Wedding Newspaper - Gosia & Kevin by gazetaweselna

SPECIAL ISSUE / JULY 20, 2024

Gosia & Kevin JUST GOT MARRIED!

It was Monday evening, November 1, 2021, when love was born in a small bar somewhere amidst the bustle of the crowd, where the smell of beer mingled with the aroma of freshly prepared snacks. Although probably neither Gosia nor Kevin, at that moment, would not yet have called it that way.

Gosia, born and raised in Central Europe, decided to explore American football which - completely foreign to her - fascinated her with how it can unite Americans. She chose Kevin as her guide, who patiently explained the rules of the game to her with a smile. It was fortunate that his favorite team wasn’t playing at the time, because it would have been far too exciting for a first date.

What caught Gosia’s attention then was... the number of commercials. There were probably more of them than the game! This distracted her a bit, but Kevin made up for it with his enthusiasm and excitement in introducing her to the sport, making the meeting special.

Not surprisingly, during those drawn-out commercial breaks, their conversations became more and more personal. With every sentence exchanged, they got to know each other better and better, revealing their dreams, life goals and desires to each other. They had a lot of differences, but they got along great in the process. A thin thread of understanding had already bound them together for good.

At one point, the top two buttons of Gosia’s shirt came undone, which Kevin perceived as a kind of symbol of success. She, in turn, felt slightly embarrassed, but decided not to panic, but slipped discreetly into the bathroom to fasten them. Moments later, Kevin, gesturing enthusiastically, knocked over his beer, spilling Guinness on her pants.

These small moments, though awkward, added a pinch of levity to that first date, which both still recall with a smile. And they made them decide to meet again.

For their second date, they

were supposed to go for a walk in company, but due to the fact that Kevin has a fear of large dogs, he suggested an alternative - shopping at the mall. Walking between the racks of clothes, he grabbed Gosia’s hand, which triggered a small panic attack in her. She quickly ducked into one of the stores, just so she could avoid the proximity. Kevin did not hide his surprise, because for him holding hands on a date was natural. This underscored again how many cultural differences separate them.

The third meeting took place at Kevin’s home, where they watched the U.S. national soccer team’s game. Shortly after, they spent long hours talking, getting to know each other better and better. Gosia introduced Kevin to the world of Polish music, playing his favorite songs and explaining their lyrics. From that evening on, they began spending more and more time together, and their relationship gained momentum.

After three weeks, Gosia met Kevin’s parents, who came for Thanksgiving. It was an intense time full of new experiences and impressions. Less than a month later, they spent their first Christmas together, during which she decided to introduce him to typically Polish dishes.

Following the principle “the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach”, she made him fall in love not only with a salad called kożuch (which was quite a challenge, since Kevin didn’t like beets), but also with... herself. Thus, this story, filled with conversations and laughter, turned into something beautiful and lasting, creating a remarkable tale of love and understanding, the finale of which is today.

Interview with

THE NEWLYWEDS

DO YOU REMEMBER HOW YOU MET?

We met over the Internet - two months after Gosia moved to the United States. However, it took some time after the first message before we decided to meet. For our first date we went to a bar, because Gosia wanted to learn the rules of American football, and Kevin claimed he was its biggest fan and couldn’t find a better person for the job.

Kevin: Sometimes when you meet people through the internet, they might look different in pictures than real life. I was very happy when I saw Gosia first time, because she looked even prettier in person than in pictures.

Gosia: Myself, I was surprised by how young Kevin looks for his age - especially with longer, curly hair.

WAS IT LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT?

We were both interested in each other from the first date and enjoyed each other’s company very much. However, Gosia said from the beginning that she was going back to Poland after a year, so for the first few weeks we didn’t take it seriously. It took us some time to realize that we both felt something more after all.

AND WHAT EXACTLY IS LOVE FOR YOU?

For us, love means supporting each other, but also a lot of compromise. It is important for both of us to be happy with the decisions we make together, without imposing our opinion on the other person.

WHEN DID YOU FEEL THAT THERE WAS SOMETHING MORE BETWEEN YOU?

The first Christmas spent together, two months since we met. Gosia was sad to be away from her family and Kevin offered to spend it together. He bought his first Christmas tree in a long time and together we decorated

ornaments to hang, and Gosia prepared a typical Polish Christmas Eve dinner. Kevin usually didn’t do anything special during Christmas, for many years, and it was Gosia who brought back the Christmas spirit in him.

IF YOU COULD GO BACK TO THE BEGINNING, WOULD YOU CHANGE ANYTHING?

