Kallie & Hunter's Wedding Celebration
Wedding Party
Abbey Plumridge
Maid of Honor
Abbey and I met at UNC Chapel Hill in the Pi Beta Phi sorority. We became swift friends and especially close as college roommates and have carried our friendship through over twenty years now. Many keen memories season our friendship during our college years - a dating wall of fame, throwing grapes late night at frat weenies from our balcony, jumping over fires on Franklin after epic basketball wins, stressfully scooping concrete blocks of ice cream at Ben & Jerrys to fund spring break trips, barely surviving said spring break trips (3 back-to-back cruises), making taco salads and crying to girly movies, leaving notes of support and encouragement before big exams... Despite not living in the same city in years, we visit one another each year and connect on the phone regularly. We continue to make memories from regular MegaBus visits between Canada and NYC as we started our careers (a 14 hour trip!) to "Pizza Shark" family dance celebrations in Abbey's kitchen in Chicago to gabbing about the latest Anthropologie fashion (eyeshadow will always be in, Gen Z). Abbey is a sister, and I believe we provide the emotional support, honesty, commitment and comical relief of what we each value in a family member. Abbey now lives with her family in Chicago and is a successful and beloved advertising leader. I am proud auntie to Abbey and Jeff's two little girls. Cheers to another twenty, weenie!
Chantal Woodard
Spinster of Honor
Chantal and I have been friends since middle school in Charlotte, NC, where we were both on the MAC swim team. Our friendship blossomed over trips to the local amusement park (Carowinds), movie and game nights, carb loading for never ending swim practices and eventual high school shenanigans. I decided 4:30 am swim practices were truly the pits and focused my athletic career elsewhere (volleyball, running, crew at UNC), while Chantal went on to swim at UNC Wilmington and later became a fantastic swim coach in LA. Chantal is also a lifelong friend and sister - we have been friends for over three decades and continue to prioritize one another through travel, visits, adventures, phone conversations, letters and gifts. I always look forward to Chantal's snail mail - deeply thoughtful, creative and unique little cards and gifts. I have little mementos of Chantal's travels around the world, she is truly a global citizen who cares about education, equality and wellbeing for us all. I especially remember visiting Chantal when she did Peace Corp in Jamaica, where she lived in a remote mountain town and had a cistern for water that was regularly stolen. She helped fund and build a gym for the local school she worked with. We've followed a similar spiritual growth journey and are willing to see and confront hard things, and help one another release them into ether like a soaring lemon. Pura Vida hermana!
Emily Wood Forehand
Bridesmaid
Emily Wood and I met at UNC Chapel Hill senior year while being Rho Chi's for sorority rush (EW was actually Abbey's partner and I was envious as my partner was not nearly as cool). Our friendship blossomed when we both lived in NYC in our twenties and traveled abroad to Spain and France with Liza (where EW spoke fluent French and we were thoroughly impressed). We've prioritized, celebrated and supported one another over the years from southern shenanigans at the Georgia vs BAMA SEC football game in Emily Wood's hometown of Birmingham, AL, to horse racing and bourbon tours when Kallie lived in Louisville, KY, to birthday celebrations in NYC and Nashville. Emily Wood is a boss, her fortitude, authenticity, sage and loyalty in both her professional and personal life are inspiring. Emily Wood lives with her husband Jacob in Birmingham where she leads marketing for her family's successful global coffee and tea company. Cheers to the next chapters!
Liza Sessler
Bridesmaid
Liza and I met at UNC Chapel Hill in the Pi Phi sorority and eventually went on to live in NYC, where we shared years of guts and glory in the Big City... like that one time the entire apartment complex next to Liza blew up because they were illegally syphoning gas to save money. Liza is a particularly thoughtful friend, remembering small events and going above and beyond offer support. Her snark and decisiveness are both hilarious and grounding. We shared a dreamy adventure with Emily Wood in France and Spain, eating our way through seafood, pasta, sangria and exploring castles on the coast. Liza has never lost her wonder for the world, and it's a joy to be a part of. Liza now lives in Austin, TX, with her family (Jesse+ two kiddos) and is a fierce mother and career woman in tech and coding. To many more wonders, my friend.
Chris Brown
Best Man
Chris and Hunter have been lifelong friends growing up together in Hopkinsville, KY playing soccer, swimming the Summer away at the country club pool, jumping BMX bikes, and staying up all night playing Halo on XBOX. After high school, Chris and Hunter embarked on separate journeys. Chris was off to University of Kentucky while Hunter was 45 minutes South at Centre College. However, it never stopped them from visiting one another between Lexington and Danville partying the nights away. Then, Chris moved Tulsa, OK for flight school, and Hunter moved to Lexington for grad school. As Chris embarked on his career as a pilot, Hunter began his career as a healthcare consultant. Despite living further and further apart… Hunter in Louisville, KY and New Orleans, LA; Chris in Denton, TX… they never fell out of touch whether it was a big National Park trip or simply catching up on the phone talking about the latest meat smoking hack. Fate had it that Chris and Hunter now live 10 minutes apart from one another in Colorado.
Brett Schrooten
Groomsman
Brett was like an honorary classmate of Hunter’s University of Kentucky MBA program tagging along to football tailgates, Keeneland horse races, and basketball pre-game parties. They were always friends through Hunter’s first stint living in Louisville, KY, but it wasn’t until Hunter returned to Louisville from New Orleans, LA when their friendship truly blossomed. Brett it is always down for adventure whether it’s Auxier Ridge in Red River Gorge, skiing trees for the first time at Keystone, taking a longer bike ride with Hunter than he would prefer, or listening to some mind bending EDM. There have been some long days where Hunter would just watch Brett play video games as they sipped box red wine together, and Hunter shouting/coaching Brett to “Stick to the plan!!!” as Brett faced a challenging boss. Brett and Hunter are no strangers to food indulgences too, literally the whole spectrum of food types. They have made pasta together in Tuscany, slurped oysters in Charleston, SC, and probably the best experiences crushing fried chicken from Lee’s Famous Recipe. Brett expressed to him once, “Hunter, you know why I love you? You can appreciate the fine dining of a Michelin star restaurant, but you’re not beneath throwing down a McDonald’s McGriddle and savoring it just as well.”
Dan Brown
Groomsman
There’s three passions Dan and Hunter share that drive their friendship: live music, tasty food, and skiing (or more generally all mountain adventures). Dan and Hunter met through a mutual friend, PJ Gagnon, a Centre College fraternity brother. PJ asked, “Hunter, can I bring my friend Dan down to New Orleans and stay with you for Jazz Fest? You’re going to love him; y’alls energy match.” Dan, Hunter, and PJ proceeded for 4 straight years of back-to-back Jazz Fest adventures galivanting around the New Orleans fair grounds eating pork chops on a stick, fried oyster po’boys, crawfish monica, etc. and going late into the evenings for the after shows on Frenchman Street. Then, Dan invited Hunter out for a Colorado ski trip introducing him to a new cast of adventure friends chasing powder days, tree runs, and sometimes questionable Double Black Diamond runs. Dan is one of the many reasons Hunter and Kallie moved, and now they live just 35 minutes apart between Denver and Boulder.