From Vows to Now: Celebrating Love The Heartland Lodge
Meet Sydnee and Naji
Wedding date at The Heartland Lodge: October 29, 2022
How did you meet?
Naji: Sydnee and I met online, like most people do these days, but that’s where the simplicity ends. We met on Hinge while I was on leave, out of the country. When talking about our interests, Sydnee mentioned that she goes to the gym on base every day at 6 AM. Of course, like any self-respecting man on a dating website, I lied and said: Same. A different gym though… but we talked about how we would meet up at the gym on base on the Monday of my return, 6 AM sharp. It was a date (in my mind…) We hadn’t talked much in the 3-5 days prior to our workout, but the date was set, and I was confident I’d see her on Monday, 6 AM. I rehearsed my opening line on the 20-minute car ride to the gym “You weren’t lying, you really ARE here at 6 AM!”
It was perfect.
When I walked into the gym, I saw Sydnee on the Lat pull machine, getting after it. I walked up to her, very nervously, and said my line: “You really ARE here at 6 Am!” Well, she was still actively lifting, and of course didn’t hear me. I waited until she was done, then again: “You weren’t kidding when you said you were HERE at 6 AM!” This time she felt like someone was talking to her, so she finally turned to look at me, and took one headphone out. Damn it… am I really going to say this again… “Hey! You really are HERE at 6 AM!” With a dumb smile on my face, I watched her have no idea who I was, smile nervously, nod her head, put the headphone back in, and turn back towards her machine.
Swing and a miss.
I was horrified, I thought, maybe she just didn’t recognize me? Those pictures on my profile weren’t THAT old??? Anyways, I did whatever machines I could to keep me in her line of sight, in the hopes she would remember me. She didn’t… 15 minutes passed and I thought, alright this is starting to get creepy, so I went across the gym and started doing my own thing. 10 minutes later she messages me on Hinge and says: “OH! That was YOU!” We worked out together that day, and every day after that.
We got along so well that everything just clicked.
We went on hikes, went out for food, and hung out with her dog Oliver every chance we had. We instantly became best friends, and we both spent all of our time with each other. I took her to California to meet my family and my wild friends, she took me to Iowa to celebrate my first Christmas and meet her family, and their army of corgi’s. Both of us being in the military made things a little complicated.
Naji and Sydnee’s entire wedding day at The Heartland Lodge reflected them as a couple.
Tell us about your engagement:
Sydnee was enlisted in the Air Force Reserves, and I was an officer on active duty. Uh Oh… After 8 months we knew we wanted to spend the rest of our lives together, so I proposed, and we got married in the Laguna Hills Civic Center on March 8th 2022 one day after attending the most beautiful wedding of a good friend of ours in the same city. One of my best friends from the Air Force academy was our witness, and it was a day all about our love for each other.
Ever since that day, we had been planning this day at The Heartland Lodge where we would get to share our love for each other with all of the people we love.
All the details of the day were perfect, even down to the socks Naji wore!
Why did you choose The Heartland Lodge
We chose The Heartland Lodge because of how easy it was to work with Holli and her staff to make our vision a reality. While the quantity of visible corn didn’t remind Sydnee of her hometown in Iowa… the fall leaves, luscious fields, and beautiful pond will forever remind us of our home in Missouri. While most venues are spring loaded to tell you no, Heartland Lodge always found a way to get us to a yes. We were able to use caterers that fit our needs and budget, they were happy to work with the arrangement of the reception hall, and most importantly, they worked with us to allow our dog to be a part of our ceremony.
A memory I will never forget
The Heartland Lodge is a pet friendly wedding venue located in the country. Far enough away from Kansas City to have a private experience, yet close enough to be able to easily access the celebration.
How has life changed since getting married?
Since our marriage, we have had the opportunity to traveled all over the world, with our favorite location so far being Iceland! Sydnee has graduated from UCM with honors, and Naji has become a B2 instructor pilot. We have become so much closer as a couple as we navigate the highs and lows of life. Most notably, our family has grown by 1, and we are so grateful for our beautiful baby girl Elsie (she’s a dog).
Advice to an engaged couple:
This is such an exciting time in your life. Planning a wedding is both exciting and stressful, making it probably the first test of your soon-to-come marriage. Don’t allow yourself to stop growing. To grow is to change, and to change is to accept that you’re not perfect! Be quick to apologize, be eager to learn, and book the Heartland Lodge already!
An affordable wedding venue in the Midwest, The Heartland Lodge is the perfect backdrop to create your special day!