The Chandelier of Gruene

Wedding Day

Ceremony

Reception

Fall

Our Wedding

We matched during the summer of 2020 on Hinge, a popular dating app that allows either party to reach out first, and requires multiple photos and question prompts in a person's profile. After initially bonding over being "scholar champions" (WashU's re-brand of student athlete) from Texas, we continued to exchange messages and grow closer. We decided to try and meet up in person, and then figured out we were, in fact, living in cities 90 minutes apart and caught feelings. Whoops. We eventually agreed to meet up in St. Claire, a midpoint town with a Dairy Queen and local park. We spent the afternoon talking and laughing, and from then on have continued to enjoy and learn more about each other every day.

How We Met

Our first year together was tough because Chris was a new graduate in Houston interviewing and eventually working as a chemical engineer, while Caitlin was in her final year of her undergrad in St. Louis working on an economics/healthcare management double major and playing on the volleyball team. Although it was long distance, we did our best to spend intentional time together and actively communicate. We watched movies while chatting back and forth, played Minecraft and Call of Duty video games together, and stayed as engaged as possible in each others' lives. To this day, we value that year apart as it brought us closer as best friends and taught us communications skills which we might not have otherwise developed as quickly.

Our First Year

As you may be aware, we have two dogs named Susan and August. We adopted Susan in March of 2022 from the Almeda Humane Society in south Houston, 2 months after Caitlin moved to Houston to work full time and begin adult life. Susan, 4 months old at the time, came with that name and we kept it because it was too funny to change. We call her Susie, and she has always been our most faithful friend. She loves to run, especially to chase tennis balls and will even fetch them from ponds and pools. She is an independent woman, but at the same time has crippling separation anxiety eased only by her best friends August and Baxter (Janet and Steve Lorenz' dog). We adopted August in October of 2023 from Special Pals shelter in Katy, Texas. We had debated getting a second dog for the year prior, and eventually decided it was the best time to get Susie a companion while she was young enough to play but we knew her well enough to determine a good fit. August, exactly one year old at the time, was the sweetest and goofiest dog you ever saw and had already captured the hearts of the entire shelter staff. Ironically named Baxter by the shelter, we picked him because of his easy going nature, sweet disposition, and playfulness with Susie when they first met. He and Susie are great pals, and they all run in a pack when at the Lorenz San Antonio house with Baxter. August and Susie are excellent coworkers for Caitlin when she works from home, and we could not love them more for all of the joy they bring to our lives.

Getting Companions

After tying the knot, Caitlin will start her professional MBA at Rice University to hopefully graduate September of 2026. Chris will find his next position once his contract with Amazon expires, as he continues to gain new skills and experiences as a chemical and process engineer.

What's Next?

Our Story

Photos

Chris and Alex met in 2012 as freshmen in high school through the swim team. They quickly bonded, over being the only freshmen on the varsity team, and have been best friends ever since. Alex graduated from Brown University and currently lives in NYC working as a Financial Consultant with Kepler Cannon. In his spare time, Alex enjoys traveling the world, and following sports, especially F1 racing.

Alexander Smilenov

Chris and Dylan meet in 2016 as freshmen in college while studying Chemical Engineering, swimming, and being roommates at Missouri S&T. Dylan currently lives in Kentucky while working at Nucor. Chris and Dylan still keep in touch by playing video games together when they are both into the same game.

Dylan Friesz

Chris and Colten meet in 2016 as freshman in college while swimming at Missouri S&T. They quickly bonded over the "easy" Sprint Group practices and hitting the weight room hard. Colten lives in Kansas City, where he works for Ainstein developing innovative technologies. After a much needed break, Colten has resumed his swimming career with the local Masters league. 

Colten Becker

Chris and Glen meet in 2013 when Glen was a freshman in high school. Glen was the only member of his class that qualified for the varsity swim team, and quickly bonded over the similarity with Chris and Alex. Glen graduated from Stanford, and moved back to Houston where he took a job with Energy Edge Consulting as an Analyst. Glen continues to stay active as he has picked up biking to prepare for a future goal of doing an Iron Man.

Glen Cowand

Chris and Billy met in 2013 when Billy was a freshman in high school through the swim team. While on the team together, Billy, Chris, Alex and Glen became a force to be reckoned with (in and out of the pool) when they set a State Record in the 200 Freestyle Relay. Billy lives in Houston and is working as a PE coach at a local elementary school. Billy is also highly involved in teaching swim lessons in the community, and inspiring others to be passionate about fitness. 

William Fales

Cole is a brother of the groom and currently attending Coast Guard Flight School in Pensacola, FL. Upon graduation, Cole hopes to be part of the Coast Guards HITRON -  a drug interdiction squadron. In his free time, Cole engages in high thrill activities; such as sky diving, surfing, and Fortnite.

Nicholas Betts

Will is a brother of the groom and currently attending Texas A&M in College Station, TX. Upon graduation, Will hopes to use his degree in Mechatronics to transform the world. He is passionate in additive and subtractive manufacturing, such as, 3D printing and CNC machining.

