Kaya & Nate
Wedding Party
Cecilia Patten
Maid of Honor and Sister of the Bride
Sweet Cecilia is everything one could want out of a best friend and sister. Ceci is known for her capacity to love, no nonsense attitude, her sense of humor and incredible work ethic. From endless hours at play as children to endless hours of laughter as adults, Ceci and Kaya share so much love and respect for each other and Kaya attributes her best qualities to having such an amazing woman in her corner. Former college athlete at UCCS, Ceci went from working for USA Cycling to San Antonio to be the social media coordinator for Spurs Sport & Entertainment. Keeping everyone on their toes, Cecilia will change the world, and look fabulous with her pups Maggie and Milo beside her.
Travis Royer
Best Man
Travis and Nate have been fast friends since a childhood spent together gallivanting around West Yellowstone. When Nate returned to Montana for college, that friendship picked up where it left off and the two became best friends. Travis's heart is bottomless and there are few people in the world who can pick up on your emotions quite like Travis. Travis is an eternal seeker of motion who is game to do anything as long as he is moving, be it on skis, on rock, or on foot. Travis and his wonderful wife Amy will be moving from Bozeman to Boise, Idaho while Travis attend Physical Therapy school. Until then, they will assuredly be exploring the Gallatin Range or disappearing into board games with Kaya and Nate.
Hannah Rose Nolen
Co-Maid of Honor
Hannah and Kaya have been friends for 17 years, and is more appropriately considered a sister. Hannah and Kaya not only share a middle name but are both fierce feminists, build each other up, hold each other accountable, and help each other live and love fiercely. Hannah is brilliant, currently in the International Affairs Master’s Program at the New School in NYC, having previously served as a YAV in Glasgow, Scotland and graduated Phi Beta Kappa from U of O. Her compassion and dedication will make her a humanitarian force of nature.
Cole Neuman
Best Man
Cole and Nate met freshman year of college where they took part in general mischief together until they grew up and totally, definetly, became responsible, mischief averse citizens. Or, at least that's what we'll write here. In between fits of adventure, Cole spends his time dreaming and daydreaming, followed by tireless tinkering to make those dreams a reality. A creative mind, give him a task to pour himself into and he'll make you a masterpiece, and should you be lucky enough that his task is your friendship, it will be the pièce de résistance. A fun mind, a fun friend, and a good heart are a few of the qualities which have followed Cole from Montana to his new life in Denver with his lady Bryn, where together, they will surely piece together a beautiful new world to surround them.
Amy Royer
Bridal Party
Amy came into Kaya's life as one of Nate's best friends, but the two women bonded over many things; a shared passion for climbing, skiing, cooking, and apres-everything. They learned to begrudgingly love running while training for the Rut, and watching Amy run the 28k reinforced what Kaya always knew about her, she's fearless, unstoppable, and passionate. Amy is the public health manager for the northwest region for the American Heart Association, a job she started this year after being the Project Director at the Montana Office of Rural Health. Amy and her husband Travis have been married for five years and Kaya and Nate have spent and will continue to spend countless weekends with them.
Aaron Hagen
Groomsman
Aaron. Aaron Hagen. That's all there is to say really. If you know the name, you know a person who is so filled with kindness and joy that there's nothing much left to say. Aaron has a bottomless heart and bottomless time to listen and to laugh with you, and Nate is incredibly grateful to have met him while losing at pick up basketball in college. After spending his whole childhood in Billings, Aaron absconded to Australia on a student visa his senior year of college, and basically hasn't been seen since. Like any good soul filled with wanderlust, Aaron belonged wherever he went and eventually found a person who's side he belonged next to in his equally wonderful lady Kristi. Currently, the two find themselves in Fernie, Canada, making it the most desireable town of the North Country.
Stefanee Lucksley
Bridal Party
Kaya met Stefanee at Bridger Brewing in 2015 while Kaya was having lunch with their mutual friend Joules. Stef blew into lunch like a whirlwind and has been a strong, inspiring and loving presence in Kaya (and now Nate's) life ever since. This is a woman who knows who she is and what she wants from life, and she is exactly the person you want in your corner cheering you on and keeping you focused while you figure out what you want from life. Stef is a Costumer Success Program Manager at Xactly and she and her husband Eric can be found camping, fishing, geeking out about rocks, and exploring Montana with their sweet puppy Namira and their adventure cat Bilbo.
Kyra Wood
Bridal Party
Kyra is 15 and Kaya's cousin on her father's side. Though they have an age difference of 10 years, they have always bonded over their love of reading and their adoration of Black Butte Ranch. In June 2020, Kaya and Kyra spent an incredible month together at BBR. It was one month of shenanigans; hiking, biking, and of course, singing Hamilton, Beetlejuice and other musicals. Kyra is an incredible young person, a wonderful feminist, and the ghostest with the mostest in Kaya's heart. When home in Colorado, Kyra loves to spend time skateboarding, making art, and hanging with friends practicing for the school musical.
