Rehearsal Dinner

Hazelnut Farm Events

Wedding Day

Ceremony

Reception

Our Wedding

We have been going to school together since 6th grade (Go Colonels!!). Fast forward to 11th grade when we had AP Psychology together and Nic sat in front of me. We got to know each other through group work. We would have half days each month where our schedules were all messed up and we would end our days in Psychology. On those days we would always walk out of school together to the Junior lot. In 12th grade we had College Algebra together where Nic once again sat in front of me. Nic would always throw my papers instead of nicely handing them to me. Keep in mind I am not the best at math, but Nic would always try to cheat off me. Nic went to WKU for freshman year and I went to UofL. In between Freshman and Sophomore year of College, we both started working at EP Tom Sawyer State Park with some of our very best friends. We had long talks in the ticket booth getting to know each other. When Nic finally got my number, he would text me to bring him candy bars almost every shift we worked together. We both moved into our Louisville Apartments in early August and started hanging out outside of work. In late August Nic asked me to be his girlfriend, at that time I told him, 'not until you take me on an official date'. On August 29th, 2014 we went on our first date to Tumbleweed. He asked me to be his girlfriend and this time I told him 'yes'.

How We Met...(Bride's Version)

I knew Nicole in high school but I left for college at WKU. I left after a semester and transferred to UofL and in the summer before Chandler Elizabeth Besser said to me “you should work with me at Tom Sawyer and date Nicole Kirby and fall in love and get married 10 years from now” and I said “ok sounds great”. And now here we are&nbsp;😊 How we met (for real):Nicole and I had a few classes together in high school and got to know each other through mutual friends. I thought she was really cute and tried to flirt with her, but I must not have been very compelling, plus I think she was kinda scared of me. Despite that, she’d still let me walk with her to her car after class.&nbsp; After transferring from WKU to UofL early in college, my buddy got me a job working the ticket booth at Tom Sawyer Park. Who knew working a summer job at the pool for minimum wage was the best decision of my life? I worked in the ticket booth alone while Nicole and her friends ran the snack shack between sessions of hazing me as “Fresh Meat”. Nicole would visit, chit chat 80% of our conversation, and bring me candy – a tradition we continue to this day.&nbsp; Summer ended and we started class again and I couldn’t let her get away, so we started hanging out. I was crazy about her, so I asked her to be my girlfriend, to which she said, “not until you take me on a real date”. I picked her up for a fancy date to Tumbleweed and Tinseltown, followed by 10 great years of “real” dates.

How We Met...(Groom's Version)

March 15th, 2024 was the date we got engaged. Nic was on a two week break from his first year of residency. I took off both Fridays so that we could spend some extra time together. Our deal was Nic would plan the first Friday, March 15th and I would plan the second Friday. In the days leading up to Nic's planned day, he would not give me any hints on what we were doing. I was of course panicking because I wasn't sure what outfit would be best. Eventually Nic told me the first half of the day. First Half of the day: Farm Day Tour for us at Hermitage Farms. This package included a tour of the farm, picnic lunch, bourbon tasting and horse tour. Second Half of the day: Went to dinner at Malone's. I thought it was a little weird that Nic kept going to the bathroom, but I just thought he drank too much water. Then he finally told me that we were going to go for a walk at Tom Sawyer State Park. That is when I figured out that he would be proposing. Nic and I walked to the back of the park and he took me through a walking trail. Once we got to the end of the trail, there was large white letters that said 'Marry Me'. Nic got down on one knee and asked me to marry him and I said 'yes'.