Gosia: I probably would have decided to meet Kevin a little earlier, instead of delaying it for a few weeks.

Kevin: I would clean my bathroom.

WHAT IS YOUR FONDEST SHARED MEMORY?

Kevin: One of my top memories is our trip to Norway and climbing Preikestolen together. I was concerned about it when we first planned this, since we weren’t in good shape, but we prepared for a few weeks, doing hikes in US every weekend and enjoying views in our area.

Gosia: My favorite memory is when we first flew to Poland together and Kevin met my family in person. For weeks he tried to learn a little Polish so he could talk to my relatives, which I appreciated very much. The memory of us playing games together with my parents, Kevin trying to use Polish as much as possible, and all his efforts, is very special to me.

THERE’S A WEDDING, SO THERE WAS AN ENGAGEMENT. WHAT DID THEY LOOK LIKE?

We got engaged during our first trip to Europe. We spent a few days at Gosia’s family home, and then went on a multi-day trip to Copenhagen and Amsterdam. Kevin behaved very strangely throughout the first day and didn’t leave his bag an inch away, which was a bit annoying at times. We left the hotel for dinner, but turned back after a while on the pretext of using the bathroom. In fact, Kevin took the ring with him at the time, as he

had not originally planned to propose that day. However, he was stressed that Gosia would accidentally find it, so he wanted to get it over with. Since Gosia loves sunsets, we went to the observation tower to see the view of Copenhagen from above. Kevin asked how to say “will you marry me” in Polish, to which Gosia replied “if you ever need it, you’ll find out for yourself,” so Kevin just knelt down on one knee and asked in English, to which Gosia exclaimed “oh no!” and quickly pulled him up and hugged him tightly. This confused Kevin a bit, because he heard “no”, but he also received a big hug, so to be sure he asked: “does that mean yes?”.

Our “second” engagement is worth mentioning here. The story begins with the fact that we needed to reduce the engagement ring, which took several weeks. For Gosia’s birthday we went to the sunrise at our favorite spot (because Gosia probably loves sunrises and sunsets the most in the world). It was then that Kevin proposed for the second time, the type this time “on American soil,” hiding from Gosia that the ring was already ready. To make things funnier, Gosia had the same reaction and cried “oh no!” in surprise.

WHAT DO YOU THINK IS THE RECIPE FOR A HAPPY RELATIONSHIP?

Definitely honesty. We don’t hide anything from each other, even if we know the other person won’t be thrilled about something. The second important thing is to talk and make decisions together, finding compromises in different situations, or agreeing to one of the options presented earlier. But the most important thing for us is to say “I love you” often!

IN

SPITE OF IT, DO YOU SOMETIMES GET INTO ARGUMENTS?

Well, of course! Most often, unfortunately, we argue about trivial things that aren’t really important and worth arguing about - such as the division of household chores when neither of us wants to do something. Fortunately, we hardly ever argue about the really important things, because our opinions coincide.

THE

TWO BEST AND TWO WORST QUALITIES OF YOUR OTHER HALF?

Kevin: Two best things about Gosia are her adventurous nature and the fact that she never runs out affection. I can always get a big hug.

Gosia: The best thing about Kevin is his patience towards me and how well he deals with my meltdowns or weird behaviors. He is also very supportive and believes in me, often more than I believe in myself. One of the worst things about Kevin is that he is often very skeptical about change. He usually needs more time to think about it, while I am willing to change something quickly if it seems right. The second thing is him being overly outspoken about his opinion, while sometimes he should keep them for himself.

THE WEDDING IS JUST AROUND THE CORNER. HOW ARE YOUR PREPARATIONS FOR THIS DAY GOING?

Preparing for a wedding can be difficult when everything has to be done online. Most of the organizational matters are on Gosia’s mind due to Kevin’s language barrier, but probably also because it’s usually the bride who makes most of the decisions. But for today (and, as we write this, there are 13 days left until the wedding). Which doesn’t change the fact that we’re starting to feel a little trepidation.

AND WHAT ARE YOUR PLANS FOR THIS NEAR AND DISTANT FUTURE TOGETHER?

Our plans for the near future mainly relate to travel. We both have a long list of places we would like to visit in the next few years. And those for the distant future? Children, moving to a new house and more family life. Well, and maybe a dog.

WEDDING ANNIVERSARIES

Are you gonna be my girl? CAKE Short Skirt / Long Jacket

THE BLACK CROWES Hard To Handle

ED SHEERAN Shivers

KORTEZ We dwoje

MAE STEPHENS

If we ever broke up

LIT

My own worst enemy

WEDDING TRADITIONS OF THE WORLD

SWEDEN

A bride who gets an engagement ring in Sweden should repay her beloved with the same. It is usually a ring that he will wear as a husband.

