Adrien was from Mount Airy, an agricultural town in Frederick County, Maryland. She played the trumpet in the marching band, was a pitcher for local softball teams, and enjoyed spending time with her beloved pets. Stephen was from Rixeyville, a town nestled in the countryside of Culpeper County, Virginia. He played right guard and right tackle for the school football team, enjoyed playing video games, and also enjoyed spending time with his beloved pets.

Their story began in the small town of Bridgewater, Virginia where they both attended Bridgewater College. She majored in Biology and minored in Equine Studies and spent her free time at the barn riding for the varsity team, at the local rescue squad as an EMT, and spent summers volunteering at a draft horse rescue. He majored in Computer Science and spent his free time building websites, playing video games, and spent summers as a land surveyor.

Their paths crossed in the Fall of 2013 when a mutual friend introduced them to each other one day over board games. Their shared laughter and mutual interests quickly cemented an instant friendship. That initial meeting turned into many more hangouts and adventures and soon enough they weren’t just great friends but a fantastic couple.

Together they shared joy in playing rounds of disc golf and video games. At horse shows, Stephen became Adrien’s biggest cheerleader–though he soon realized her love for the barn was here to stay, much like the hay in his shoes!

As they donned their graduation caps and stepped into the world of full-time work–with her healing animals as a veterinary technician and him diving into the digital realm as a computer engineer–their shared adventures continued. Before long, they turned a key to their first shared home, which soon echoed with sounds from a myriad of rescue pets, boasting paws, claws, and hooves!

Today, the couple delights in hiking scenic trails and engaging in nosework with their brown dog (Chunk), playing with their plump orange cat (Jellybean), caring for their two beloved horses (Bailey and Chubby Bub), competing in horse shows (naturally!), cultivating their veggie garden, attending tractor pulls, and occasionally catching a movie at the theater.

Here’s to a lifetime of love, laughter, horse shows, and never-ending adventures!