We're so excited to celebrate with you!

Like most millennials, Katie and Ash met online through dating apps in spring 2019. Katie, upon realizing Ash played for South Jersey Women's Rugby, immediately realized they had a mutual friend. This mutual friend was Ash's rugby coach and a fellow referee Katie had known since 2017. Katie spoke so highly of Ash's coach that Ash wasn't certain she was a good judge of character, only to collectively realize they both love him as a friend, but not always as a coach ;). They shortly after had the world's most awkward first date filled with hours of conversation and as Ash describes "close face talking" which left her unsure if Katie was actually interested in her. Ash left that first date and called "Red", their future wedding officiant, to tell her she think she found her person. Briefly after a few positive dates, Ash threw Katie to the wolves by bringing her to Easter dinner with her entire family since Katie didn't have any family in the area to celebrate the holiday. Easter dinner started by Katie and Ash walking through Ash's Aunt and Uncle's door and being greeted by an excitable and screaming young Avery, their future flower girl. Katie survived meeting the entire family one month in to tell the tale and they were all extremely welcoming and loving. Katie and Ash hit it off quick and joke that their 10th date was in Dublin, Ireland because through a series of coincidences they had both already planned to be in Dublin following separate trips to the UK (Katie in Scotland for work and Ash in England to see an old friend). In July of 2019 they met up in Dublin and while taking candid photos of Ash at the Cliffs of Moher, Katie thought to herself "I am going to marry this woman." In January of 2020 Katie asked Ash's parents for their blessing to marry their daughter and they joyfully welcomed the idea of bringing Katie into their family. Katie had planned a spring trip to Asheville, NC for April of 2020 where they were going to stay for a week of hiking, camping, tourism, and a secret horseback ride through the mountains engagement. Unfortunately, COVID-19 had other plans and as Katie saw the writing on the wall, despite Ash's protest (because she totally knew what was coming), Katie cancelled the trip at the end of February 2020 and got her money back. The sadness of COVID-19 shutdowns, both Katie and Ash's employers putting them on travel ban, and lack of social interactions drove Katie and Ash nuts. Plus, the ring was burning a hole in Katie's pocket. So, with the help of her trusty sidekick, Kilo the wonder dog, and a GoPro attached to Kilo's harness, Katie, Ash, and Kilo set off to the beach, Ash's happy place, at Cape Henlopen State Park in Delaware. While alone on the beach, with an overly excited dog, Katie proposed to Ash on March 21, 2020. Unfortunately, due to COVID-19 lockdowns, their engagement was never formally celebrated among family and friends. 3 months later on a trip to Outer Banks, NC Katie and Ash made a side trip to Katie's happy place and former stomping grounds, Winston-Salem, NC. There, in the middle of Hearn Plaza in front of Wait Chapel at Wake Forest University, Ash proposed back to Katie. Together, Katie and Ash have survived a global pandemic, a PhD, half of an EdD, job changes, several moves, co-parented a menagerie of animals, and traveled to 3 different countries (pandemic be dammed). This wedding has been a long time coming and has been delayed due to the pandemic and Katie's doctoral work, so the two are more than excited to celebrate their special day, safely, among friends and family.