I absolutely love getting to know my couples beyond just what I see through my camera, and Kelsey and Kris have such a sweet story! From a Tinder profile Kelsey never even planned on making, to a first date that lasted for hours, to a proposal that brought everything full circle, it really does feel like these two were meant to find each other. And technically, we have Kelsey’s cousins to thank for making it happen!
Kelsey had absolutely no plans of signing herself up for Tinder. While they were on vacation, her cousins decided to take matters into their own hands and made a profile for her on one of their phones before eventually adding it to hers. Little did Kelsey know that decision would lead her straight to her future husband!
Kelsey was actually the one who messaged Kris first. One of his prompts mentioned that he liked going out to bars with friends, so she asked him which place was his favorite. His answer? Paddy Malone’s! After talking on the app for a little while, Kris asked if they could take the conversation off Tinder and start texting instead. Not long after, he asked Kelsey to meet him for drinks at Paddy’s.
Their first date was in January 2024, and what was supposed to be grabbing a few drinks turned into hours sitting at the bar talking. Conversation came easily between the two of them, and they quickly discovered a pretty crazy coincidence, they had both just purchased new homes, and they had actually closed on their houses on the EXACT same day!
Kelsey remembers leaving Paddy’s that night with butterflies and already wanting to see Kris again. Luckily, she didn’t have to wait too long. Their second date happened the very next week, and things continued to fall into place from there. A few months later, Kris joined Kelsey and her family on a trip to Florida. For both of them, that trip ended up being a pretty important moment in their relationship! Kelsey remembers watching Kris playing in the pool with her niece and nephew. He was playfully scaring them, everyone was laughing and as she watched the three of them together, something just clicked. She knew she had fallen for him! In her words, she was officially “done for!” He was the person she wanted to do life with. For Kris, it was that same trip that made him realize just how serious his feelings for Kelsey had become. They had only been together for around six months, but spending an entire week with her family and really getting to know the people she loved made him realize she was the one for him too.
There is another layer to their story that makes their relationship especially meaningful to Kelsey. She lost her dad unexpectedly less than a year before meeting Kris and was still navigating so much grief when he came into her life. She describes Kris as bringing a sense of calm with him during a time when she desperately needed it. While she wishes more than anything that her dad and Kris could have met, she firmly believes her dad had a little something to do with bringing Kris into her life!
And a couple of years after their first date, Kris brought their story right back to where it started. On December 13, 2025, he asked Kelsey to go to Paddy Malone’s for a date night! It was Christmastime, and they planned to walk down the street afterward to see the city’s Christmas tree, something they had also done together the previous Christmas.
Kelsey could tell Kris was acting a little strange throughout dinner, but she couldn’t figure out why. Meanwhile, Kris was trying desperately to keep her from discovering the engagement ring hiding in his coat pocket! At one point Kelsey reached over toward the exact side where he had it hidden, leaving Kris convinced she was about to feel the box. His solution was to excuse himself to the bathroom and move the ring into his other pocket.
After dinner they made their way down to the Christmas tree. Kris had imagined proposing there but suddenly realized they were completely alone and there was no one around to capture it. And then, as if on cue, a random car pulled up! The group asked Kelsey to take a photo for them and then offered to take a picture of her and Kris in return. After taking their photo, the woman started handing Kelsey her phone back when Kris stopped her and said they needed “one more picture.” And that was when he got down on one knee!!
Kelsey was completely shocked! She had no idea the proposal was coming and immediately started freaking out before, of course, saying YES! Even the woman taking their photos started crying. And thanks to a group of complete strangers showing up at exactly the right moment, Kelsey and Kris now have photos of the entire proposal happening.
I love that Paddy’s has managed to become this little thread running throughout their story. It was the answer to the Tinder question that started their conversation, the place they met for their very first date, and eventually the place Kris chose to take Kelsey right before asking her to marry him! But their relationship isn’t only made up of those big moments. Some of Kelsey’s favorite parts of their life together are actually the really ordinary ones.
They love slow Saturday and Sunday mornings drinking coffee on the couch and cuddling with their dog. They love date nights, spending time with their families and friends, getting drinks at places like Last Flight and, naturally, Paddy’s. Kelsey has even upgraded Kris’s coffee game along the way. He has officially graduated from sugar and powdered creamer to espresso drinks! They both enjoy cooking too…just maybe not necessarily together, since Kelsey admits she’s a bit of a control freak in the kitchen and their cooking styles don’t always mesh.
When Kelsey talks about Kris, one of the things that stands out most is how safe and supported she feels with him. She describes him as caring, supportive and easy going, the person who can bring her back down when she’s anxious or overwhelmed and help her see things more clearly! And Kris describes Kelsey as someone who is completely genuine! He loves how deeply she cares for the people in her life and how naturally her family and friends love her in return. He also appreciates the organization and structure she’s brought into his life!
Now these two are planning their wedding, and when asked what they’re looking forward to most, neither of them needed anything elaborate. Kelsey simply cannot wait to finally call Kris her husband! And Kris? He’s just ready to be married to her!
I had so much fun getting these two in front of my camera for their engagement session and documenting this season before they officially become husband and wife! Their story is such a good reminder that sometimes the best things happen when life takes you somewhere you never planned on going. Or, in Kelsey’s case, when your cousins make you a Tinder profile you never asked for!
Congratulations, Kelsey and Kris! I cannot wait to celebrate with you two on your wedding day!
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