Pagan Halloween Wedding with Handfasting & Viking Theme Offbeat DIY Wedding

The Love Story Behind the Magic

Caitlin and Thomas’ love story began in a way many modern romances do—online. They met on a dating app, not realizing that they were about to find their best friend and lifelong partner. Their connection was instant, bonding over shared passions like tattoos, trucks, and dreams for the future. Soon after, they decided to meet in person, which happened to be on the day Thomas moved into his new apartment. The only condition for their first meeting? Caitlin had to bring a box of Texas Roadhouse rolls from a girls' night with her best friend. Naturally, she delivered!

From there, their relationship grew quickly. After a month of non-stop conversations, hanging out, and getting to know each other, Thomas introduced Caitlin to his family—and his beloved dog, Molly, who was just as important to him. However, when they arrived to meet Molly, something felt off. To everyone’s surprise, Thomas discovered that Molly was pregnant! Three days later, Molly gave birth to seven beautiful puppies, and Thomas let Caitlin choose one. That’s how their fur baby, Fenrir (or Fen, for short), became a part of their growing family.

Over the next five years, Caitlin and Thomas shared countless adventures and road trips, each one strengthening their bond. On one of those memorable trips, they traveled to Iowa for Christmas with Caitlin’s family. During the visit, Caitlin’s grandmother gave Thomas her great aunt’s wedding ring set, which he later used for his proposal. Thomas, however, waited nearly a year before popping the question. He had the ring hidden in his drawer, waiting for the perfect moment.

That moment came on Thanksgiving—a holiday filled with family traditions. Caitlin’s family has an annual tradition called Cookie Day, where they bake as many different cookies as possible, ending up with anywhere from 12 to 18 kinds. It’s a beloved event for Caitlin, making the timing of Thomas’ proposal even more meaningful. But this year, instead of being home for Thanksgiving, Caitlin and Thomas were visiting his brother in North Carolina. Despite missing her family’s Cookie Day, Caitlin made sure the tradition continued—even if it meant doing all the baking herself!

On Cookie Day 2022, Caitlin had already made several batches when Thomas offered to help, knowing how overwhelming the process could be. As they baked together, the specialness of the day grew even more. After dinner that evening, Thomas’ sister introduced a fun family game—a giant plastic wrap ball filled with surprises. The game involved passing the ball while the person next to you rolled a specific number on the dice to determine when it could be passed. It took nearly an hour for the eight players to unwrap the ball, and as fate would have it, Caitlin was the one to reach the final layer and claim the $15 Starbucks gift card hidden inside.

But the real surprise came when she looked over to find Thomas on one knee, holding a ring box in his hand. Overwhelmed with emotion and completely in shock, Caitlin said "YES!"—and the celebration began. After the congratulations and excitement, Thomas took Caitlin inside to present her with a second ring, one that had been passed down through her family for generations. It was a deeply emotional moment, and Caitlin cried tears of joy all over again.