DENMARK

In Denmark, during a wedding, men lift the groom up. They do this so that one of them can cut off a piece of his sock. It should be placed on that leg on which he knelt during the proposal. This is to ensure fidelity to his wife.

JAPAN

A wedding ceremony in Japan is crowned by drinking sake from glasses nine times - right after the bride and groom put their rings on each other.

THE NETHERLANDS

The way to thank guests in the Netherlands is with traditional “bruidssuikers” (bride’s candy). Everyone gets a bag containing five sugared almonds. Why five? Because the candies stand for: happiness, love, fidelity, fertility and, of course, prosperity.

USA

Typical of the US is the rehearsal dinner. This is an opportunity for the two families to get acquainted. Also standard at an American wedding is the first dance of the bride and groom with their parents.

GREAT BRITAIN

Protection for the British is provided by something old (respect for tradition), something new (an omen of prosperity), something borrowed (good relations with family) and something blue (a guarantee of a spouse’s fidelity).

PORTUGAL

What do Portuguese people use white handkerchiefs for at a wedding? For waving, of course! Just after midnight, the song “Boa sorte” (literally: good luck) rings out from

the speakers, and it is to its beat that guests wave their handkerchiefs, singing and wishing the bride and groom good luck in their married life together.

GREENLAND

According to tradition, the Inuit have one fire and one wife, to whom they try to be faithful. It is not fashionable here to show affection to each other, and kissing is not very popular. If a couple wants to profess their love for each other, they simply rub their noses together.

GREECE

A Greek wedding is preceded by the shaving of the groom’s beard by his witness - on the morning of the wedding day. The bride, on the other hand, should stay late for her wedding - the longer, the better.

CHINA

In order for Chinese people to get married, they must present... A health card (often with HIV test results) and parental consent!

SWISS

The Swiss wear their wedding rings on their left hand. They say that the “vein of love” on the ring finger of that hand runs directly to the heart, which is supposed to allow marriage to flourish.

MEXICO

In Mexico, the bride has two bouquets- one for herself and one for Mary. As a wedding gift from her husband, she also gets 13 gold coins (arras) symbolizing the 12 apostles and Jesus.

GERMANY

Are there any lumberjack here? This tradition will appeal to you! The German bride and groom just before the wedding must.... saw through a tree trunk with their joint efforts! This is supposed to symbolize the logs that life may throw at their feet, which they will have to deal with.

Wedding Horoscope

CAPRICORN

(22.12 – 19.01)

Mountain peaks and steep cliffs are your daily bread, Capricorn. Over the weekend, you reached the heights and achieved the highest level of fun. However, in the upcoming week, come back down to earth and take a well-deserved warrior’s rest.

ARIES

(21.03 – 19.04)

Let’s be honest: you were anything but a meek lamb this weekend. You took the Taurus by the horns and showed that the dance floor is yours. You danced the young couple into happiness. Now it’s time for a week of… foot recovery.

CANCER

AQUARIUS (20.01 – 18.02)

You went with the flow, Aquarius. The wedding was amazing, but next week, steer clear of any fun involving “firewater.” Instead, focus on a new water sport: drinking 2 liters of water a day. Let every sip be a toast to the newlyweds.

TAURUS

(20.04 – 22.05)

Was it a blast, Taurus? Great, but the wedding bullfight is over. It’s time to return from sunny Spain and play the matador one last time, taming your wedding temperament: give yourself relax and think warmly of the newlyweds.

PISCES

(19.02 – 20.03)

No one knows better than you that every fish likes to swim, even in a glass. You were unbeatable in this wedding competition, Pisces. In the coming week, swim more calmly: take long, relaxing baths in a tub full of bubbles.

GEMINI

(23.05 – 21.06)

Due to the duality of nature Gemini always has twice as much fun, so you celebrated with double the power. Anything for such a wonderful couple! Spend this week quietly: you definitely need double the rest!

(22.06 – 22.07) LEO

When it comes to having a good time in excellent company, every Cancer says yes. But now it’s time to recover from the wedding’s exertions, and you know just how to do it: simply retreat for a while to where the crabs winter.

(23.09 – 22.10)

They say Libra is all about seriousness... but not this weekend. You dared to perform great feats, Libra. No one can cut a rug like you. Even after many toasts, Libra maintains balance... and may it stay that way all week.