William Betts

Colby is the older brother of the bride working as a Latin teacher in Katy, TX. He has two kittens named Lenny and Tortellini who are brother and sister and excellent companions. Colby is still an avid reader, and actively involved in running the Latin club at his school.

Colby Lorenz

Quinton is the younger brother of the bride attending Colorado School of Mines in Golden, CO, studying Mechanical Engineering and working towards his masters. Quinton is a member of the club Ultimate Frisbee team and the Swing Dancing club on campus. During college, Q has enjoyed outdoor activities such as hiking, mountain biking, and skiing.

Quinton Lorenz

Anita and Caitlin met as teammates on the WashU volleyball team, and have since grown closer despite their age gap. Anita aspires to be a Veterinarian after graduating early from WashU in the fall of 2024. In the future, Anita would love to adopt old dogs from shelters to shower them with love and affection during the final years of their lives. 

Anita Prybell

Julie and Caitlin met on the WashU volleyball team and served as co-captains during Caitlin's senior season. Julie and Caitlin bonded over a love for dogs and country music during their first year together at WashU, and eventually joined the Kappa Delta sorority in the same pledge class. Julie is currently a student at Vanderbilt University earning her Masters in Audiology, which is a lifelong passion of hers.

Julie Keener

Samm and Caitlin met during their time on the WashU volleyball team as freshmen, continuing through to senior year. Samm is currently working in New York on environmental sustainability. Samm is a frequent attendee of Lollapalooza, a music festival in Chicago which she attended a couple times with Abby, Micky, and Caitlin. 

Samm Kaiser 

Jordan and Caitlin met during the 5th grade when they had mutual friends on rival club basketball teams. They became friends when Jordan came to Rawlinson middle school as a seventh grader and she and Caitlin were co-captains of their school basketball teams from then until they both graduated high school. Jordan is currently an Austin ISD first grade teacher for ESL (english second language) students, and they adore her.

Jordan Ozene

Abby and Caitlin met on the WashU volleyball team as freshmen middle hitters, and bonded over a shared inability to keep their frames up (iykyk). Abby is currently a Program Manager in Global Procurement Services at Cisco, living her best life in San Jose, CA. Fun fact: Abby is obsessed with Dachshunds

Abby Li

Micky and Caitlin met on the WashU volleyball team as freshmen, and served as co-captains together their senior season. Micky played a fifth year at WashU while completing her master's, and then coached the year after. She is currently working as a consultant in Chicago.

Micky Bach

Genna and Caitlin met through mutual friends during the summer of 2020 at a backyard hang-out, and immediately hit it off. Genna and Caitlin bonded initially over a shared love of LANY, and have stayed close despite Genna graduating the fall of 2020 and moving to New York. In New York, Genna works for a fashion company and designs beautiful garments.

Genna Torgan

Wedding Party

Q + A

Please use the link to book within the room block for the preferred rate. NOTE* The rooms will be released from the discount block if not booked by July 17*

Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott New Braunfels

Courtyard by Marriott New Braunfels River Village

Travel

This is a sprawling waterpark that is a combination of three different park locations (a ticket gets you into all of them, and transportation between them), and is a great way to stay cool in the Texas heat. There are also options to stay on site if you'd prefer to choose this as your accommodations during your stay. If you do decide to visit the water park, we would suggest buying tickets online ahead of time to avoid increased prices at the door.

Schlitterbahn Waterpark New Braunfels

There are tons of local wineries in addition to this one! If you prefer whites, reds, or even Moscato's, there is a winery in the area for you.

Dry Comal Creek Vineyards

Float the Guadelupe or Comal rivers! Rent a tube and head over to the river for a relaxing two hour float with drinks and friends. Any of the local float companies will get you a tube and a ride to and from your car for this tubing adventure. Note that this is not a white water rafting adventure, but more of a sitting, drinking, enjoying the music and scenery 2-hour or more journey.

Whitewater Sports

Explore the&nbsp;<a href="https://naturalbridgecaverns.com/discoverytour/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Discovery Tour</a>, where state-of-the-art lighting illuminates massive, otherworldly formations formed by single drops of water and the slow passage of time. Or, explore our&nbsp;<a href="https://naturalbridgecaverns.com/hiddenwonderstour/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Hidden Wonders Tour</a>, where shadows dance over delicate formations and mystery awaits in every shadow. Take to the skies high above Texas as you ascend the&nbsp;<a href="https://naturalbridgecaverns.com/twisted-trails" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Twisted Trails</a>&nbsp;or for a true test, try tackling our&nbsp;<a href="https://naturalbridgecaverns.com/adventuretours/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Adventure Tours</a>. Experience a sense of discovery finding your way through our&nbsp;<a href="https://naturalbridgecaverns.com/amazenranch/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">AMAZEn’ Ranch Roundup</a>, a 5,000 square foot outdoor maze.

Natural Bridge Caverns

Check out the Hill Country Craft Brew Trail for lots of local Texas breweries in the area. Participating breweries included Big Hops, Bourbon &amp; Branch, BS Brewing, Krause’s, and Guadalupe Brewing Company, just to name a few.

Caitlin & Christopher

Caitlin & Christopher

Photos