On a snowy Martin Luther King Jr. Day in January, fate stepped in.

Kendall was working her second shift at a moody little dive bar—cash only, wood-paneled, with a jukebox. A woman came in, ordered one beer, and said she loved stories about falling in love at first sight. Kendall told her about her grandmother, who fell in love at seventeen. As the woman left, she turned and said, “You never know who’s going to walk through that door.”

Moments later, Richard did.

He was walking through the snow, listening to music, having just dropped off his kids. He ordered a drink, then another. When he ran out of cash—and excuses to talk to Kendall—he took a seat at the bar. They started talking about writing, books, and life. By Valentine’s Day, they were inseparable.

When the bar’s owner found out they’d met there, he said, “That means you’re going to get married.” He wasn’t wrong.

In time, Kendall was lovingly welcomed by Richard’s children, Arjun and Amina. Their thoughtful, joyful integration as a family has been the greatest gift of all—and this wedding is a celebration of that shared love.

Richard proposed at The Flagstaff House, where they’ll now be married, surrounded by their family and close friends.

On that snowy MLK day, they began a conversation that will continue for the rest of their lives—shared with Arjun and Amina, who always land the punchline, and their furry family members, Elvis Pretzel, Blue, and Coco, who never miss a beat.