Once upon a time in a galaxy far far away (Bellingham, Washington) ...

Kevin meets Alyssa in college at Students for Renewable Energy Club. Sparks don't fly.

Alyssa moves to Portland. Kevin needs housing. Their two worlds collide when Alyssa posts for a roommate on Facebook.

What follows is eleven months of platonic late night chats, jams around the fire, shared meals, getting to know each other more deeply.

Then one fateful night these two roommates went to the local dance club, the Goodfoot. And after cutting some serious rug they made their way back home. Kevin was heading to bed when Alyssa (technically his landlord), mule-kicked his bedroom door open and demanded, "Rent. Is. Due." She had a look on her face he'd never seen before. It was 2. a.m.

The rest is history, really.

Fast forward past moving to Michigan together, grad school across state lines, moving out to the valley between the Wallowa Mountains and the depths of Hells Canyon, buying a home, starting new careers, acquiring and then rehoming a dog (woops).

In March 2021 Kevin asks Alyssa to marry him while out skiing at Butcher Point, Eastern Oregon. He had rings made from a Gary Oak tree off her parents' property hidden in his ski bibs that he kept nervously squeezing hours before getting down on one knee. To everyone's surprise, she said yes!

In May 2021, Alyssa and Kevin decided on a Sunday to get married on Wednesday that week. Alyssa's sister, Becca, had a severe and rare illness called autoimmune encephalitis. They wanted her to be there for their wedding and the future was uncertain. So on May 22nd, 2021, surrounded by close family, they wed in the Healing Garden at Good Samaritan Hospital in Portland with Becca by their side. Becca would later pass away from her illness and they remain forever thankful she could share in this moment together.

On May 8th, 2022, a wiggly little girl named Ramona took three days to make her grand entrance into this world, making them a family of three. She hasn't stopped smiling or dancing since.

Kevin and Alyssa are now looking forward to sharing a bigger celebration with everyone they love. They still plan on a ceremony, vows, dinner, dancing and everything that we all have come to enjoy about weddings. But most importantly, they look forward to seeing you.

Until then,

The Vandenheuvel-Cudmore's (Kevin's still working on changing his last name, it's a process).