Every love story has its own rhythm. Ours took a little longer to fall into place.
Colleen was born and raised in Maysville, Kentucky, where small-town values and big ambition shaped her early on. She later moved to Louisville to attend the University of Louisville, where she worked her way through three degrees, passed the bar exam, and built a career that took her through every branch and level of government, from local offices to Washington, D.C., before eventually returning home to Kentucky and transitioning into the private sector.

Stefan was born and raised outside of Vienna, Austria, lived in Germany, and eventually found his way to the United States, landing, of all places, in Cleveland, Mississippi. He arrived speaking barely English and left with two degrees, a deep sense of discipline, and an appreciation for the long, steady work that comes from early mornings and countless laps.

By 2020, the world had slowed down. For the first time, Colleen and Stefan found themselves living in the same city, even though both were preparing to move farther away. Colleen was planning a new chapter in Chicago. Stefan was looking toward sunshine and a fresh start in the Cayman Islands. Ironically, it took a global pandemic to keep them in one place long enough to find each other.
In that strange stillness, something shifted. They opened an app, started talking, and met in person on September 11, 2020. From the beginning, it was easy. The conversation flowed. The values lined up. They shared the same sense of humor, the same boundaries, and a clear understanding of what mattered. Both had lived enough life to recognize something real when it appeared.

By January 2021, Stefan knew he wanted to marry Colleen. On July 5, his birthday, he took her to dinner at Volare and asked her to marry him. She said yes. Friends and family were waiting at home to celebrate and make the night even sweeter.
A few weeks later, life shifted again. A new wave of COVID sped up their wedding plans, and on July 30, 2021, they were married in a small courthouse ceremony. It wasn’t the wedding they had imagined, but it was full of love and felt exactly right for that season, with the understanding that the celebration would come later.

Their world grew brighter on January 16, 2022, with the arrival of Gabriel, the son who filled their hearts and brought new meaning to every day.
Now, on May 23, 2026, at Hermitage Farm in Louisville, they will gather to celebrate their happily ever after, surrounded by the people who have been part of their journey. Family, friends, and the many connections that have quietly held them here.

Looking back, it’s striking how many moments had to line up just as they did. Different countries. Different paths. Somehow, there was always an invisible string, gently pulling in the same direction long before either of them noticed.
As we stand here today, we are deeply grateful to everyone who has traveled to be with us, whether from across town, across the country, or across many seasons of our lives. Thank you for following that thread and for being part of the story that brought us all here.