Willowbank Estate
AN 1830's LOVE STORY
AS SEEN IN BRITISH VOGUE
+ BRIDAL MUSINGS
Willowbank Estate
Niagara-on-the-Lake
A soft and romantic old-world Love Story where Gone With the Wind meets Pride And Prejudice. A modern retelling of a 1830’s Georgian inspired era.
It's 1837 and Genevieve, an orphaned heiress, lives alone at Willowbank in the house her father built. Her parents both died in the Cholera Epidemic of 1832, leaving her the lady of the house. Genevieve lives a life without want of worldly comfort, as she is with title and estate, but without love.
The past five years have been lonely without a man to love her, but she has pushed off all suitors as they proved only to want her for her wealth.
Then enters Nathaniel. He has loved Genevieve since they were children, but he is without title or rank. He has loved from a far and never interacted with her because they were from different worlds. He has seen the suitors come and go, and her rejection of them all has led him to believe he might have a chance at her hand. For all the would-be-suitors were men of wealth in ruin looking to fix their current situation. Nathaniel has nothing to offer her but his love.
On one auspicious day, Nathaniel approached Willowbank and boldly asked Genevieve if he could court her. She knows of him, but does not know him. After looking at him in silence for what felt like forever to Nathaniel, she agrees; his presence makes her feel safe and he seems a trustworthy man. Despite her fear that he may just want her for her wealth, she agrees to be courted by him. Soon after, she realizes that while he may not be a man of noble birth, he is the most noble man she has ever laid eyes on.
GENEVIEVE’S VOWS
Nathaniel.
I thought I would forever live a life without love or kindness. For far too long, wolves have encircled around me, ready to pounce. But then you came along and changed my story.
I thank God for the day you had the boldness to approach me. I fell in love with you the moment you started to speak.
And to think, had not my life gone in the orphaned path it had, life’s circumstances would not have led you to my door. My parents, God rest their souls would not have allowed us to be wed.
But mine hand, is mine to give.
And I alone give it to you this day.
I see the hand of God in our coming together. All things really do work for the good of those who love Him. The pain of the loss of my parents and the lonely years that followed were tragic, but out of this tragedy you have come into my life. Out of emotional ruin has come the greatest love of my life.
You Nathaniel love like no other I have known.
Your purity of heart is like God’s own heart. Had you said your name was David, I would have believed you. For King David had a heart like yours.
You wear your loyalty and strength like a robe and I forever want you to surround me with it.
Your embrace is my home.
Your love is my place of refuge.
I promise to love you all the days of my life, and should God allow, into the hereafter.
NATHANIEL’S VOWS
Genevieve.
I have loved you longer than I have known mine own self. You captivated me long before I ever dared let you know.
Loving you from a far all these years without hope of happiness with you was an ache I thought never to be lifted. But here we are pledging ourselves, each to the other. A day I thought never to come to pass.
Genevieve, you are the love of my life. The gentlest and fairest woman my eyes have laid upon. Grace is your mantle and goodness is what surrounds you.
My heart wants no other; wants none other than to hold you and give you my love.
I don’t want you to walk another day alone.
I don’t want you to breath anther breath without fully knowing you are loved by me.
I don’t want to live another moment without making you mine.
I will love you fiercely.
I pledge to honour and protect you.
I will always put our love first
I take you this day and all the days God gives me breath to be my wife to have and to hold.
To cherish and behold.
You are mine and I am yours
May the love of Christ be between and over us.
May God the Father always shine his favour upon our holy union.
May the Holy Spirit intwine and stitch our souls together so that the two of us will become one.
Always.
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