Kelly Vestman
Groomsman
Kelly and Nate met Nate's sophomore year of college and have been friends since. Kelly is the fiercest of friends. A turn of phrase you don't really understand until you have that person in your life. Kelly invests himself in relationships like few others, always caring and curious about his friend's lives. When he asks you how you're doing, you know you have his undivided attention. Always up for fun and adventure, Kelly has been a friend that Nate is grateful to have in his life. Kelly's care for his friends also shows up in his professional life as a Property Manager, and with his wonderful partner Jen. Kelly and Jen have recently jumped ship and left Montana for life in Atlanta where life surely won't disappoint for two wonderful people.
Autumn Graham
Bridal Party
Autumn is Kaya's cousin on her mother's side. No one loves with her whole heart or laughs with her whole body quite like Autumn Graham. She is studying at Colorado State University and dreams of being an elementary school teacher. She is in Kappa Alpha Theta and loves volunteering with the sorority to support CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates). Autumn adores traveling and is most at home on the beach or on the water with the sun on her face and meeting new people. Kaya's favorite thing about Autumn is their shared intense love and devotion to their families as well as their love for a good party, and Kaya treasures the memories of trips and holidays with Autumn on family vacations.
Connor Patten
Groomsman
Connor is Kaya's brother. Since Nate's first time meeting Connor, he has been beyond accepting of Nate, quickly inviting him into his life and family as a friend and brother. It turns out, acceptance from Connor is not merely something reserved for Nate, but rather, Connor goes out of his way to make it available to anyone and everyone he meets. Quickly friendly, staggeringly funny, and deeply caring, to be a brother of Connor is an honor and a joy. Nate met Connor when he was 16 and to see him go through the process of discovering what life holds for him and what he holds for life has been fun to witness. Connor recently left Bozeman and is now living with his sister Ceci in Colorado Springs seeking out the fruits of life, which surely are bound to be enjoyed by this wonderful brother.
Sydney Graham
Bridal Party
Sydney is Kaya's cousin on her mother's side and one of the sassiest and funniest people in Kaya's life. Sydney is most at home in the mountains backcountry skiing or shredding at Steamboat Mountain, playing soccer, and camping with friends. In High School Syd played for the Steamboat Soccer Club on two different teams, for Steamboat Springs high school varsity, and for an Olympic development team for a season, and now she's deciding between a science or math major at CSU where she is also in Kappa Alpha Theta. Kaya loves Sydney's take no prisoner and can-do attitude and can't wait to dance into the night with her at the wedding and forever.
Erik Fusselman
Groomsman
Erik is Nate's oldest brother. Erik is the brother who showed Nate just how limitless your options are when you're outside. Professionally, Erik is a wildland firefighter, and enthusiastically, he is a hunter, a skier, a climber, a hiker, a canyoneer, and has explored the woods and the mountains alike with any and every piece of gear attached to his feet and back providing Nate and Kaya with a bottomless supply of elk meat along the way. All things outdoors included, Erik's greatest enthusiasm is the wonderful family he and his wife Sarah have built, bringing their children Mae and Levi into a loving world always worth exploring. Erik instilled in Nate a sense of adventure, and joining him and his family on those adventures is always a pleasure.
Stephen Fusselman
Groomsman
Stephen is Nate's brother. Stephen is the brother who taught Nate how to tinker endlessly and who taught him the importance of having family close by as he lived in Bozeman and helped Nate survive numerous college days. An engineer by trade, Stephen has always been perhaps the most mechanically gifted Fusselman since, well probably since the first one. This is particuarly evident when juxtaposed to Nate's lack of mechanical skill. It is always fun to watch Stephen set his mind to a problem and see it through to completion, from replacing transmissions to building a milking guillotine for his goats. Perhaps Stephen's greatest design is that of a wonderful family alongside his wife Cara as they have lovingly raised their four boys, Eben, Paxton, Tate, and Orbit.
Brian Fusselman
Groomsman
Brian is Nate's brother. Closest in age, Nate spent the most time as a child growing up with Brian. Brian has always been a very experimental brother, wanting to try everything new, and thankfully for Nate, he has always been inclusive on who is brought along. Forgiving a young Nate's love of destroying lego sets with rough play, Brian turned Nate on to several fun activities through the years, most importantly, skiing. Brian's desire to see and try new things has led him professionally to working for and with the Navy on submarines and surface ships alike leading to exposure to new experiences and new cultures in Guam, Japan, and on countless adventures around the world, all the way having an open heart for those he meets. It's always fun to see where Brian's next adventure will take him.
Levi Roberts
Groomsman
Levi and Nate met while working trail crew together in West Yellowstone in 2014 and have been friends and adventure partners since. Levi is a really, really good guy. Always wishing the best for everyone one and never having had an ill thought against anyone, you could cut him off in traffic daily and he'd just wave hello. Super kind and caring and a fun adventure partner, Levi is always willing to roll with the punches on any trip or life event with a smile on his face. An eternal optimist made of joy and a big heart, Levi is an incredible friend who Nate is always happy to belay. Levi currently is Bozeman's Bagel Barron as a part owner of Bagel Works where he spends his time, when he's not wandering, reading fantasy novels, napping, or hanging with his dog Frank and his lady Alaina.