We met and became friends in college, but neither of us worked up the nerve to start dating until after graduation just as Kate was about to leave the country for two years of grad school in England. We carried on a long-distance relationship for six years as we moved around for school and jobs -- Massachusetts, England, New York, Virginia, Texas and Connecticut -- never managing to land in the same place.

Through all our wanderings, our families and the dear friends we met were a constant support. When we were finally ready to get married and settle in the same place, we wanted to plan a wedding that would celebrate the community of loved ones who had accompanied us on our journey thus far.

We looked in Vermont - somewhere easily accessible to friends traveling from far away, but also rural and mountainous enough to be reminiscent of Nick's home in the Bighorn Mountains of Wyoming - and found the West Hill House B&B. The wedding would be the first time our families would meet one another, and many of our friends were strangers to each other too, so the setting had to be friendly, warm, and communal. The West Hill House was all of that.

We put a lot of thought into planning our wedding day, and with Susan and Peter's help everything went smoothly. A local minister officiated the ceremony on the deck overlooking the gardens, and after a reception we all made our way to the barn for dinner. After a delicious meal, punctuated by toasts from our families and friends (many of whom seemed to derive unusual delight from telling embarrassing stories that others in the room might not have heard yet), we cleared a dance floor and Contra-danced with abandon to the music of Tom MacKenzie and his team of fabulous music-makers. By the end of the evening there were no strangers left -- it was a joyful start to our shared life.

Kate and Nick celebrated their wedding here at West Hill House on May 31st, 2008