we're tying the knot!

We will be married in a private ceremony with our families in Iceland! Please join us October 5th, 2024 for our 21+ reception and celebration in Indianapolis.

Written from the perspective of one Monsieur Aaron Stroude: "All this happened, more or less." -KV We met in the fall of 2020, in the throes of a global pandemic on what was supposed to be a camping trip...designed exclusively around a group of ex-runners collecting miles running the shores of Lake Michigan. Aaron...tagging along and running with his former roommate, Michael. Kayla...venturing north on her first camping trip with her then-boyfriend-and-lover. The weather that weekend was incredible...those fall days that push 60 degrees, followed by nights that drop in to the 30's, giving you a chance to craft a roaring fire that will warm the body right down to the bones. The weekend, to its credit, did consist of great runs for those participating, and allowed for plenty of time to relax in nature's beauty for those not (Kayla and a gaggle of dogs). Following the sandy, Saturday morning runs saw us all engaged in your standard late-20's debauchery...beer, hot dogs, campsite games, walks on the beach, and general conversation among new friends. Legend has it that local fungi found its way in to the chex snack mix, but I'm not here to speculate. This is simply a recounting of the greatest love story ever told. As the day soldiered on, more time was spent exploring the beach near camp. For my part, the beer, hot dogs, and Chex Mix had me feeling finer than wine. I, like most folks I'd wager, was quite stunned with Kayla's beauty, fun-loving nature, and general willingness to go with the flow of the day. I was smitten, but saintly. She had a fella, and Michael knew him well. That was that. However, that didn't stop me from the typical pea-cocking behavior of young males: the liquid fun saw me running with Bentley Dog through the already-frigid waters of Lake Michigan, splashing and cackling like a schoolboy. And I could see her watching, smiling, and laughing at the sight of it all. It was something. Later that evening, a few of us, driven mostly by Kayla and myself, mandated we walk to the pier for the sunset. Who doesn't love a sunset over water? You'd be surprised...as someone in our little party didn't seem to enjoy the finer functions of the universe around us... "Wow. Cool. A sunset...never seen that before." I won't name names, but they were with Kay. "Get em outta here," I thought to myself. As darkness quickly set in, I stayed put. Sunsets are great, but clear autumn skies are even better. The stars began to appear...a thousand suns glistening over the water. I pulled out my phone and aimed it skyward, triple-checking constellation and planet locations, and boom. A touch on my elbow. "Is that so you can see what planets are visible?!" The nerd that is every bit of my soul was both taken aback and feeling really damn cool. My backyard hobby grabbed the attention of that girl. No pea-cocking from me this time, simply doing the quirky things I always do. Maybe I should start identifying trees next. I passed my phone over to Kayla and let her point it around, identifying stars and constellations for herself. I thought back to just a half-hour ago... "Wow. Cool. A sunset...never seen that before." I laughed, looking out at the "sunrise" of the distant suns before us. This didn't mean much in the moment, but that memory will be vivid forever. Sunday morning saw us all packing to leave, but being the faux-connoisseur that I am, I mandated my car would be stopping at a winery before home. I was pleased to hear Kayla's car would also be stopping. I must stress again, there were absolutely no seedy intentions. I was simply pleased. We parted ways, but not before group photos. Ask me about them sometime. They're great. It wasn't long after that I heard the news. Kayla no longer had Lil Fella around. Things happen, I suppose. But I recalled our star-crossed evening on the chilly shores of Lake Michigan, and I thought about how full and understood I felt in that moment. I shot my shot.