We can't wait to celebrate with you! Please submit RSVP for the Wedding Festivities by August 9th.
Shelly + Kade
Shelly + Kade
Our Story
FALLING IN LOVE
On October 4, 2019, the bride Shelly (she/her) and groom Kade (they/he) had their first date at Nitecap, a dimly-lit, romantic cocktail bar on the Lower East Side. Over seven hours later, they were still there—suspended in time and transfixed by each other, unable to bring the evening of conversation to a close. Although the night had to come to an end, the conversation didn't. The two proceeded to spend as much time together as possible: haunted houses, long walks exploring NYC and Jersey City, meeting up between Kade's grad school classes and Shelly's workout classes and staying out late never wanting to say goodbye.
In that liminal space between night and morning on November 23, 2019, Kade made it official and asked Shelly out in the moody basement of the iconic but now-defunct Pyramid Club. A few months later, Kade and Shelly said "I love you" to each other for the first time, standing on the PATH platform after a romantic evening out. Their adventures continued even during the pandemic, when their road trips through the Shenandoah Valley and beyond revealed a deep travel compatibility: a love of long drives, loud music, and action-packed exploration.
On May 28, 2021, they moved into the apartment where they've lived ever since with their fluffy cats Alex and Blizzard (with frequent visits from their daughter baby cat Lina)!
SAYING "YES!"
Shelly said yes on June 15, 2025 (pride month!) aboard a sailing yacht on the Hudson River. The magical moment preceded an engagement photoshoot on the boat that Kade was thrilled to have kept a surprise from the mystery loving Shelly.
A summer whirlwind trip to Vienna, Austria; Bucharest, Brasov, Bran, and Constanta, Romania; and Istanbul, Turkey later that month embodied Kade and Shelly's relationship as perfectly as the proposal: the two are all about grand gestures, nonstop surprises, and romantic adventures!
The story continued on October 10, 2025, when Kade said yes in Staunton, Virginia, the charming Blue Ridge Mountain town the two have made their vacation home away from home ever since stumbling upon it during their pandemic roadtrips. Kade's ring—hidden within a copy of his favorite book—was engraved with an overlook along Skyline Drive, symbolizing all the roads they've traveled and all the sights that remain to see. And with a fun bonus also occurring during Staunton's own pride festival!