The Starting Gate at GreatHorse

Wedding Day

Ceremony

Reception

Our Wedding

Kristina and Orrin first met as teenagers at Shepherd Hill High School, where their love story began in the glow of stage lights and shared harmonies. They found each other in choir rooms, on theater stages, and in show choir rehearsals — bonding over music, laughter, and a connection that felt effortless from the start. They went to junior and senior prom together, young and hopeful, before life gently pulled them in different directions for college.Over the next decade, their paths crossed here and there — brief intersections of what once was — but the timing was never quite right. They were growing into themselves, chasing dreams, learning hard lessons, and becoming the people they were meant to be. Though they walked separate roads, something unspoken always lingered.Then on May 10, 2019 — with a little liquid courage, perhaps a little fate, and a hopeful heart — Orrie sent a simple friend request. It was small. Almost insignificant. But to Kristina, it felt like a door cracking open. Sometimes love doesn't end, it just waits for the right time to begin again.That summer was never meant to be anything more than a fleeting chapter. Kristina was preparing to move to Iowa for veterinary school, and neither of them expected that the spark would catch fire again. But it did. What began as “just a summer fling” became late-night conversations that stretched until sunrise, spontaneous adventures, and the quiet realization that some connections don’t disappear — they wait.As summer faded and Iowa loomed, uncertainty crept in. Orrin wasn’t sure he believed in long distance. Kristina, however, believed in them. Before she set off on her cross-country journey, she left him a “Don’t Forget Me” care package — letters to open weekly until she returned for winter break, she hoped this would keep her in Orrie's mind while she was away. A tender insurance policy for love. In hindsight, she didn’t need to worry — they talked every single day.When Orrin made his first trip to Iowa that fall, something shifted. The miles didn’t feel so heavy anymore. By Kristina’s first Creighton Christmas, Orrin proudly introduced her as his girlfriend. From that moment on, there was no more question — they were building something lasting; From then on they both knew they would never be parted.The following year, Orrin moved to Iowa, standing beside Kristina as she navigated the long days and sleepless nights of veterinary school, working full time while building a life together. Their Iowa years became one of the greatest adventures of their lives — filled with new friendships, quiet countryside drives, and dreams taking shape.During the spring semester of Kristina’s third year, Orrin asked her to take one of their familiar sunset drives through the countryside. Beneath a sky painted in colors he asked her to spend forever with him. It was simple. It was magical. It was always meant to be.After graduation, surrounded by family and friends, they made their migration back to Massachusetts and bought their first home in Brimfield — a cozy cottage filled with love, laughter, six beloved cats (Kirk, McCoy, Nimo, Whimsy, Fable, and Fig), their faithful dog Charlie, two snakes (Merlin and Juniper), and their twenty-two chickens who rule the yard (whom I won't name, but could upon request);What began as high school sweethearts, separated by time and circumstance, became a love that proved timing is everything — and that some souls simply find their way back to each other.Now, after years of growing, waiting, choosing each other again and again, Kristina and Orrin cannot wait to finally celebrate their wedding day surrounded by the people they love most — the beginning of the next beautiful chapter in a story that was always meant to be. ✨

The Best Happenstance 

Our Story

Photos

Kaitlin Nowicki

Heather Beebe

Brittany Byers 

Caitlin Ferguson

Dave Moulton

Harley Creighton

James Young

Jeff Nowicki

Kennedy Nowicki

Elliette Nowicki

Wilhelmina Nowicki

Lockwood Nowicki

Macklin Nowicki

Wedding Party

Q + A

**Our wedding, unfortunately, occurs during the same timeframe as the Big-E; Due to this, most hotels in the area are requiring two night minimum stays. Luckily, the MGM is not! However, we recommend booking stays well in advance due to higher demand for hotels September 18-October 4.** We have a limited room block which can be found here: &nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://book.passkey.com/go/SCHE0926SP" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://book.passkey.com/go/SCHE0926SP</a>

Kristina & Orrin

Kristina & Orrin

K&O

Wedding Day

Ceremony

Reception