Reveille United Methodist Church

Wedding Day

Wedding

Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, Amuse Room

Reception

Our Wedding

We have always told the story differently. We both had such a clear "this is where it starts"&nbsp;moment, but it didn't happen in the same way for both of us.&nbsp; For that reason, we decided to each write our version of Our Story&nbsp;after we got engaged,&nbsp;and then we&nbsp;shared them with each other. We think between the two it's a pretty good representation of who and how we are, and we hope you like reading them&nbsp;:)&nbsp;

How It Happened

Julian and I met in March 2013, and had our first date a week later. We were set up by my sorority sisters for the “Perfect Pairs” date function, something that still makes me smile when I think about it! Julian and I hit it off immediately, and had our second date a day later. We quickly realized that we had found something special -- someone who could be a friend, ally, and partner.

Julian and I have both always valued our independence, and being able to be independently together has always been a cornerstone of our relationship. We love each other so deeply because we push each other to do and see things we don’t feel brave enough to do on our own. When I wanted to backpack for three months from Europe to Asia, Julian was quick to encourage me to go. He knew that even though it would be hard, it was something I needed to do for myself. When Julian moved to DC for a new job and was almost immediately transferred to Australia, I encouraged him to go because I knew he needed that experience too. Since then, we have each forged our own paths, but we have always done it with the other’s support and love. Time and again, this has made us a stronger couple and better friends. 





Julian and I have been there for each other through incredibly hard times, including the loss of several dear friends and family members. We’ve also celebrated some of the best times of our lives together. We’ve windsurfed,&nbsp;sky dived, bungee jumped,&nbsp;and snorkeled. We've&nbsp;explored Thailand,&nbsp;played with tiger cubs, rode elephants, and tasted everything in sight. We've driven&nbsp;from DC to Canada in the dead of winter, tasting ice wine and braving the cold. The summer before Julian started full-time work in DC, we made another long trek to Acadia, Maine and talked about our future together the whole way. That was one of the best car rides I’ve ever had! Julian has been my partner in so much, and he is the best friend in the world. We are kindred spirits, and I cannot believe how lucky I am to be so in love with someone who&nbsp;so perfectly compliments me! 





We both thrive on&nbsp;the unknown, so when Julian said he wanted to plan a full day of surprises for my birthday this year, I couldn’t wait. The day started with coffee (as every good day must), incredible massages, cupcakes and champagne, and a great southern-style brunch. Julian took us on a tour of the Renwick museum and we walked lazily around the National Mall, just enjoying being together on a perfect fall day. He took us to Constitution Gardens by the Reflection Pool, and I could see he was getting a little nervous! Then, he got down on one knee and I immediately burst into tears as my best friend in the world asked me to spend the rest of my life with him. It’s the easiest yes I’ve ever said! Julian had organized a surprise engagement party, and bursting with happiness we were greeted by our parents, my brother, our future Maids of Honor and Best Man, and so many wonderful friends. It was the best day of my life, and now I am so excited for all of the incredible days that we will share together in the future!

Katie's Version 

Katie and Julian met on an evening unlike any other. It was a cold, snowy night in March, a few days before the first break of the spring semester at their first fraternity and sorority mixer. Julian had been out of class for several hours, with BAC level to prove it. Meanwhile Katie, true to her character, had been working a nine&nbsp;hour waitress shift at a much-beloved bar in the Charlottesville area where the mixer was held. After failing out of several different conversations, Julian saw Katie from across the way, and thought that (on an off-chance), she would entertain the notion of an introductory conversation. After what he recalls to be a flawless introduction, Julian found himself head over heels in love with the girl of his dreams. It took but a few moments for him to realize she was the one. Katie, on the other hand, required some convincing.

After convincing Katie’s friends to set Julian up on a blind date with the bride-to-be, they had their very first date – a Perfect Pairs date function. Julian dressed up as a zoo keeper, while Katie dressed up as a cheetah – the costumes could not have more accurately predicted the roles that each of them would play in their budding relationship. The date function, too, brought out their true personalities: there was a hors d’oeveurs buffet right next to the dance floor. While the music was good, so were the steak and cheese eggrolls&hellip; it’s safe to assume they did not move more than five feet from that table the entire night.

Over the months (and years) to come, Julian and Katie fell in love with one another, and found themselves in a dream-come-true situation. While still young in their lives, each knew that there was something more they had found in the other person – a piece of themselves, and a piece of who they each wanted to be. They shared an appreciation for the world and all of its treasures, and the desire to travel it twice over. They both loved the outdoors, coffee, wine and home cooked food (though we’re still working on that one). With their love in-hand, and no map to follow, they began an epic journey that has lead them (and you) to this very day!

Julian's Version 

We would like to express our sincere thanks and appreciation to all the friends and family who have been so incredibly supportive of our relationship and goals. Following our union in love, we will continue to live in the Washington, D.C. Over the next few years, we plan to fulfill our&nbsp;&nbsp;mutual goal of living abroad, traveling the world, and maybe even piling on some additional student debt ☺

We thank you for joining us on this special occasion, and we can't wait&nbsp;to celebrate with you!

To Infinity, And Beyond!

Our Story

The Ceremony

4200 Cary Street Rd, Richmond, VA The ceremony will be held at Reveille United Methodist Church in the main sanctuary&nbsp;on September 1, 2018.&nbsp;

The Reception

Virginia Museum of Fine Arts (VMFA)

200 N Boulevard, Richmond, VA The reception will be held in the VMFA's Amuse. Amuse is located on the third floor, just past the South Asian art gallery. Guest are encouraged to explore the gallery before the reception and during &nbsp;cocktail hour.&nbsp;

Post-Recception

Capital Ale House

623 E Main St, Richmond, VA Still want to celebrate after the reception?&nbsp;Come join us at Capital Ale House!&nbsp;Located just a short walk from the Omni Hotel (where we have our room block) we'll be playing games and hanging out on the patio until they kick us out :)

Attire

Formal 

Details

Wedding Party

Photos

Q + A

Registry

We have&nbsp;a&nbsp;limited number of rooms in a&nbsp;block with the Omni Hotel for Friday, Saturday, and Sunday night* for a rate of $150/night. If you would like to book a room,&nbsp;please use the link below or call Omni reservations at 1-800-843-6664.

