Rehearsal dinner

Michigan Ceremony & Reception

Guest arrival 

Ceremony

Cocktail hour

Newlywed introductions and first dance

Dinner

Group photo on the dance floor

Dance party

Bride & Groom sendoff

Our Wedding

Vivian&nbsp;and&nbsp;Nick&nbsp;met&nbsp;in&nbsp;Anchorage,&nbsp;Alaska&nbsp;in&nbsp;2018&nbsp;where&nbsp;they&nbsp;were&nbsp;both&nbsp;working&nbsp;as&nbsp;pharmacists.&nbsp;Vivian&nbsp;was&nbsp;completing&nbsp;her&nbsp;residency&nbsp;year&nbsp;and&nbsp;Nick&nbsp;was&nbsp;working&nbsp;in&nbsp;Valdez,&nbsp;AK.&nbsp;Their&nbsp;paths&nbsp;didn't&nbsp;cross&nbsp;much&nbsp;throughout&nbsp;the&nbsp;year&nbsp;and&nbsp;they&nbsp;didn't&nbsp;start&nbsp;talking&nbsp;until&nbsp;2019.&nbsp; In&nbsp;August&nbsp;of&nbsp;2019,&nbsp;Nick&nbsp;invited&nbsp;Vivian&nbsp;on&nbsp;a&nbsp;fishing&nbsp;trip.&nbsp;He&nbsp;considered&nbsp;it&nbsp;their&nbsp;first&nbsp;date,&nbsp;but&nbsp;Vivian&nbsp;thought&nbsp;it&nbsp;was&nbsp;platonic&nbsp;and&nbsp;they&nbsp;were&nbsp;going&nbsp;as&nbsp;friends.&nbsp;They&nbsp;went&nbsp;on&nbsp;a&nbsp;weekend&nbsp;trip&nbsp;with&nbsp;friends&nbsp;out&nbsp;of&nbsp;Whittier,&nbsp;AK&nbsp;to&nbsp;fish&nbsp;and&nbsp;shrimp&nbsp;in&nbsp;the&nbsp;ocean.&nbsp;They&nbsp;camped&nbsp;in&nbsp;the&nbsp;wilderness&nbsp;and&nbsp;spent&nbsp;the&nbsp;whole&nbsp;weekend&nbsp;boat&nbsp;fishing.&nbsp;Vivian&nbsp;caught&nbsp;her&nbsp;first&nbsp;halibut&nbsp;on&nbsp;the&nbsp;last&nbsp;day.&nbsp;You&nbsp;could&nbsp;say&nbsp;that&nbsp;trip&nbsp;(and&nbsp;Nick)&nbsp;had&nbsp;her&nbsp;hooked&nbsp;(...&nbsp;obviously&nbsp;it&nbsp;was&nbsp;a&nbsp;date!). They&nbsp;got&nbsp;to&nbsp;know&nbsp;each&nbsp;other&nbsp;better&nbsp;and&nbsp;&nbsp;made&nbsp;their&nbsp;relationship&nbsp;official&nbsp;on&nbsp;November&nbsp;27,&nbsp;2019.&nbsp;They&nbsp;spent&nbsp;their&nbsp;time&nbsp;cooking,&nbsp;gardening,&nbsp;and&nbsp;exploring&nbsp;Alaska! Nick&nbsp;took&nbsp;Vivian&nbsp;home&nbsp;to&nbsp;Michigan&nbsp;to&nbsp;meet&nbsp;the&nbsp;family&nbsp;November&nbsp;2020.&nbsp;Vivian's&nbsp;mom&nbsp;came&nbsp;to&nbsp;visit&nbsp;and&nbsp;met&nbsp;Nick&nbsp;the&nbsp;summer&nbsp;of&nbsp;2021&nbsp;and&nbsp;her&nbsp;brother&nbsp;Dylan&nbsp;came&nbsp;to&nbsp;visit&nbsp;the&nbsp;following&nbsp;year.&nbsp; Vivian&nbsp;asked&nbsp;for&nbsp;a&nbsp;puppy&nbsp;throughout&nbsp;their&nbsp;relationship&nbsp;and&nbsp;Nick&nbsp;finally&nbsp;said&nbsp;yes.&nbsp;On&nbsp;September&nbsp;09,&nbsp;2021,&nbsp;they&nbsp;brought&nbsp;Winston&nbsp;home&nbsp;from&nbsp;Oregon&nbsp;City,&nbsp;Oregon.