06/15/2003

Kristin D'Itri and John Paul Chavez

First Baptist Church of Narragansett, Narragansett

5.3.03

Kristin D'Itri fell in love with John Paul Chavez when the two performed in the Narragansett High School production of Anne of Green Gables.

"He actually had a crush on me long before then, but thought that I would never go out with him," Kristin says. After high school, John Paul -- Kristin calls him "JP" -- joined the Air Force, and she enrolled at URI. Their relationship has been long distance for the past three and a half years.

"We had to go six months without seeing each other, so we've learned to communicate on levels I don't think most married couples have," says Kristin. After a honeymoon in Florida, Kristin and John Paul will report to Luke Air Force Base in Arizona. In July, they'll go to Vandenberg AFB in California. And in September, the couple will move on to Buckley AFB in Colorado, where they'll probably stay for two or more years. John Paul, a senior airman, is a mechanic who does maintenance on bombs.

John Paul celebrated his 23rd birthday the day before his wedding. He didn't really celebrate because it literally got lost amidst thoughts of his wedding day. John Paul is second youngest of five boys, and one brother is married to one of Kristin's sisters. He grew up in Narragansett, just a few minutes from the church where he is getting married today.

Kristin, 21, is the youngest of three D'Itri daughters: Alicia (center, in above photo; at right is a friend, Sara Mastroianni) is 26, Amy is 23. "In 497 days, all three have gotten married!" says their father Anthony, an ordained minister who serves as the worship leader at the First Baptist Church of Narragansett. In fact, all three girls have been in all three weddings -- when not the bride, then a bridesmaid.

Today, the Rev. Anthony D'Itri, performs the marriage ceremony. He tells the guests: "I couldn't sleep last night. I kept hearing the wind, worrying that it would be raining today, as predicted. I thought of Exodus, when God parted the Red Sea with the wind and blew the storms away. And today we have a beautiful sunny clear day.

"Kristin Grace, this is the last time I will talk to you as my unmarried daughter. And John Paul, this is the last time I'll talk to you as your future father-in-law.

"You've grown up together, you're in love, and it's your wedding day."

Mr. D'Itri has compiled a CD of songs to be played at the wedding reception -- all are written and sung by him and daughter Alicia. Every song played during the ceremony has significance. The prelude is from Camelot, which JP and Kristin were in as seniors in high school. Edelweiss is from The Sound of Music, one of Kristin's favorite films growing up. The bride entered to the theme from Anne of Green Gables.

And the recessional certainly has meaning, perhaps in more ways than one: Off We Go, Into the Wild Blue Yonder, the Air Force song.