THERESE + VINCENT

When Thérèse Wilhelmi moved back to the Black Hills, she never expected to meet her future husband within days at mass. But that is exactly what happened when she crossed paths with Vincent Benzmiller outside the SD School of Mines Newman Center.

Vincent jokes that it felt like she was dropped in front of him by a claw machine. He made the first move with, “You come here often?” and soon invited her to a local swing dance. That dance became their first date, ending with Vincent’s earnest question: “Would you like to go on a date with me, and if so, morning coffee or a mid morning hike on Sunday?” Thérèse was so thrilled she forgot to answer the first part.

For Vincent, love followed a three step path of wanting, thinking, and knowing. On April 24, 2024, he reached the final step. “She explained the meaning of her name, and something clicked. It aligned perfectly with the mission I believe God has for my life,” he says. He texted his mom immediately: “She’s it.”

Thérèse knew even earlier. By their fourth or fifth date, after hearing Vincent speak about his passion for divine beauty, she felt certain she had met the man she would marry.

His proposal was intentional and faith filled. Pretending to help with a couples shoot, Vincent and Thérèse traveled to Okoboji. After praying a Divine Mercy Chaplet in a canoe and visiting his childhood parish, Vincent led her to a garden near a statue of Mary. There he asked her to be his wife and his “Sainthood Accountability Partner.” Photographer Sarah and Vincent’s sister Sonja captured the moment.

Together they planned a wedding grounded in meaning. Their color palette of navy and scarlet with gold and ivory reflected the Divine Mercy. Their shared vision was simple: make the wedding “a great cause for conversation” about faith and beauty.

On their wedding day, Thérèse cherished the Marian Consecration. Her mother in law crafted a bouquet with two roses for the couple to offer to Mary, entrusting their marriage to God.

“The wedding Mass was the absolute highlight,” Vincent says. A surprise song from his dad, sung by the entire room, made the day even more memorable.

They ended the night in prayer, surrounded by family and friends, grateful for the sacred beginning of their life together.

When Thérèse Wilhelmi moved back to South Dakota’s Black Hills, she never expected to meet her future husband within days at mass. But that’s where she met Vincent Benzmiller, just outside the SD School of Mines Newman Center.

Vincent jokes, “It was like she was picked up by one of the claw machines and dropped right in front of me!” He made the first move with the classic line, “You come here often?” and invited her to a local swing dance days later.

That dance became their first date, ending with Vincent’s clear declaration: “I have two questions for you. Thérèse, I would like to take you out on a date. Would you like to go on a date with me? And should you agree, would you prefer morning coffee or a mid-morning-ish hike on Sunday?” Thérèse was so elated, she forgot to answer the first question.

For Vincent, the journey of love meant climbing a three-step ladder: wanting, thinking, and knowing. On April 24, 2024, he knew Thérèse was the one. “On that evening, Thérèse explained the etymology of her name, and something clicked. It perfectly aligned with the mission I believe God has given me for my life,” Vincent shares. He texted his mom: “Mom, she’s it.”

Thérèse’s realization came earlier, around their fourth or fifth date, when Vincent opened up about his passion for divine beauty. She smiles, “It wasn’t just poetic; it was purposeful. At that moment, I knew I had met the man I would one day marry.”

Vincent’s proposal was as intentional as their courtship. Under the guise of helping her photographer friend Sarah with a couples shoot, they traveled to Okoboji, Iowa. The day began with a Divine Mercy Chaplet in a canoe, then a holy hour at Vincent’s childhood parish. Outside the chapel, Vincent led Thérèse to a garden near a statue of Mary and asked her to be his wife and his “Sainthood Accountability Partner for the rest of their lives.” Sarah and Vincent’s sister, Sonja, captured every moment.

They created a shared email account for planning and focused on making their wedding “a great cause for conversation.” They settled on navy and scarlet with gold and ivory accents; colors representing the Divine Mercy: blood and water flowing from Christ’s heart.

“More importantly, we set a shared vision to make our wedding a great cause for conversation,” Thérèse added. “That mindset helped us step away from ‘what I want’ versus ‘what you want’ and instead focus on what God wants. We wanted to share the beauty of the faith with our friends and family.”

On their wedding day, Thérèse treasured the Marian Consecration most. Her bouquet, handcrafted by her mother-in-law, featured two detachable roses, including one for her and one for Vincent to offer to Mary, entrusting their marriage to God.

“The wedding Mass, the sacrament itself, was the absolute highlight,” Vincent says. “It was indescribably beautiful to witness that with all our family and friends.”

A touching moment came when Vincent’s dad performed a surprise original song. “He passed out printed lyrics to everyone, and the entire room sang along. It was incredibly special,” Vincent smiles.

They ended the night with a prayer from Vincent, surrounded by loved ones, deeply aware of the sacredness of what they had just begun.