves kids, loves family. That’s incredibly attractive. She is passionate about her faith and that’s something that I really appreciate. She has a very kind heart.”
Katherine said Kenny is wonderful person.
“He is very organized,” Katherine said. “He is a perfectionist; he does whatever he puts his mind to. He cares a lot about relationships and people. When we met in Ireland, I saw him invest in the teenagers there. He has a strong devotion to the Lord. We have the same kind of humor.”
The Sullivan sisters will be escorted down the aisle together by their father. They also will be each other’s maid of honor.
The bridesmaids will wear truffle brown dresses with sashes in green or pink to show which sister’s bridal party they belong to.
The reception will feature a performance by Abbey Road, The Beatles cover band, of which Mike is a member.
“I’m really excited about my dad’s band playing,” Heather said. “Having all our family and friends there will be really fun.”
“Wedding receptions at the Overland Park Convention Center are always elegant and unique, but a double wedding is very special,” said Doris Sarver, wedding specialist for Global Spectrum at the Overland Park Convention Center. “There aren’t many sisters who are willing and excited to share their wedding day.”
With less than a month until the ceremony, the sisters are scrambling to take care of the last-minute details, such as health insurance, budgeting and moving plans.
Heather and Brian are returning to John Brown University in Arkansas to finish college. Katherine and Kenny will move to Iowa, where Kenny attends the University of Northern Iowa.
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Sisters Heather and Katherine Sullivan plan to share their wedding day July 28.
“There’s been no big disagreements,” Katherine said. “It’s unique planning a double wedding. There’s nothing out there really to help put together a double wedding.”
The double wedding will be held at Whitefield Academy, Overland Park, and the reception will follow at the Overland Park Convention Center, 6000 College Blvd.
Katherine, 22, met her fiance, Kenny Rutzmoser, on a mission trip to Ireland in 2007.
“I had suspicions he was the one,” Katherine said. “We started dating in July and by September, I knew I wanted to marry him.”
Katherine said she and Kenny had an agreement that they would not say “I love you” to each other until they knew they wanted to get married.
Kenny talked to Katherine’s parents, Nina and Mike, in November about proposing.
Meanwhile, Heather, 20, who had been dating Brian Morsman since high school, also talked about getting married in a year.
When Brian proposed Dec. 4, 2007, Heather said she felt surprised, but not taken off-guard.
“I thought it was going to happen sometime, maybe before Christmas or after Christmas,” Heather said.
Brian, 20, wowed Heather by asking her to marry him in front of 150 people at their university. The event featured Brian “fighting” off friends dressed in cardboard armor and was covered by their school newspaper.
Two weeks later, Kenny surprised Katherine with a proposal during a horse-drawn carriage ride in the Country Club Plaza. Kenny pinned the ring to one of her Christmas gifts, a pair of gloves.
The idea for the double wedding came from a shopping trip to a bridal store right after Heather became engaged.
“I helped her find dresses and my mom knew that Kenny was going to propose, so she said I should try one on, too,” Katherine said. “I felt really awkward at first but then I found one that I loved. Then, Heather found one she loved. We stood next to each other and the dresses looked awesome together. The styles and colors didn’t clash. My sister started crying, she was so excited.”
After both girls became engaged, they started planning a double ceremony, a concept that had Heather and Kenny a little worried at first.
“(Heather) was worried we would fight a lot, but it’s been pretty smooth sailing,” Katherine said. “I put a Web site together for the four of us. It’s been fun to incorporate our personalities. There’s been little things we’ve had to give up but in the end, we want to get married. That’s the point.”
Kenny said he feels excited about the double wedding.
“At first I was a little scared that it wasn’t going to be Katherine and I’s day, but those fears have disappeared,” Kenny said. “I’ve been getting to know Brian and Heather. It’s been a real privilege. It will be a special day for all four of us.”
Kenny gushed about his future bride.
“She is a wonderful person,” Kenny said. “She loves kids, loves family. That’s incredibly attractive. She is passionate about her faith and that’s something that I really appreciate. She has a very kind heart.”
Katherine said Kenny is wonderful person.
“He is very organized,” Katherine said. “He is a perfectionist; he does whatever he puts his mind to. He cares a lot about relationships and people. When we met in Ireland, I saw him invest in the teenagers there. He has a strong devotion to the Lord. We have the same kind of humor.”
The Sullivan sisters will be escorted down the aisle together by their father. They also will be each other’s maid of honor.
The bridesmaids will wear truffle brown dresses with sashes in green or pink to show which sister’s bridal party they belong to.
The reception will feature a performance by Abbey Road, The Beatles cover band, of which Mike is a member.
“I’m really excited about my dad’s band playing,” Heather said. “Having all our family and friends there will be really fun.”
“Wedding receptions at the Overland Park Convention Center are always elegant and unique, but a double wedding is very special,” said Doris Sarver, wedding specialist for Global Spectrum at the Overland Park Convention Center. “There aren’t many sisters who are willing and excited to share their wedding day.”
With less than a month until the ceremony, the sisters are scrambling to take care of the last-minute details, such as health insurance, budgeting and moving plans.
Heather and Brian are returning to John Brown University in Arkansas to finish college. Katherine and Kenny will move to Iowa, where Kenny attends the University of Northern Iowa.