&nbsp; In&nbsp;the&nbsp;summer&nbsp;of&nbsp;2022,&nbsp;they&nbsp;decided&nbsp;it&nbsp;was&nbsp;time&nbsp;to&nbsp;move&nbsp;closer&nbsp;to&nbsp;family.&nbsp;So&nbsp;they&nbsp;packed&nbsp;up&nbsp;the&nbsp;car&nbsp;and&nbsp;drove&nbsp;from&nbsp;Alaska&nbsp;to&nbsp;Michigan.&nbsp;They&nbsp;spent&nbsp;two&nbsp;weeks&nbsp;on&nbsp;the&nbsp;road&nbsp;and&nbsp;landed&nbsp;at&nbsp;Nick's&nbsp;parents'&nbsp;cabin&nbsp;in&nbsp;the&nbsp;Upper&nbsp;Peninsula&nbsp;of&nbsp;MI.&nbsp; After&nbsp;weeks&nbsp;of&nbsp;searching&nbsp;and&nbsp;interviews,&nbsp;they&nbsp;landed&nbsp;jobs&nbsp;in&nbsp;Traverse&nbsp;City.&nbsp;They&nbsp;bought&nbsp;a&nbsp;house&nbsp;and&nbsp;started&nbsp;new&nbsp;jobs&nbsp;in&nbsp;October&nbsp;2022.&nbsp;They&nbsp;felt&nbsp;like&nbsp;Winston&nbsp;was&nbsp;isolated&nbsp;and&nbsp;lonely&nbsp;since&nbsp;he&nbsp;didn't&nbsp;have&nbsp;his&nbsp;playdates&nbsp;anymore&nbsp;so&nbsp;they&nbsp;adopted&nbsp;Clementine&nbsp;in&nbsp;December&nbsp;17,&nbsp;2022.&nbsp;They&nbsp;both&nbsp;have&nbsp;the&nbsp;same&nbsp;Samoyed&nbsp;parents!&nbsp; They&nbsp;kept&nbsp;busy&nbsp;in&nbsp;2023&nbsp;updating&nbsp;their&nbsp;house,&nbsp;gardening,&nbsp;and&nbsp;spending&nbsp;time&nbsp;with&nbsp;family&nbsp;and&nbsp;friends.&nbsp; In&nbsp;early&nbsp;2024,&nbsp;they&nbsp;found&nbsp;new&nbsp;(and&nbsp;better)&nbsp;jobs,&nbsp;so&nbsp;they&nbsp;bought&nbsp;a&nbsp;new&nbsp;house&nbsp;and&nbsp;packed&nbsp;up&nbsp;and&nbsp;moved.&nbsp; Nick&nbsp;proposed&nbsp;(finally!)&nbsp;to&nbsp;Vivian&nbsp;at&nbsp;their&nbsp;home&nbsp;on&nbsp;May&nbsp;24,&nbsp;2025.&nbsp;Nick&nbsp;secretly&nbsp;flew&nbsp;her&nbsp;family&nbsp;in&nbsp;from&nbsp;Florida.&nbsp;He&nbsp;took&nbsp;Vivian&nbsp;out&nbsp;on&nbsp;a&nbsp;lunch&nbsp;date&nbsp;and&nbsp;to&nbsp;run&nbsp;errands&nbsp;while&nbsp;their&nbsp;families&nbsp;worked&nbsp;together&nbsp;to&nbsp;decorate&nbsp;the&nbsp;deck&nbsp;and&nbsp;house&nbsp;for&nbsp;the&nbsp;surprise.&nbsp;When&nbsp;they&nbsp;got&nbsp;to&nbsp;the&nbsp;house,&nbsp;he&nbsp;led&nbsp;her&nbsp;to&nbsp;the&nbsp;back&nbsp;deck,&nbsp;got&nbsp;down&nbsp;on&nbsp;one&nbsp;knee&nbsp;and&nbsp;asked&nbsp;her&nbsp;to&nbsp;marry&nbsp;him.&nbsp;Of&nbsp;course&nbsp;she&nbsp;said&nbsp;yes!&nbsp;Afterwards,&nbsp;he&nbsp;brought&nbsp;her&nbsp;inside&nbsp;to&nbsp;be&nbsp;greeted&nbsp;by&nbsp;the&nbsp;families!&nbsp;They&nbsp;even&nbsp;dressed&nbsp;up&nbsp;Winston&nbsp;and&nbsp;Clementine&nbsp;in&nbsp;a&nbsp;tux&nbsp;and&nbsp;veil!

