Richard and Kendall met on a snowy MLK day in January. Neither were expecting such a fated meet-cute, but the universe intervened.

Kendall was working her second shift as a bartender at a cash-only, ill-lit dive bar with a mechanical cash register, beer-soaked carpet, wood paneled walls, and a juke box featuring ‘Kokomo’ by the Beach Boys and ‘She’s a Rainbow’ by the Rolling Stones. Considering Mondays were often dreadfully quiet, the owner of the bar (picture a stout Greek man with suspected mob ties) instructed Kendall to take a few dollars out of the till and pick out some songs occasionally.

A woman came and ordered a beer. She was a writer; naturally, Kendall asked the woman what types of stories excited her, and the woman replied, “Love stories. Stories of falling in love at first sight.” Kendall told the woman the story about how her grandmother Boo fell in love at seventeen after seeing her future husband walking down the street. The woman left after that one beer, but as she was leaving, she turned and said, “You never know who is going to walk through that door.”

As that woman was leaving, Richard was walking the ten blocks from his apartment to that very bar. He was watching the light snow and the bright stars, listening to British drum and bass, having just dropped his two kids off at their mom’s. He was on his way to meet a few friends from his medical residency, and despite the cold, he was happy.

Richard ordered a drink. Soon enough, he ordered another. When he’d run out of cash and the excuse to talk to her, Rich had to take a seat at the bar. By the end of the night, they’d discovered that they both loved writing, and had read many of the same books (despite the fact that Kendall is a fiction writer and Rich is a poet). By Valentine's Day, they were inseparable. Both knew that they were meant to be together.

When the owner of the bar asked Kendall about 'the guy who always sat and read during her shifts.' When she told the owner that she met said guy at the bar, and he was actually her boyfriend, the owner replied, "Well, that means you're going to get married." This was true, of course.

Eventually, Richard introduced Kendall to his two kids, Arjun and Amina. The process of integrating Kendall into the family was a slow and principled one, but incredibly meaningful. Now, Richard and Kendall honor Arjun and Amina who have gracefully welcomed a new stepmother into their family, and the wedding we have planned is a celebration of the warmth, kindness, love and joy the Froude family shares.

Soon after Richard had finished his medical residency, he proposed to Kendall at The Flagstaff House, where the wedding ceremony and reception are to be held.

On January 16th, 2023, Rich and Kendall began a conversation that will continue for the rest of their lives. The laughter and fun will be forever shared with Arjun and Amina, who are always ready to end Richard and Kendall's jokes with the perfect punchline. Elvis Pretzel and Blue, their two rescue dogs, and Coco, their rescue cat, often chime in too.

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