Wedding Day

Our Wedding

Our Story

Michelle is the bride's beloved cousin. She babysat Kaitlyn all the time when she was little and has always loved Kaitlyn like a 2nd mom. Affectionately dubbed "the paparazzi" - Michelle is most often found with her cell phone camera in hand, taking pictures of her loved ones, herself, or her three Pomeranians.

Michelle Parrish

Robert is Andrew's first friend. The two met on a playground when they were 2 years old!

Robert Lundberg

Kaitlyn and Matt were practically joined at the hip in college. Matt was the first person Kaitlyn texted the night she met Andrew, and the second person the couple told once they got engaged! 

Matt Zdun

Drew and Andrew are coworkers-turned BFFs

Drew Donoghue

An amazing friend made while working weekends producing the news together in Boston. Kaitlyn and Annie met in 2022 and bonded over their shared love of musical theater.   

Annie Renaud

Blake McKean

Kaitlyn's freshman year roommate, and now a published author! Kaitlyn helped Rachel survive her first winter up north, while Rachel beat Kaitlyn over and over again at Monopoly. Ask Rachel about PFAs- she wrote a whole book about it!

Rachel Frazin

Sam Schumacher

Wedding Party

We&nbsp;have&nbsp;a&nbsp;block&nbsp;of&nbsp;rooms&nbsp;reserved&nbsp;at&nbsp;The&nbsp;Study&nbsp;at&nbsp;Yale&nbsp;Thursday&nbsp;&amp;&nbsp;Friday&nbsp;night.&nbsp;This&nbsp;hotel&nbsp;is&nbsp;in&nbsp;a&nbsp;convenient,&nbsp;walkable&nbsp;area&nbsp;of&nbsp;New&nbsp;Haven&nbsp;close&nbsp;to&nbsp;many&nbsp;restaurants,&nbsp;shops&nbsp;and&nbsp;things&nbsp;to&nbsp;see.&nbsp;We&nbsp;are&nbsp;planning&nbsp;to&nbsp;offer&nbsp;rides&nbsp;between&nbsp;this&nbsp;hotel&nbsp;and&nbsp;our&nbsp;venue&nbsp;on&nbsp;wedding&nbsp;day.Parking&nbsp;here&nbsp;costs&nbsp;$34/night.Click&nbsp;the&nbsp;&quot;website&quot;&nbsp;link&nbsp;below&nbsp;to&nbsp;be&nbsp;directed&nbsp;to&nbsp;our&nbsp;room&nbsp;block&nbsp;or&nbsp;call&nbsp;203-503-3900&nbsp;to&nbsp;book&nbsp;&amp;&nbsp;mention&nbsp;the&nbsp;Budrow/Merica&nbsp;wedding.

The Study at Yale

Accommodations

Registry

Q + A

Things to Do

The Day We Got Engaged

July 19, 2025, will be remembered as one of the happiest days of our lives. We planned a trip to Chicago, and planned to stay in Evanston, near Northwestern's campus. Unbeknownst to Kaitlyn, Andrew had additional plans... We flew in on a Friday night and woke up on Saturday morning, buzzing with excitement. Andrew ran to Starbucks to grab coffee for Kaitlyn, before we went out to brunch. Most of the places we'd remembered from college had closed in the pandemic, so we tried somewhere new in Evanston. Afterwards, we were planning a leisurely stroll around campus... or so Kaitlyn thought. It was a cloudy morning, a little humid but not too bad for late July. Looking back at the selfies they took that morning, it's obvious Andrew was nervous! Walking by the rocks along the Lake Michigan shoreline, Andrew pulled out a beautiful, sparkling rock for Kaitlyn and got down on one knee. He said, "I'm sorry it took me so long, will you marry me?" Kaitlyn said yes. A photographer (<a href="https://www.amyboylephotography.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Amy Boyle</a>) had been hiding on a nearby picnic blanket. She popped out and followed us around campus for more pictures and reminiscing. We ended our walk down memory lane on the steps of Kaitlyn's freshman dorm building, where we shared our first kiss many years ago. Just as we finished taking pictures, rain began to pour. The first person we told about our engagement was Kaitlyn's mom, Evelyn. We broke the news over FaceTime. Evie was just thrilled for her daughter. That conversation will be one Kaitlyn cherishes for the rest of her life. After the rain passed, we headed into the city. Andrew and Kaitlyn had Chicago-style hot dogs for lunch. We then stopped by the Bean and the Chicago Riverwalk. Of course, Kaitlyn's new ring was the star of the show. We had dinner at Gilt Bar in the West Loop, which was delicious. After dinner, we caught up with our old friend Matt at a piano bar and sang our hearts out to Pink Pony Club! We then ended our night with a show at the Chicago Magic Lounge -- a long-planned surprise from Kaitlyn to Andrew, even though she had no idea how this fateful day would begin. Please enjoy our collection of photos from that day below, featuring some selfies alongside pictures from the amazing <a href="https://www.amyboylephotography.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Amy Boyle</a>, who you can find on Instagram at <a href="https://www.instagram.com/amyboylephoto/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">@amyboylephoto</a>.

Photos

A Note from the Bride

Weddings are a celebration of love, life and family. A time to honor and reflect on all the stories that came before yours. To shop for dresses with your mom, or practice dancing with your dad. All this to say, parents are a sore subject for me. Many of you know I lost my mom in December 2025, just a few short months after Andrew and I got engaged. Many of you may not know that I also lost my dad in December 2010, when I was 13 years old. I don't talk about my dad very much, but I did love him. What can I say? I've had 16 years to come to terms with the fact that he won't walk me down the aisle, or share in a father-daughter dance. I always took comfort in knowing my mom could walk me down the aisle instead. I took it for granted, really. She was going to live forever. She had to. Losing my mom... some days, I feel like I'll never get over it. There were so many things I'd hoped to do with her. We were supposed to grow old together. We just ran out of time. For as long as I can remember, I have looked at photos from my parents' wedding and dreamed of my own. They got married in a park - outside! - on Valentine's Day, 1986. They held a small reception at my grandma's house. We still have the knife set they used to cut their cake, and a guest book filled with signatures - crucial evidence that they lived, that they mattered, that they touched the lives of others.

Speaking of my grandma... she died, too. In December 2016, just before Andrew and I got together. For as long as I have been with Andrew, I have been gutted by the fact that she never got to meet him. I just know she would have loved getting to know him. When I close my eyes, I can still hear her big, booming laugh. She was vibrant, outgoing, loved to talk and tell stories, and had a warm way of listening to others that made you feel seen and appreciated. She and Andrew have those things in common.

As I look ahead to my wedding, it's hard not to feel like my day will be incomplete. I can't not acknowledge the three gaping holes in my heart. But, they say, it’s better to have loved and lost than to have never loved at all. I am lucky to have so many wonderful memories with these three people who loved me so much. I am choosing to be grateful for how much of my life they did get to witness. I know that if there is a world beyond ours, they are watching over me everywhere I go. As I said, weddings are a time for celebration. I intend to celebrate all the light and love Andrew has brought into my life. And I intend to celebrate it with all the people who are here, right now, tagging along on this journey that is my life. Thank you for joining me on this ride. All my love,Kaitlyn

Andrew & Kaitlyn

Andrew & Kaitlyn

Accommodations

The Study at Yale