If you haven’t heard the story already, you should ask for the more detailed version—but suffice it to say that Kieran and Sabrina met twice, on two different dating apps, in two different cities, nearly two years apart. The second first date proved much better-timed than the first first date, and the rest is history.

Sabrina and Kieran have lived the entirety of their relationship in the Washington, DC area, and the city and its interests have been a constant in their lives. On their first DC date, they discussed the shocking resignation of Kazakhstan’s president-for-life, walked around the National Mall, and stood in front of the Capitol pondering the intrigues within it. In DC, they have both pursued foreign language studies, gone on long walks around the city’s neighborhoods and museums, and acquired a knowledge of local restaurants that friends find admirable.

Kieran and Sabrina have an adventurous, touristy flair that helps them take advantage of the world around them, even if it’s just going a few miles from their own house (they don’t drive, so it is just as well!). The pandemic opened up a new side to their curiosity, as together they developed a love of hiking and birdwatching, which they are now happy to foist unbidden upon all of their friends and family.

Sabrina and Kieran are bound not just by their interests, but by their intentional creation of a caring, supportive community. At Kieran’s grandpa’s funeral, we discussed the power that a loving environment of family and friends has on one’s life. Thus, we have been very conscious in trying to maintain the relationships with the people who matter: family, relatives, friends. We’ve learned that having the right community of loved ones is critical to the support and fulfillment that we need in our lives.

And we don’t just maintain these relationships—we facilitate new ones, gathering friends from their various groups for celebrations, a hot dog themed party, and an art museum meme creation quest (ask Kieran to explain that one.) As light-hearted as they may often seem, Kieran and Sabrina deeply appreciate the community that they have created, and which they have relied upon to get through the difficulties of career changes, a master’s degree, and other life events.

This appreciation for our community, our friends, and our families is why we are so excited to bring you all together for our wedding. While we don’t expect every aunt or uncle to memorize every friend from high school or the book club, having the people that we value present for this important moment is a beautiful expression of the way in which we want to live our lives as a couple and as a community. We hope to meet you in St. Louis!

Hello folks! Given that we would have to carry the gifts back on a plane/live in a one-bedroom apartment, we are requesting cash gifts. Thank you!