(23.07 – 22.08)

The irreplaceable king of the jungle shows his majesty everywhere. You demonstrated that you rule in every area, Leo. You played the “wedding mission” royally. Now it’s time for a ruler’s rest – relax in the peace of your royal chambers.

(23.10 – 21.11)

Firewater burns as fiercely as a Scorpio’s sting, but you fear nothing. When you hit the dance floor, everyone holds their breath – now it’s time for a break... maybe in Egypt? After all, it’s the ancient home of the Scorpion.

(23.08 – 22.09)

Where the music plays, there the Virgo dance. You know well that passionate dancing on the floor is your domain! However, next week, focus primarily on well-deserved rest and pampering your charms and beauty.

You at a wedding is a good shot! You hit everyone’s taste. The newlyweds were delighted to have such a master of ceremonies in their ranks. This week, put away the bow and arrows. Even such a vibrant Sagittarius needs to rest sometimes.

SCORPIO

VIRGO

WHERE DID OUR GUESTS COME FROM?

BYDGOSZCZ

RZESZÓW

What did they look like when they were little?

COLOGNE GRAZ

SÃO JOSÉ DO RIO PRETO POZNAŃ

TAKE THE QUIZ AND FIND OUT

WHAT KIND OF GUEST ARE YOU? Dear

Guests!

If to love, then only 100%. And if to get married, then only in the company of people like you - the best wedding guests.

Thank you for being with us today and wish you great evening and have fun.

LONG LIVE LOVE!

1. How many weddings have you attended as a guest in your lifetime?

a. 0-5

b. 6-10

c. 11-20

d. more

2. Do you always send back your RSVP?

a. they should know if I’m going to come b. no, unless they call to ask on their own c. usually yes, unless I forget to do it d. always!

3. Have you ever RSVP yes but didn’t show up at the wedding?

a. it happened to me a few times b. yes, but it was an unusual situation c. no, I’m trying not to do such things

d. I always show up

4. What’s your biggest motivation to show up at a wedding?

a. I show up because I’m expected to b. the venue has to be cool

c. the wish to celebrate this day together d. good food, alcohol and fun

5. Are you a fan of assigned seats?

a. no, I prefer to choose the place to sit on my own

b. I don’t care about it

c. only when there are many guests d. yes, I don’t like people racing to call dibs on chairs

Most answers: A

A WEDDING CYNIC

You’re trying to avoid weddings as they’re not really your jam. If you do show up there, you struggle to enjoy it. Usually you take a French leave before the cake rolls in. For you, weddings could be non-existent at all. But don’t worry – it’s possible to convince even such a great opponent of weddings like you to hit the dance floor!

Most answers: C

A PERFECT GUEST

You’re the reasonable wedding guest who knows how to behave in the company. Even if you’re not always having great fun, you never let it show. You’re tolerant towards other guests. No wonder everyone eagerly invites you to their weddings – such a guest is hard to be found!

6. What will you do if the served food isn’t tasty?

a. I’ ll tell the newlyweds what I think about it

b. I’ll be complaining behind theirs back

c. I will pick what I like and leave the rest

d. I’ll eat everything so that nobody feels bad

7. What kind of gifts do you give to the newlyweds?

a. I don’t give gifts, I’m a guest b. money and flowers

c. a hand-made gift

d. a gift that I know they will like

8. Do you participate in games during the unveiling ceremony?

a. no, never. I think they’re dumb b. when someone drags me to the dance floor

c. when I know they won’t be racy

d. always, I’m all in for some good fun

9. If you don’t come to the wedding, will you congratulate the newlyweds later on?

a. no, because I wasn’t at the ceremony

b. it depends on how much I like the couple

c. if I don’t forget, I will text them

d. of course, I will call them the next day

10. Do you enjoy looking at the pictures or watching movies from wedding?

a. it’s completely uninteresting to me

b. if the newlyweds send them to me

c. yes, I enjoy looking at them

d. we look at them together with others

Most answers: B

A WEDDING GRUMBLER

Usually you show up at the weddings of your closest family. You’re not the life and soul of the party and you don’t revel in the fun. Your favorite wedding entertainment is providing commentary to everything. Fortunately, nobody takes this grouching seriously, because everyone’s busy having fun!

Most answers: D

A 100% WEDDING FAN

There’s not a wedding you would miss! You’re the life and soul of the party, you love having fun – and that’s why you often lead the party. You practically stay non-stop on the dance floor. And even though sometimes you get carried away in the wedding frenzy, the newlyweds always crack a smile when they reminisce about you!