As they said “I Do” at their August 3, 2013, wedding, Susan and Daniel Cole chose to share the spotlight with RAINN: Daniel, Susan, and their entire wedding party donned Bands4RAINN wristbands. “We wanted to include RAINN in our wedding, because, unfortunately, the issues that the organization addresses are ones that hit close to home for us,” said Susan, a survivor herself. “Having the spotlight on us for a day seemed like a great opportunity to use it to do some good.”

After meeting online in 2012, it quickly became apparent that the two were headed towards a lifetime together. One year to the day after their first date, they wed. “I feel like I've known him my whole life, and we've received nothing but love and support from our friends and family,” said Susan. Both Daniel and Susan are passionate about violence issues, so the decision to include RAINN in their special day was not difficult. For Susan’s “something blue,” they decided that the entire wedding party would wear RAINN wristbands to show their support and “encourage others to call for justice for victims of these horrible acts.”

By wearing RAINN wristbands during their wedding, the Coles hoped to raise awareness about this issue. “It got people’s attention and piqued their curiosity, which was the goal,“ Susan explained. In doing so, they encouraged people to ask questions about RAINN, the issue, and how they could get involved. Their hope, Susan said, was that they were able to contribute to a shift in the way that their guests thought about sexual violence.

“Congratulations, Susan and Daniel! Thank you for your amazing support of RAINN and survivors everywhere,” said Chelsea Bowers, RAINN’s development director.

Find out how to include RAINN in your special day.