Weddings are the joyous celebrations uniting men and women in matrimony, a.k.a. living your “happily ever after.” This article is part one of a two-part series featuring four faculty members who were married this summer! 

Mrs. Juge, an upper school English teacher, celebrated her fairy-tale wedding in June. This is Mrs. Juge’s first year teaching at Montrose. Prior to joining our Montrose family, she was substitute teaching while studying English and Ethics at the University of Dallas. Mrs. Juge and her husband, Jean-Paul, have known each other since their freshman year of high school. They also attended the same college together. Now would be an amazing time to interject: “Aww!” 

Mrs. Juge and her husband were engaged during Covid-19 and began planning a wedding for the summer, hoping that the pandemic would be over in time. Mr. and Mrs. Juge originally had planned to invite 300 people but reduced the guest list to 150. Mrs. Juge said: “We didn’t want a big wedding, so these were great means for scaling it back.”  Mrs. Juge’s wedding took place in the picture-perfect city of New Orleans, where they both grew up. After living in the south for most of their lives, this couple was already braced for the scorching heat of the New Orleans sun. The heat did not stop them from enjoying the best night of their lives, though. 

Knowing how important her faith was, Jean-Paul made Mrs. Juge a rosary when they were in high school, and it was prominently featured in her wedding bouquet. Also, as a lover of music, little pieces of sheet music were part of her gorgeous array of blue flowers. With their closest family and friends present, Mr. and Mrs. Juge were able to celebrate their fun, intimate wedding with no concerns about the virus. All of their wedding party was vaccinated, and they were able to enjoy a mask-free wedding. Four months later, Mr. and Mrs. Juge are enjoying their newlywed life. Mrs. Juge reflected on this new adventure, saying: “The transition from friends to dating, dating to engaged, and engaged to married was very easy for us. Moving across the country with my best friend was fun to do.”

Mrs. Pajak, an upper school Math teacher, also celebrated a beautiful summer wedding in the southern state of North Carolina. Mrs. Pajak has been teaching math for three years. She is actually teaching the same class that made her want to become a math teacher: AP Calculus. Mr. and Mrs. Pajak planned to have their ceremony at Duke Chapel in Durham, North Carolina. Due to the virus, Duke Chapel cancelled. Mrs. Pajak also had to cut the number of guests from 150 down to 40. 

These slight setbacks did not stop Mrs. Pajak from marking her momentous occasion with friends and family. Mr. Pajak received his PhD a week prior to their wedding. Continuing the celebration of this accomplishment, Mr. Pajak and Mrs. Pajak enjoyed their wedding celebration at a beautiful reception venue. Following the ceremony, they were able to enjoy all of their guests and celebrate their new adventure. Mrs. Pajak reflected on her ceremony, saying: “It was nicer to have that intimacy. We spent lots of time with each individual person and got pictures with everyone.” After their wedding, this newly married couple visited all of their family and friends that could not attend. Similar to Mrs. Juge, Mrs. Pajak and her husband Joshua had to move across the country together. Despite the craziness of school, Mrs. Pajak has enjoyed exploring new places and trying new restaurants with her husband. 

There is a famous Latin phrase: “Omnia vincit amor.” It means “love conquers all.” Mrs. Pajak and Mrs. Juge embodied this message in the ways they approached their wedding celebrations and began their marriages with strength and resilience in a global pandemic. Nothing could stop these strong, determined Mavericks from marrying their best friends. We wish them happiness and many blessings!

Kate Novack ’24 and Leslie Baker ’24, Features Editor and Contributing Writer

24knovack@montroseschool.org, 24lbaker@montroseschool.org