Forbes Product Manager Sophie Hunter and Kylee Richards, an account manager at Recast Software, first met in the halls of Gonzaga University in Spokane, Washington. Their friendship blossomed into a romantic relationship, and after graduating, the college sweethearts moved to Seattle together and adopted a golden doodle named Tink.
After seven years together, Sophie surprised Kylee with a proposal at a lake dock by their home. “This was a spot we often stopped at to reflect on our future. What should we name our kids? What do we want for our future together? I knew this hidden gem had to be the spot where I would get down on one knee,” Sophie says. After Kylee said yes, Sophie surprised her fiancée again with an engagement party on a sailboat. “My father, who passed away in 2016, taught me how to sail, so I wanted a piece of him with me on this special day. As we approached the boat, my sister had coordinated ‘Marry You’ by Bruno Mars to boom over the speakers. Not a single person was visible on the boat as we approached the boat until ‘SURPRISE!!’ echoed as more than 50 of our closest friends and family jumped up to greet us!”
As the brides-to-be both come from a long line of green thumbs, they agreed they wanted their wedding to feel like a secret fairytale garden. “Our families also both have long lines of teachers, and having our ceremony at the historic schoolhouse felt like a lovely nod to them,” Sophie explains. “Christianson Nursery offered lush rose gardens and multiple beautiful spaces that we could host the various stages of our wedding day. I wanted to embrace my British heritage and lean into the Pride and Prejudice moody romance of the English rose gardens.”
Also feeding off of Jane Austen’s inspiration, Sophie chose to wear Anne Barge’s Pemberly down the aisle—the name of Mr. Darcy’s estate. For the reception, she changed into a Lovers and Friends look.
For the ceremony, Kylee wore a Poppy Mae dress from I Do Bridal, paired with pearls that Sophie gifted her on the morning-of. Later on, she also changed into an Amanda Uprichard halter-neck style. “We kept the dresses separate from each other but had a few key people like our sister, sister-in-law, and maid of honor to ensure the dresses flowed and complemented each other,” Kylee explains. They both got glammed up with Ivonne Mendoza.
On August 15, 2025, cozy rain caused the outdoor ceremony to pivot. Everyone was moved inside the schoolhouse, except for the wedding party. Photographer Olga Andreyanova captured Sophie’s walk down the aisle with her grandfather first, followed by Kylee with her father, as “Halo” played. The brides stood in the doorframe, decorated with florals by Cole Buys Design. “Kylee spoke not only to me, but directly to my dad in heaven, asking for his blessing,” Sophie says of the exchanging of the vows. “It was a moment of profound beauty and grace, a powerful connection that tied our love story to the past and future.”
Once officially wed, the celebration moved to the reception hall with endless candles lighting the space. Delicious pizza was served for dinner—a nod to the couple’s travels in Italy.
In lieu of a first dance, Kylee made her dream of performing “Breaking Free” from High School Musical into a reality. Sophie took on Troy’s lyrics, while Kylee had Gabriella’s, and they moved across two flights of stairs and got all of their guests involved.
The pair then cut their James Street wedding cake with Blue Wave Band and danced the night away with their loved ones. “The highlight was screaming ‘Pink Pony Club’ at the top of our lungs,” Sophie smiles.
For their honeymoon, Kylee finally fulfilled her promise—that she’d made to Sophie while they were college students—of taking her to Greece one day.