Proposal...(Bride's Version)

After supporting me through college and medical school, I started residency (aka my first real job) July 2023. I started saving up like never before to get Nicole a ring. Somehow, I mustered the patience to wait another couple months before the right time to ask her. I was on break from work and she took a few days off so we could hang out and I got to plan one. All month I’d been sneaking around taking her parents out to dinner without my phone so she couldn’t see my location, building the “Marry Me” sign saying I was doing my taxes, scouting out spots at Tom Sawyer, and not telling her the plan for that Friday instead telling her we were going to Applebee’s and the BMX park. We had a big farm day at Hermitage Farms with tours, lunch, and a bourbon tasting, followed by a nice 3pm dinner at Malone’s where I suspiciously kept going to the bathroom to text our friends who were helping me coordinate everything, and because I was nervously drinking too much water. After dinner we went for a strenuous hike though Tom Sawyer where we reminisced while I tried not to sprint us to the ask site. Luckily, I’d taken her on a “real date” so when I got down to propose she said yes.

Proposal...(Groom's Version)

Our Story

Photos through the years...

Proposal

Engagment

Photos

Jenn and I met during sorority recruitment at the University of Louisville. We quickly became best friends and she eventually became my little. 

Jennifer Barth

I can’t remember how I met Dan, but it feels like I’ve known him my whole life.

Daniel Kemper

Eric is my little brother and we have been buds for 25 years. 

Eric Kirby

We played football together since middle school, where he narrowly escaped with his life. Allegedly he’s the whole reason Nicole and I started dating.

Chandler Besser

Tori and I are still not sure how we became friends, however, we have been friends since high school and were roommates in college. 

Tori Daland

Alex and I met in elementary school and have done everything together, Eagle Scouts, football, college, and medical school.

Alex Myers

Mariah and I met in 8th grade and bonded over our dislike for math class. We have been besties ever since. 

Mariah Minor

I met John “Brunch Papa” Manning in middle school and my life and sense of humor have never been the same.

John Manning

Kayla and I have been friends since high school. Our senior year, we had every single class together. 

Kayla Coile

The arch-instigator, Brett, and I played football together since middle school and bonded over metal music and weightlifting.

Brett Strnad

We met playing football in high school and Blake “OLLI” and Cletus “The Sheriff” have been looking out for me and Nicole at bar crawls and bonfires ever since.

Blake Johnson

After playing football together since middle school, this man taught me everything I know, from riding a bike to how to calculate valence electron spin.

Cory Bryant

I met Arjun through my little brother Eric. Arjun quickly become another little brother to me. 

Arjun Mahajan

Family in everything but blood, Dallas and I met in high school where we were thick as thieves and learned the importance of being your brother’s keeper.

Dallas Dennison

Wedding Party

Q + A

All hotel reservations need to be made by July 11, 2025

Hyatt House Louisville - East

Travel

Things to Do

Registry

Cocktail Hour

-Heirloom Tomato Crostini (Vegan): Ciabatta toasted with roasted garlic, topped with roastedtomato and drizzled with olive oil and salt -Bourbon Glazed Chicken Biscuit: Glazed chicken thigh layered on a homemade mini biscuit withbread and butter pickle, and Kenny’s Farmhouse cheddar cheese -Mushroom “Beggar Purse” (Vegetarian): Baked dumpling made with mushroom, cheese, and wrapped in crispy phyllo dough -Mini Beef Wellington: Beef tenderloin, wild mushroom in a puff pastry. Served with fresh dijonnaise and parsley

Dinner Menu

- Baby Spinach Salad: Spinach, butter lettuce, tomato, seedless cucumber, red onion, hard boiled egg with lemon-caper vinaigrette Choice of the following:-Steak Provencal: Cast iron seared, marinated hanger steak with pan sauce of garlic, rosemary, and blistered tomatoes with potatoes au gratin and haricot vert. Cooked Medium Rare or Medium -Chicken Marsala: Garlic brined chicken, pan fried a la francaise with creamy wild mushroom and porcini sauce with fresh parsley. Served with potatoes au gratin. -Roasted Veggie Terrine (Vegan): Delicately layered squash, zucchini, tomato and eggplant with garlic, and a silky red pepper coulis

Late Night Snack

-The Burger Haus Slider Bar: Berry Beef slider served with assorted cheeses, lettuce, tomato, tobacco onion, ketchup, mustard and mayo

Nicole & Nic

Nicole & Nic

Travel

Hyatt House Louisville - East