The hotel is conveniently located a short distance from the wedding and the reception, and offers a free shuttle service for drop off or pick up at both locations. It is also close to Julian and Katie's favorite bars, where we plan to head after the reception!&nbsp;

 

*If needed, you can also book Thursday night by calling the Omni.&nbsp;

Omni Richmond Hotel

Travel

Things to Do

While you're here...

We're so happy that all of you are coming to Richmond for our wedding, and we hope that you'll stay for a few extra days to explore all the awesome things it has to offer.&nbsp;Please find a few of our favorite restaurants and things to do below, and don't hesitate to reach out if you'd like some more recommendations!&nbsp;For more ideas, check out <a href="https://www.visitrichmondva.com/things-to-do/" target="_blank">Visit Richmond</a> and feel free to reach out to Julian or Katie.&nbsp;

Restaurants

For breakfast, we absolutely love <a href="https://www.allmenus.com/va/richmond/285212-the-black-sheep/menu/">Black Sheep</a>, <a href="https://www.toastrva.com/menus/">Toast</a>, <a href="https://www.hutchrva.com/">Hutch</a>, and <a href="http://rooseveltrva.com/">The Roosevelt</a>.

If you're hungry for lunch or dinner&nbsp;and it's nice out, you should check out Carytown!&nbsp;It's a great area of town to walk around, grab a bite to eat, and shop. You can&nbsp;get incredible food ranging from burgers (<a href="http://www.carytownburgers.com/">Carytown Burgers and Fries</a>), to Italian (<a href="http://maryangelaspizzeria.com/">Mary Angela’s</a>), to Thai (<a href="http://www.momsiam.com/">Mom Siam</a>). If you’re looking for something closer to the hotel&nbsp;and wings are your go to, check out <a href="http://ensuboca.com/">En Su Boca</a>. If you’re looking for great Cuban food, it’s all about <a href="http://www.havana59.net/menu/">Havana 59</a> or <a href="http://www.kubakuba.info/">Kuba Kuba</a>. Also, <a href="http://www.lopossum.com/">L'Opposum</a> was just rated the #1 restaurant in the South!&nbsp;If you want to check it out, be sure to make a reservation in advance.&nbsp;

On Sunday morning, you can go check out the&nbsp;local foods, farm picks, and craft goods at the <a href="https://www.visitrichmondva.com/listings/17th-street-farmers-market/65/">17th Street Farmers Market in Shockoe Bottom</a>!If you're thirsty, you're in luck!&nbsp;Richmond was named the <a href="https://www.visitrichmondva.com/drink/richmond-beer-trail/">#1 Beer Destination</a>&nbsp;in the world for 2018&nbsp;(we can't believe it either).&nbsp;Be sure to spend time checking out some of the many awesome breweries. Personal favorites include Hardywood, Legend, Lickinghole, and Three Notch'd.&nbsp;

Activities

Richmond has an incredibly vibrant music and arts scene. It has grown exponentially in recent years as VCU has expanded and improved its arts program.&nbsp;If you want to see great live music while you're in town, you’ve got to go to <a href="http://www.rvafirstfridays.com/">Friday Cheers</a> at Brown’s Isle or <a href="http://innsbrookafterhours.com/">Innsbrook After Hours</a> for an outdoor show. <a href="http://www.thenationalva.com/">The National</a> or <a href="http://www.thecanalclub.com/">The Canal Club</a> are great spots for an indoor show, and they often get big-name headliners. If you're looking for art, be sure to get to town in time for&nbsp;<a href="http://www.rvafirstfridays.com/">First Friday’s</a>&nbsp;art show.

If you're outdoorsy, there&nbsp;are lots of options on the James River, including kayaking, rock climbing, swimming, paddle boarding, hiking, and biking. Check out one of the many outdoor adventure groups (like <a href="http://www.riversideoutfitters.net/">Riverside Outfitters</a>) for rentals and tours. You can also&nbsp;hike or <a href="http://rvabikerental.com/">rent bikes</a> to explore the <a href="http://virginiacapitaltrail.org/trail/map/">Virginia Capital Trail</a>. This is especially fun&nbsp;if you end with a beer at <a href="http://www.legendbrewing.com/index.asp">Legends Brewery</a>.



<a href="https://maymont.org/">Maymont Park</a> is another great place to go, especially if you have kids. You can check out the petting zoo, Japanese gardens, waterfall, Maymont Mansion, the nature museum, or just walk around it's looping park paths for hours. It's a Richmond favorite, and a great place to spend a couple hours (or your whole day)!



If you’re interested in learning about RVa’s history while you’re here, check out the <a href="http://www.smv.org/">Science Museum of Virginia</a>, the Hollywood Cemetery, or the <a href="https://acwm.org/">Civil War Museum at Tredegar Island</a>. 



One of the most “Richmond” things you can do is to see a move at the&nbsp;<a href="http://byrdtheatre.com/">Byrd Theater</a>&nbsp;in Carytown. The theater is very historic, and on weekends the Mighty Wurlitzer (complete with organ and organ player) rises out of the stage floor to perform a few songs before your movie starts. Finish off the night with ice cream at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bevsicecream.com/">Bev’s</a>&nbsp;and you’ll feel like you’ve been here for years!



 



&nbsp;

Katie & Julian