Veterans Day Wedding Giveback: 'We Feel Truly Blessed And Humbled"

GREENPORT, NY — A beloved tradition was back for the first time since the pandemic as the 10th annual Veterans Day Wedding Day Giveback unfolded at Brecknock Hall in Greenport Sunday.

The annual contest, sponsored by Peconic Landing, gifts a military couple with the wedding of their dreams in recognition of their dedication and service to the nation.

This year's winners, Lieutenants Damen Weeks, 31, and Katherine Bertschi, 27, of Southold, were notified during a surprise Zoom call on April 14, with family, as well as Peconic Landing team members present.

The giveaway is made possible through contributions from local businesses and organizations who donate their time, talents, and services to create an all-expenses-paid wedding for one lucky couple, organizers said.

The contest was canceled in both 2020 and 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“All of us at Peconic Landing are so excited to resume this heartwarming tradition,” said Robert J. Syron, Peconic Landing’s president and CEO. “Damen and Katherine are a truly deserving couple, and it is our absolute honor to recognize their tremendous service to our country and support them on this special occasion.”

The winning couple was chosen by a panel of Peconic Landing members with military ties, who judged the contest based on the number of years served, special military honors, and each couple’s personal love story.

Damen is on his fifth tour of duty after enlisting in 2012 and serves as an operations officer on the USS MASON (DDG 87) where he is responsible for the management of almost 100 sailors, Peconic Landing said. He has earned the Earned Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal and Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal, among others.

Katherine is on her third tour after enlisting in 2016 and is a basic division officer instructor and department head at the mariner skills training center Pacific where she is responsible for training thousands of junior surface warfare officers to enter the fleet and drive ships. She, too, has earned the Earned Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal and Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal, organizers said.

The couple met onboard the USS PREBLE in 2016 and have been in a long-distance relationship ever since. They travel thousands of miles to see each other on weekends and holidays, between Hawaii, San Diego, Denver, Memphis, Monterey, Newport, Norfolk, Alabama, and Southold, Katherine’s hometown. The couple also spends time volunteering in the communities where they are stationed, including working at food shelters, building with Habitat for Humanity, and organizing ship tours for children.

On New Year’s Eve 2021, Katherine’s mother and sister accompanied her to Alabama and while they were at Damen’s family cabin, they got engaged.

“The many vendors and, most importantly, the Peconic Landing committee made our dream come true. Brecknock Hall was the perfect venue for our journey together to begin,” said Damen. “We feel truly blessed and humbled to be selected for the Veterans Day Wedding Giveback and will never forget the hard work and coordination it took from everyone involved to make our wedding ceremony the unforgettable experience it was.”

“The Peconic Landing family is so grateful for the many sponsors that volunteered their services to create the perfect day for Damen and Katherine,” said Syron. “Without the support of our generous local vendors, this giveback would not be possible.”