Army Capt. Jeff Nephew shows off the engraved saber he carried July 2 during his marriage to Sarah Frazer, also a captain in the Army. Although military service influenced the style of the ceremony, the couple said the date was chosen around the July 4 holiday, when their time off would likely coincide.

Weddings are family affairs: incorporating the relationships and traditions that surround a bride and groom. The concept was no different for Sarah Frazer and Jeff Nephew, both military officers, who hosted a July 2 wedding at Community Alliance Church.

Both captains in the Army, the couple said the vocation has become a lifestyle as much as a career, so a military theme seemed appropriate.

"Being in the military is not like having a regular job: There is no 9 to 5," said Sarah, 25, a native of Center Township.

"Jeff and I have both dedicated the past few years to the military and the lifestyle. Weddings are a reflection of the bride and groom, so ours was a reflection of us."

The military wedding featured Jeff wearing his dress uniform in place of a tux, and a saber arch formation as part of the ceremony in Butler Township.

Although military saber arches can vary in size and placement, Sarah and Jeff had six uniformed military officers who marched in pairs up to the altar after the couple said "I do."

Lining up on either side of the aisle, the officers drew their sabers to form an arch, which the married couple then walked through.

"The symbolism behind it is just that your brothers in arms — your compatriots — are guarding your passage, your first steps into married life," explained Jeff, 26, who is stationed at Fort Bragg, N.C.

With Sarah stationed at Fort Bliss in Texas, the pair said military service also influenced the wedding date.Four-day weekends usually occur around the July 4 holiday, so it was likely the bride, groom and most of their wedding party would be free to attend the wedding."As long as we're in the United States more than likely we'll have a four-day weekend. Hopefully we can always have some time off on or around our anniversary," Jeff added.The bride and groom's geographic location also influenced event coordination, much of it done by Sarah's mother, Sonya Slagle."She was very easy going with it," said Slagle, noting the bride's requests included a blue and yellow color scheme to match her husband's uniform."We wanted to incorporate something Asian since they met in Korea," Slagle added, describing the many paper lanterns that adorned the Succop Conservancy, where the reception was held.There, a saber also was used to cut the wedding cake — another military tradition. Although those used by the saber bearers were borrowed from Slippery Rock University's ROTC program, the groom's saber was not on loan."The saber I carried I got special just for the occasion," Jeff said. "And I had it engraved with our wedding anniversary."

Despite the wedding's flair for tradition, one customary practice was bypassed.According to Jeff, it is customary for two saber bearers to drop their sabers, blocking passage of the bride and groom as they begin to leave the altar.While momentarily stalled in their walk, the bride is addressed by one of the saber bearers behind her."They guy closest to the bride (uses his saber to give) her a gentle pat on the rear end and say 'Welcome to the Army, ma'am,'" Jeff said."We didn't do that because Sarah's already in the Army. We figured we can lose that one."Another deviation was the fact that Sarah will retain her maiden name, reducing the possibility of confusion with two Capt. Nephews."Part of the reason is personal preference but a large part is that that is how I am known: Capt. Frazer — and my husband is Capt. Nephew."After spending years being called this, signing paperwork, receiving awards and generally only going by Frazer it seemed to me that changing that and trying to start all over again would be a lengthy and fruitless process. It is not unusual for a woman in the military to retain her maiden name, and Jeff and I agreed on it," she said.

Although currently stationed in separate locales, Sarah and Jeff hope to be part of the Married Army Couples Program, in which the military attempts to put couples in the same location.But for now, they are continuing with their military mindset despite their recent wedding."They got married on a Friday and on a Monday morning we dropped them off at the airport and they went their separate ways," Slagle said.The couple is planning a December honeymoon to Fiji.

A saber is used to cut the cake.

Sarah Frazer and Jeff Nephew, both captains in the Army, pass under the saber arch, a symbol of safe passage into married life.