Denim Day

Ceremony

The Farm at Ashley Ridge

Reception

Our Wedding

Emily and I met in August of 2023 — where most people our age meet these days: the internet. More specifically, on Hinge (you know, the app that’s “meant to be deleted”™).After our very first date, I knew she was the one. I pursued her with everything I had. Lucky for me, loving Emily is easy — as many of you already know.It didn’t take long for both of us to realize that we wanted to spend forever together.The early days of our relationship were filled with laughter, movie nights, and rotating between our homes — usually with our dear friend Rachel in tow. We’d often end the night putting on ridiculous little performances for her.One of the only real challenges we had early on was figuring out how to merge our chaotic calendars — we just couldn’t seem to spend enough time together. Once we cracked that code, we’ve basically been inseparable ever since.When Emily’s lease ended, we knew it was time to move in together. To mark the occasion, we added a new member to our growing crew — our first dog, October Kickflip Dutson-Love. (Yes, that is his real name.) He fit in perfectly with Emily’s dog June and my cat Stitch. Just like that, we became a little zoo… and we’ve loved every second of it.We’ve now been living together for over a year, and somehow every night still feels like a special sleepover. We’ve turned our little bungalow into a cozy, quirky home that feels like us.When we get a break from our schedules, we love hiking, traveling, and working on house projects together.Every day, I fall more in love with Emily. And we truly can’t wait to share our special day with all of you.

Drew’s Perspective

Drew and I always seem to find ourselves in the kookiest situations. Whether we are accidentally making the local news to report a QR code scam, getting accosted by a naked woman in the Atlanta airport, or nearly becoming the new guardians of a stranger’s cat, there is truly never a dull moment when we are together. And from the very beginning, our first date set the tone for the adventure we were about to write together.On a random Thursday night in August, I drove to meet a very tall man from Hinge whose opening line was, "I have been working from home, so you are the first human I have had contact with all day!" We sat listening to a woman sing very questionable Billie Eilish covers while sharing a beer and waiting for our dinner, except the dinner never arrived. After an hour of swapping stories and laughing until our bellies hurt, we discovered the truth: the restaurant did not have a kitchen at all. Two years later, after the brewery has long since closed, we still do not know who we ordered from.Soon after that unforgettable first date, we went on our first camping trip with my dog June. The campsite owners greeted us with possibly the worst pineapple upside down cake ever made, then explained that they usually sell farm fresh eggs but recently realized they did not like eating eggs when they knew the chicken who laid them, so the eggs on offer were from Kroger instead. Watching Drew navigate every odd twist of that weekend with humor and so much grace made something very clear: this was my person. My co author in the strange, hilarious, ever surprising story of life.When we moved in together, our little family started growing in the most joyful way. We welcomed our sweet, silly October, followed by our kitty Barbara the next year. Since then, our home has become a swirl of fun, fur, and the kind of love that shows up in pet hair on every piece of clothing we own.Drew has this incredible ability to make people laugh even in the most chaotic of circumstances, and he approaches everyone and everything with a kind and generous heart. For a long time, I thought I needed someone who would rein in my chaotic energy. But being with Drew has shown me that what I really needed was someone who would fan the flames, who would love the spark, not tame it. He is everything good and kind and curious in this world. He is my biggest cheerleader, my truest friend, and the one person whose bedtime stories I hope to hear forever.We cannot wait for you to join us on May 2 and help us kick off the next chapter of our story with a denim party to remember!

Emily's Perspective

Our Story

Photos

I lived with Spencer and we didn't clean our house. This trauma bonded us to be great friends! He likes fishing, bread making, and being a great little brother!

Spencer Dutson

I lived with Alex and we didn't clean our house. This trauma bonded us to be great friends! He likes selling mortgages, Detroit, and meat cookery! 

Alex Vail

I lived with Lucas and he still doesn't clean his room. This trauma bonded us to be great friends! He likes Lucas Edition Kraft Mac & Cheese, Dwight D. Eisenhower, and being a great little brother!

Lucas Borges

I lived with Jon and we didn't have running water for 2 months. This trauma bonded us to be great friends! He likes trains, bikes, and Cinnabon!

Jon Graf

I lived with Nate and we didn't clean our house. This trauma bonded us to be great friends! He likes Golf, Dungeons & Dragons, and selling drugs (legally)!

Nate Tipul 

I played lacrosse with Jorden, This trauma bonded us to be great friends! He likes Lawyer things, world politics, and his dogs Josie/Maple!

Jorden Messmer

Matt Love is going to be a great brother in law! He is one of Emily's best friends, and is slowly convincing her to read "The Expanse." He likes reading too many Wikipedia pages, browsing eBay, and being a southwest cowboy!

Matt Love

Josh Love is going to be a great brother in law! He is one of Emily's closests friends and is slowly getting her to play D&D. Josh loves Sonic Happy hour, not having social media, and his dog Layla! 

Josh Love

Claire & I became friends during sorority recruitment after she asked me the very straightforward question “hey do you want to be my friend?” Claire likes cows (specifically polled herefords), dressing up in costume, and being extremely tall. 

Claire Pruitt

Erin & I became friends shortly before she helped me pass my linguistics class by being one of the last people in the sorority house before summer break. Erin likes hosting, being a gluten free goddess, and small little animals.

Erin Britt

Hannah & I became friends when she ran decorating committee for our sorority like the navy. Hannah loves extreme outdoor sports, a very classy drink, and brainstorming catch phrases. 

Hannah Bernat

Nikki & I became friends over 20 years ago when we were leaders in rival cliques in Girl Scout Troop 17. Nikki likes veganism, living in extreme climates, and her kitties Lola & Phoebe. 

Nikki Zimmerman

Katie & I became friends when we both were miserable in our jobs post grad school. Katie loves New England, listening to the radio in the car, and Kelsea Ballerini. 

Katie O'Rourke

Avery & I became friends when I started dating her boyfriend at the time’s brother. Avery likes reading romantasy novels on her kindle, quilting, and mosquitos. 

Avery Dutson

Rachel & I became friends when I randomly selected her to be my roommate from a Facebook group. Rachel likes being a third wheel on dates with me & Drew, chicken parmesan, and yelling at the TV watching sports. 

Rachel Beran

Maddy & I became friends when our friend group disintegrated, and we were the last two friends standing. Maddy enjoys swimming in all bodies of water no matter the temperature, bubble gum flavored ice cream, and France. 

Maddy Bilbrey

Wedding Party

Q + A

Suggested Hotels

We don’t have a designated hotel block. For an authentic German-Georgia mountain experience, we recommend staying in Helen; the reception venue is about 15–20 minutes outside of town.

Holiday Inn Express & Suites Helen by IHG

Fairfield by Marriott Inn & Suites Helen

Helendorf River Inn, Suites & Conference Center

Travel

Helen, Georgia offers plenty of mountain adventures, including scenic hiking trails through the Blue Ridge Mountains, thrilling zipline courses, and breathtaking waterfall hikes like Anna Ruby Falls. You can also enjoy tubing along the Chattahoochee River or explore the nearby state parks for outdoor fun. I’ll be sharing even more exciting activities soon, so please check back on our wedding website for updates!

Things to Do

Registry

DENIM! DENIM!! DENIM!!!