The West Virginia Botanic Garden

Wedding Day Events

Outdoor Seating Area

Ceremony

Cocktail Hour

Reception

Fall

There is limited parking, so we recommend carpooling if at all possible.

Our Wedding

It all started with a swipe! In December 2018, I had just returned from Australia and was about to start my final semester at WVU. David had just moved back to WV and was living in Preston, but traveling to Morgantown daily to work out and stay with Doug. After our five hour first date at Dunkin' Donuts and a NYE celebration, our relationship officially began.&nbsp; We bonded over our mutual love of sports both as spectators and participants, and have built an active lifestyle together that allows us to support one another as teammates and encourage one another to achieve our individual goals. We have attended countless WVU and Pittsburgh sporting events (supporting them all but the Steelers). We support one another in playing slowpitch and beer league ice hockey and previously in football and basketball leagues. After quarantining together, we even began our journey coaching middle school softball together as a team. We are also far too competitive with one another in pickleball, golf, kickball, disc golf, and random yard games. David, as a previous strength coach and strongman competitor, brought me back into the gym culture and it has led us to meet so many incredible people.&nbsp; We have been living together for 5 years as our family slowly has taken shape to include our adorable dog Roxy, our sassy and independent cat Reese, and our wild child cat Raj. When we had been together for 5 years, David finally proposed with the help of Mandy. They had arranged a photo shoot at Cooper's Rock to get "summer pictures" (despite the fact that we have hundreds of beach photos together). Mandy artfully posed David to display the ring without showing it to me before I finally turned around and he was down on one knee. With my decision to leave teaching and attend law school, David and I had an intimate courthouse wedding ceremony with family, but we are so excited to share a larger, more traditional celebration with our friends and family!

Our Story

Photos

Bridesmaids

Marilyn is my older sister.  Her being three years older than myself we have shared every event, activity, and milestone throughout our lives together. She and I share intimate nostalgic references we would exclusively understand (such as the real story of how I crashed my bike,  why we hate Denny's, and a secret knock) and can communicate via raised eyebrows. As young adults we continue to spend time together playing softball, traveling, and random hyper-competitive endeavors like pickleball and disc golf. She is thoughtful and caring, detail oriented, and resolute in her pursuits. Marilyn is a Nurse Practitioner and lives in Morgantown with her wife Corin. 

Marilyn DeSantis 

Mandy joined our family as my second older sister when I was in elementary school. I was the annoying younger sister tagging along to taco bell, fetching the bats for their travel softball team, or sitting in the middle seat on the way to the beach. Mandy has watched me grow up and has challenged me to become the best that I can be (except when she was force feeding me tequila shots on my 21st birthday). Recently we have strengthened our relationship supporting each other through some difficult seasons of life and sharing our obsessive reading habits and recommendations. Mandy is the protector of the realm of my mental health and boundaries. She works at the FBI and lives in Lost Creek with her husband, Adam.

Mandy Newman

I first met Kaeley in sixth grade, when she was moved to sit next to me in health class in hopes that it would make her stop talking. It clearly didn't work. We became immediately inseparable the way only tween girls can be. We did everything together from sword fighting with our hockey sticks, getting doughnuts and fast food after powerskating, dropping it low to Ke$ha at middle school dances, creatively killing our Sims, and reading vampire romance obsessively. After she moved to Virginia in high school and California for college, our visits became less frequent, but more meaningful and valuable. Kaeley is incredibly intelligent, level-headed, and fun-loving. I would say adventurous, but her fear of heights limits that description a touch. She has a doctorate in nuclear engineering and currently resides in Georgia with her husband, Josh.

Kaeley Stevens, Ph. D.

I met Lourdes when I was a freshman in college, rushing Pi Beta Phi. She became my third big sister after claiming ownership of me as her "little". Lourdes was my roommate in college when I lived in our sorority house; watching trash TV, sitting in my section while I waitressed, pulling me into a hot tub during a social, getting kicked out of philanthropies, wobbling too hard in an Applebee's, ordering for me in Spanish, always offering me a reassuring and compassionate ear, and taking care of me in so many ways for so many years. Lourdes is the most loyal, dedicated friend who will be down for anything to spend quality time together (even driving a cumulative 7 hours to watch me play ball). Lourdes is a social worker who lives in Virginia. 

Lourdes Sandoval

Nicole and I played softball together and against each other as kids, even playing on the same travel team in our teen years. Since then, she has become my life secretary. She is subjected to my constant company as my previous assistant at work, my assistant coach, my teammate on no less than 3 teams at a time, and occasional social outings when she isn't sick of me. Nicole is there for every milestone and milemarker and doesn't hesitate to go the extra mile for those she cares about. She exemplifies friendship, dedication, and empathy. Nicole is an Autism Mentor/Paraprofessional who lives in Morganotwn and loves to travel extensively. 

