We're getting married!

Our story begins in the small unassuming town of Castleton, VT - actually it begins a little earlier than that. John and Callie had both previously planned to attend the University of Vermont, and for each of their own reasons did not, and instead settled on the then named Castleton State College. They both studied psychology and first met from afar in a large Intro to psychology course; John as a proctor for one group of students, and Callie as a student in another proctors group. It wouldn’t be until an iconic “cold winter night” that they would formally meet, introduced by another student at a brief casual hangout outdoors. While the group of acquaintances discussed their classes and whether or not it was freezing or merely felt freezing, John began to explain the merits of Celsius. The group laughed him off, Callie included. Additional time spent with the group of friends led from hangouts and outdoor walks around the natural areas of campus to attending events like a drum and bass open dance party. It was at this event that John and Callie danced together for the first time, and it must have been their first true seeing of something in one another that also led to their first kiss that same evening. They would continue on as those who find themselves in the early throes of love do; spending time together, going on long woodland walks, and attending other dance party events on campus. One day while enjoying the morning from the balcony of John’s fourth floor suite, one of his suite-mates came outside and briefly apologized and claimed he didn’t know John was out there with his girlfriend. “Well she’s not… are you? I mean do you want to be?” John stammered. “I guess I am your girlfriend now!” Callie proclaimed, and the two have been together ever since. For a brief time in the fall of 2015, as John’s early graduation loomed ahead, their relationship reached a fragile point. They had not planned to, and thus had no plans for what would happen next, yet they had fallen in love. Despite the lack of certainty about their respective futures, they were at least certain each other would be in it. With Callie set to graduate in 2017, they spent the summer prior living together at John’s parents house in Randolph. After graduation, they found their first together home in their Hill Street apartment in Barre. They adopted Westley the Cat as a barn cat rescued by John’s sister Madison. They went on hikes and camped in Vermont, New York, and Maine. They took up kayaking together, and started a tradition visiting friends at the beach in New Hampshire in the summertime. They took each other to their hometowns and to the places they grew up in. John learned of the magic of the Summer House, and Callie got to kayak on the legendary Curtis Pond. They built a life together and made plans for the future. They contracted with a jeweler in 2020, and John spent the next few years - so patiently waiting, and so carefully planning. Obtaining the ring is a story for another time, but finally John had it and plans could commence. Upon that fateful 8th anniversary day of September 26th 2023, at the top of Mount Hunger in view of her favorite mountain Camel’s Hump, John revealed the anniversary gift he had made; a folding board displaying photos throughout the years accompanied by a cleverly wood-burned message, “Will you marry me?” Since then they purchased John’s grandparents home and family land at Hill Street in Montpelier, VT; hopefully their forever home, John and Callie have lived on two Hill Streets. They took a cross-country trip in April of 2024 to bring John’s grandmother out west, and shared in a wonderful journey across the country visiting National Parks and sharing in a grand adventure. In November of 2024 they adopted Jaček the puppy and added the fourth member of their family. Now, they prepare to share their celebration of love with you at their wedding on September 26th 2025, their 10th anniversary together.