Becoming The Smiths

Our Story

Photos

Mariah and Vivian met as co-residents in Alaska. They suffered together and trauma bonded through residency and became best friends. They spent so much time together that everyone at the hospital mixed them up for one another because they were like two peas in a pod! 

Mariah Cadavos

Michelle and Vivian have been best friends since middle school. They didn't attend the same school, but were connected through a mutual friend. Definitely not friends of circumstance, but fated as friends for life. They're more like sisters. ❤️ Michelle is a ride or die kind of friend and has always been there for Vivian. 

Michelle Tran

Marilyn and Vivian met as babies and although they lived on opposite sides of the country as kids, they shared many summers at Grandma's house learning prayers and making memories. They grew closer in high school and have remained close through adulthood. Marilyn enjoys being pampered (what girl doesn't) and she's very single! 

Marilyn Nguyen

Theresa and Vivian met as babies and were inseparable. They grew up together and graduated college together. After college, they were separated only by distance and have always been in each other's lives. Although they live in different states, they still keep in touch and talk regularly - especially about her baby, Artanis! 

Theresa Jackson

Amanda is not only Vivian's future sister-in-law, she's one of Vivian's close friends. Since they met, Amanda has welcomed Vivian into the family and made her feel like she belongs. They spend most of their time together wrangling toddlers and pups. Fun fact, Amanda is a marathon runner and she's fast af boiiii! 

Amanda Fink

Like all of the wedding party, Latham and Nick grew up in the same tiny town together. They spent the majority of their college years as roomates with Jake. Once college was over, they took their friendship on the road and spent several years adventuring in Alaska. One very well planned fishing trip later, Latham (and his boat) were the catalyst that sparked Nick and Vivian's life together.

Latham Duckworth

Jake and Nick met early on in school. It was nothing but sports when the two of them were together. One on one basketball in the driveway, college football on the Xbox or filling out their March Madness brackets together every year, the two of them loved nothing more than a full day of athletics. They eventually roomed together after high school (with Latham). Oh the stories they could tell...

Jake Hart

Dave and Nick (and Chad) grew up together starting in early elementary. There weren't many hours that the three of them didn't spend together. Fishing, paintball, camping, biking and Halo filled most of their childhood. Dave was the wild child that never turned down a dare and Nick (and Chad) were always more than willing to help. 

Dave Kidder

Chad and Nick (and Dave) grew up together starting in early elementary. The three of them shared a love for paintball, airsoft and Halo which kept them busy most of the time. When they got bored of that, Chad and Nick spent the rest of their time scheming with Dave on how best to prank Dave's older brother Adam. There was rarely a dull moment when the trio were together. 

Chad Hall

Nick and Coby first met in 9th grade on their bus ride back and forth to the Math and Science Center. Their mutual love for soccer brought them closer together as they played in high school and college together. Years after the last goal was scored (or saved), they keep in touch with weekly phone calls and a golf trip or two whenever they both can find the time.

Coby Heller

Taylor and Nick first met in 8th grade after Taylor moved to Bellevue. The bus rides back and forth to the Math and Science Center (with Coby), their shared love for Michigan State football and being captains together on their high school soccer team brought them close together. From chanting "Go Green, Go White" at Spartan Stadium, to singing "Chicago Fire" with the fellas at pro soccer games and now slicing golf balls into the trees (mostly Nick) their friendship carries on. 

Taylor Augustine 

Josh "Lil Whit" and Nick grew up in the same small town but graduated in different years. They spent many Friday nights cooking pizza for the entire town together at their job at the CornerMart. "Work" would be a loose definition because dough ball fights and box folding contests kept them pretty busy. When Nick moved away to Alaska, they stayed in touch with weekly NHL, MLB and golf on the Xbox. Though not as prevalent as before, the two still continue this tradition today.

Josh Whitmore 

Sammy and Caleb are Nick's nephews who will be in charge of getting the rings down the aisle!

Sammy and Caleb Fink

Devin Fink is Nick's brother in law and he is the head of security for the ring security.

Devin Fink

Wedding Party

Q + A

Hilton Garden Inn Benton Harbor/St.Joseph

SpringHill Suites St. Joseph Benton Harbor

Staybridge Suites Benton Harbor - St. Joseph 

Courtyard St. Joseph Benton Harbor 

Places to Stay

Take a walk on Silver Beach in St. Joseph, MI and stop by Silver Beach Pizza!

Silver Beach Pizza

We love walking the pups to the pier!

Silver Beach County Park

Climb the sand dunes (they're huge!) and enjoy the beaches of Lake Michigan.

Warren Dunes State Park

Tabor Hill Winery & Restaurant

Indoor or outdoor brewery with good food!

River Saint Joe

Grab coffee, beer, and/or food and shop for local goods. Our favorite place here is The Cheese Lady!

Vivian & Nick

Vivian & Nick

Michigan invitation