Nicole Walker

I met Moriah my Sophomore year of college when we were seated next to each other in Biology. Our program required that we select a "critical friend" to peer review our submissions and projects, and she has been nothing but critical to my life since.  After graduation, I moved in to the apartment next door and we established the "Critical Friend Bookclub", hosted annual Halloween parties, played for her family kickball team, and spent hours upon hours drinking wine snuggled into her couch.  She is the hardest worker I've ever seen and would give anyone the shirt off of her back. Moriah is a elementary school teacher at Mountainview Elementary, living in Morgantown with her husband, Winston.

Moriah Walcott

I am 100% sure that I punched Jana in the face before I formally met her a few years ago in the apartment rented by one of David's best friends (and owned by Moriah's parents!). We played hockey against each other when we were tweens and I had to hit her to keep up with her. Jana is originally from Pittsburgh. Jana joined our friend group a few years ago when she began to date Kenny, one of David's best friends and our officiant. She is so sweet and thoughtful, never missing an opportunity to help and support those around her. She is present for every celebration, big and small, with a perfectly coordinated gift to present. Jana is in medical school at WVU, living in Charleston with her boyfriend, Kenny.

Jana Garrow

Groomsmen

Kenny grew up with David in Albright. They played video games, wrestled, and knocked each other unconscious throughout those formative years. After reconnecting with David more consistently, he unofficially moved in with us in our first apartment; over-confidently eating the spiciest Indian food, making his bed daily as if he were not returning, and dedicating himself to the gym. He is currently living with his amazing girlfriend in Charleston and working as a CNA.

Kenny Bolyard

Peanut brings calm and comedic energy to any event or outing. David and Peanut grew up together in Albright; playing video games and sports together. As adults they continue to play video games together nearly nightly and Peanut pretends not to laugh when he beats us at golf.  Peanut is the proud, involved father of a two-year-old boy and has another baby on the way. He lives in Morgantown with his beautiful wife Paige and works at a dispensary. 

Joseph (Peanut) Boyles

Drew is great at pretending I annoy him and that I'm not hilarious. He and David played football together in high school at Preston High and shared some bonding experiences running as punishment because their teammates hit on Drew's mom. David (and eventually myself) have crashed his family vacation on an annual basis, and were roommates in college. Drew and David endured interesting neighbors, dirty dishes, and Drew's Dad attempting to pants them at every opportunity. Drew lives in Morgantown with his cat, Oliver, and performs inspections.

Drew Fultz

Rob and David were roommates in college, living on Little Caesar's pizzas, basketball at the rec, and fifty cent mixed drinks. He and David were in the same Physical Education cohort (with particularly interesting anecdotes about their experiences in dance class). We have enjoyed getting snowed in to a ski cabin, lake days, and cookouts together. Rob lives in Paden City, West Virginia with his wife, Emily. He is a veteran of the U.S. Marines and works wearing many hats as a football and basketball coach, athletic director, and physical education teacher. 

Rob Price

Doug and David grew up together in Preston County attending Sunday school at their church. In college, these two reconnected when David was recognized by his calves at the gym. Doug housed David upon his return to West Virginia; working out together, getting kicked out of Fat's, and moving an absurd number of sofas. My favorite adventure has been the time we sunk Doug's kayak in Cheat Lake. Doug is a pharmacist and lives in Morgantown with his wife, Carrie. 

Doug Wilson

We met Dee at Anybody Fitness. Countless workouts and lengthy rest between sets led to adopting him into the friend group to share backyard cookouts, strongman competitions, and  video games. Dee brings the most supportive energy to any event and is always down for whatever adventure comes along. Dee lives in Morgantown with his girlfriend Kenz. 

Dee Ross

James played on the Smash with David. We enjoy randomly running into him at the gym,  sharing dinners out together, talking video games and computers, and all of the support and entertainment provided from their snap streak communication. James works in cybersecurity and lives in Morgantown with his girlfriend, Allison. 

James Seago

Meet the Wedding Party

Q + A

Travel

Things to Do

Registry

Visiting from out of town? Consider checking out some of our favorite local haunts!&nbsp; Coffee &amp; Breakfast:&nbsp;- Grandma’s Kitchen&nbsp;- Iron Horse Tavern&nbsp;- Table 9- Peace, Love, &amp; Little Donuts- Blue Moose- The Coffee Tree Roasters Restaurants &amp; Bars:&nbsp;- The Boston Beanery&nbsp;- Taziki's&nbsp;- Ogawa&nbsp;- Apple Annie’s&nbsp;- Homegrown Pizza- Draft&nbsp;- Short Story&nbsp;- Bacon, Bourbon, &amp; Beer- Mountain State Brewing Company- Apothecary Ale House- Black Bear Burritos Dessert:&nbsp;- Almost Heaven Desserts &amp; Coffee Shop- Dari-Delite- Mountaineer Country Ice Cream- Pop! The Soda Shop- The Tea Shoppe Entertainment:&nbsp;- Hoot &amp; Howl&nbsp;- Hiking (Cooper’s Rock, Valley Falls, Arboretum, Botanic - Garden)- Cryptid Mountain Mini Golf- Levels Arcade- Forks of Cheat Winery- Mountain Man Axe Throwing

Jamie & David

Jamie & David

Visiting Guests' Guide to Morgantown