Our Story
🎶 And isn't it just so pretty to think…
That all along there was some
Invisible string
Tying you to me?… 🎶
-– T Swift
Our Story
How it all began
We met at Bitterroot Brewery, thanks to our matchmaker friend Dori, who waved Jesse over and later insisted he ask for my number…
Instead of actually asking for my number, Jesse wrote his on the back of a beer stamper card and walked away…Bold move.
After very little deliberation with the ladies at the table, I sent him a simple text…”
— Kelly
P.S. This is a real screenshot of the original text ➡
“A few texts later, I found myself at the Bluegrass Festival with Kelly and Raine that same day…
We had some thrilling festival convo (truly). With big revelations like “we’re the same age!” and “our last names sound the same!” and “wait, I can’t believe we’re both in the Bitterroot!”—I asked her if she wanted to meet for a hike at Blodgett Overlook the next morning. She did!
That hike somehow turned into a Lake Como picnic and dinner—full-circle—back at the Brewery. To really seal the deal, I may or may not have proposed a quick ‘swing by’ my place so she could meet a fluffy puppy named Magnus (it worked!).”
- Jesse
More info on the bride & groom
(skip if you know them)
About Kelly (via Jesse)
Kelly is a friend to all animals and wears a lot of hats—literally (she owns an absurd number of baseball caps) and figuratively.
She grew up in rural Waxhaw, North Carolina (population about 1,300 in 1989) and went to NC State, where she had her first foray into politics as Student Body President (Go Pack! 🐺). She’s still deeply connected to NCSU today as an alumni board member.
If you know Kelly, you know she’s the kind of person who just makes things happen.
After college, she headed west to the Bay Area, scrappily building a career in communications via companies like Prezi, IBM Watson, and startups before landing at Stripe, where she works today.
When the pandemic hit, she jumped at the chance to rethink how (and where) she wanted to live. She traded city life for Montana’s Bitterroot Valley, where she could blend work, nature, and a pace that felt more like home.
Along the way, she bought a struggling wilderness adventure company, turned it around, and it was acquired by Jonas Expeditions in 2023.
Kelly is part Kim Possible, part Sour Patch Kid—always ready to tackle a challenge with just the right amount of mischief. Her Kim Possible side shines when she’s problem-solving—always with optimism, resourcefulness, and maybe a hint of danger (ask her about the dumpster fire). She’s also a goofy creative and technology-savvy, as evidenced by this website.
Now, she’s still doing what she does best—crafting stories, bringing people together, and wondering if she should have stopped acquiring hats five hats ago. 🥳
About Jesse (via Kelly)
Jesse grew up in rural Buffalo, Wyoming (population 3,500 then and similar now) and studied biochemistry at MSU (that’s Montana State in Bozeman 🐯—not to be confused with U of M 🧸).
He started out in college as a janitor, the information desk guy, and the official mascot, before ultimately being crowned Homecoming King.
His career has been anything but boring—he’s gone from mopping floors to overseeing a global adjuvant. Post-college, he worked at a tissue bank manufacturing human bone grafts, a Nestlé water plant in Vancouver 🍁, and now supervises the QC Chemistry department at GlaxoSmithKline (GSK). Oh, and he’s also a dual Canadian citizen, which makes border crossings way easier.
(Fun fact: GSK and Rocky Mountain Labs have a long history in the Bitterroot Valley—ask around at the wedding, and someone’s bound to have a story!)
Jesse’s not just a science guy—he’s a problem-solver in every sense. He’s like Bob the Builder, Dexter (not the murdering one), and Baloo all rolled into one.
You’ll often find him constructing, repairing, or rigging up something creative with easygoing confidence in his woodshop.
He also grew up fly fishing and can land a catch with nothing more than the bare necessities—like his hand-tied flies. (You’ll find some of his fly-fishing recommendations buried in the 'Lodging & Info' page.)
On top of his Renaissance-man skills and handsome charm, Jesse is pretty funny (sometimes) and the best listener (usually). He’s the first to cheer you on and will stand with you through any muck and manure.
And he loves hugs—mostly from Magnus.
And the rest is history
Kelly was planning on moving back to NC before a simple twist of fate landed Jesse and Kelly at Bitterroot Brewery in Hamilton, Montana. Kelly saw Jesse, Jesse saw Kelly and the rest is history.
The two now reside in Stevensville, MT with their 2 horses and a Bernese Mountain Dog (otherwise known as the 3rd horse).