Ellie and Thatcher first crossed paths over twenty years ago in McClave, Colorado. In 2019, Thatcher responded to one of Ellie’s Instagram stories about her childhood dog, Bella—specifically answering the question, “Is your dog ever so cute, you could cry?” with a simple, “Yes” from Thatcher and that one message kicked off something big.

A few conversations later, Thatcher invited Ellie to visit Garden City, Kansas—prompting the response of: “Garden what?” But one visit turned into a new beginning. Within a month, Ellie took a job in Garden City, packed up her pets (yes, those same cats she’s been hauling around since 2014), and started the next chapter of her life.

Since then, the two have built a life full of love, laughter, and lots of animals—including their three dogs, Evie, Kip, and Junie. They spent four years living in a barndo before buying a home in town. These days, they love hosting friends and family, enjoying steak dinners and wine on their front porch, and walking the dogs at their barndo.

What started as a cute Instagram moment turned into a beautiful life together—and now, they’re making it official!

Registry