Love Story Winter 2007-2008

Special Event:
Brandon Is For Brides: Kristin (Petty) & Dan Kelleher

September 1, 2007 at the Lilac Inn
Brandon, Vermont

How We Met

One of the best things about New York City is that you never know what comes next, and anything is possible. There are so many different people living on such a small island, that it’s almost impossible to spend an evening out in Manhattan without meeting an interesting new friend. And that’s how I met Dan. In a city of more than 8 million people, and almost as many bars and restaurants, we found ourselves standing next to each other one night, and we started to talk. I wouldn’t call it Fate; I’d just call it a typical night out in New York. But what happened next is far from ‘typical’…

After talking for a few minutes, I knew that I liked Dan, and I was a little sad when my friend pulled me away and told me our group was leaving. I even thought about him the next morning, and was disappointed that we’d never have a chance to finish our conversation. What I didn’t know at the time is that Dan had programmed his name and number into my cell phone. Later that day I tried to call a friend who happened to have the same first name…. and to my surprise, heard Dan’s voice on the other end of the line! Oddly enough, we were able to finish our conversation after all, and over the next few months, we began many new ones. We became fast friends and even though neither one of us wanted a serious relationship at the time, our feelings became too strong to ignore. We fell in love.

I imagined how beautiful a wedding in Vermont would be, and in that moment I was crazy enough to think I could win. However, as time passed, I completely forgot I had entered the contest…. until we won!

I have so many amazing memories of the ensuing months, but one weekend stands out. Dan’s friend has a house near Killington, VT, and we both loved to escape to the mountains for a weekend ski trip whenever possible. On this particular weekend, the drive was long and arduous because it was snowing heavily, and traffic was barely moving. We woke up early Saturday to get in a full day of skiing, but unfortunately, I sprained my ankle within our first hour on the mountain. To my surprise, Dan stayed inside and took care of me the entire rest of the weekend. After the long 8 hour drive, he didn’t ski once – and that’s when I knew how much he cared!

The Engagement, and Memorable Details

Dan proposed to me (on the street in front of the Big Apple Deli) a few months later, and I obviously said yes. We didn’t want a long engagement, but a part of me did want to experience the type of wedding I dreamed about as a little girl. I had no idea how to pull it off. After a stressful weekend of looking at different venues in New York, none of which seemed quite right, an ad for the ‘Brandon is for Brides’ contest caught my eye in the Sunday paper. I imagined how beautiful a wedding in Vermont would be, and in that moment I was crazy enough to think I could win. However, as time passed, I completely forgot I had entered the contest…. until we won! I was shocked (and very excited), and so were Dan and my parents, because they didn’t know about the contest either. It was so much fun to surprise them with the incredible news. Four months later, we were married at the Lilac Inn – and I was living my dream!

Click here to see page 2 of Kristin and Dan kelleher Wedding

Index of Love Stories at Vermont Bride Magazine