The Lodge at Camp Red Cedar

Wedding Celebration

Our Wedding

Andrew and I met in the ER at Parkview Randallia back in 2020. I was a new grad nurse and Andrew was a (very charming) police officer for the hospital. When I first got started in the department I was pretty nervous to be starting IV's. Sometime in the wee hours of the morning, my preceptor and I waddled up to Andrew and asked him if he'd be willing to be my test subject for inserting IV's on someone with tattoos. You may not be able to tell by looking at him, but the military man covered in tattoos, who jumped out of planed for a living, is terrified of needles. He obliged anyways (later he admitted it was only because he thought I was cute at the time) and I proceeded to practice my skills. To my surprise I was successful on my first try! Yay! Stuck that needle right through the nostril of a skull he has tattooed on his left forearm! Little did we know this was actually the start a great friendship that quickly bloomed. As the holidays came and went, we spent many of them together celebrating with our mutual friends from the hospital. I was engaged at the time and Andrew was asking me for his own relationship advice. When he got wind of us spending time together, his brother ever so kindly asked Andrew on the phone, "What's this one's name?" referring to me! I don't think I could have ever imagined we would end up in a relationship ourselves! Life happened, loss happened, and Andrew was there through it all. Andrew not only supported me, but my family as well. He was immediately accepted into our family as he was so funny, charismatic, caring, patient, and kind, all while taking care of me during the lowest time of my life. He never seemed to mind that he was joining a now broken family that seemed to continue growing smaller as the months went on. Andrew and I quickly set out to explore the world starting in Branson Missouri and continuing to Chicago, Ohio, Jamaica, the Caymen Islands, Michigan, Gatlinburg, Washington DC, Louisville, Bloomington, and Florida (more times than Andrew wants to admit) and we can't wait to continue the traveling journey! Andrew's daughter, Maya, soon became the tiniest blessing I never knew I needed; his brother Jonathan, the brother I never had; and his sister Mandie (and her family) the additional siblings, niece, and nephews I always needed. Helping Maya explore the world with the small amount of family we have is easily one of my favorite things to do in our off time! We never shy from adventure! Over time as Andrew and my relationship bloomed, we both realized that the world we were creating for ourselves, and our family, was one that would be wasted if it didn't last a lifetime. Andrew proposed at Country Heritage winery in November of 2023. (We were the first proposal in the cellar room!) How exciting! We are now planning a small and intimate ceremony in one of our favorite adventure spots, Gatlinburg Tennessee and look forward to celebrating with everyone when we return from our ceremony! The best is yet to come! Cheers!

Ashley & Andrew

Ashley & Andrew

A&A

Wedding Celebration