Kennedy Bernas
and
Ryan Ball
Please join us for our wedding celebration on
The Story of Us
Kennedy and Ryan’s paths initially crossed on the speckled tile floors of Spring semester Drama class at Ann Arbor Father Gabriel Richard High School in 2014: Kennedy’s Freshman and Ryan’s Sophomore year. They were paired together for their first assignment, which luckily happened to be a miming exercise, since both were too terrified to talk to one another. The duo spent more time memorizing the pattern on the aforementioned floors than their performance, in an effort to combat the nerves stemming from their mutual crushes.
The rest of the semester continued much the same way, until Kennedy was presented a golden opportunity. Ryan’s older sister had adopted a rather cute kitten, which Ryan wasted no time posting to social media. Kennedy saw this as the opening to start a conversation. What more common ground do you need than a cute pet? Much to her delight, her icebreaker paid off, and the conversation never stopped.
By the fall of that same year, Kennedy was wearing Ryan’s football jersey to every game, and they had their first “real” date at the popular after-school hangout spot for FGR students: the Plymouth Road Panera. The two made their relationship official on October 17th, 2014. Ten years (plus a day) before their wedding date!
From that point forward, Kennedy and Ryan would go on to finish out their remaining years at Gabriel Richard and attend Michigan State University, making countless memories along the way. Upon Kennedy’s graduation in 2021, they moved to their first apartment in Kalamazoo. Here, in an homage to the beginning of their relationship, they brought home their own kitten, Stevie.
In August of 2022, the trio moved to Chicago. At the end of that month, unbeknownst to Kennedy, and with the help of his future in-laws, Ryan ordered a ring. Together they drafted a plan for the proposal. Kennedy’s mom scheduled a “family photo shoot” the day before Thanksgiving; it was the perfect excuse for Kennedy to look her best. The photographer’s studio was in downtown Ann Arbor, right around the corner from the Michigan Theater. This is where Ryan would ask the long-awaited question. The family session was scheduled for 4:00 PM, so Ryan planned to arrive at 4:30 to ensure he wouldn’t be seen. He pulled into the parking structure on-time and rounded the corner only for his car to be stopped in its tracks by three familiar faces walking towards him: Kennedy and her sisters. Ryan panicked. As far as Kennedy knew, he wasn’t supposed to be in Ann Arbor. He did the only thing that he could think of: throw his Kia Soul into reverse and back around the corner at full speed. He pulled into a “no parking” zone and peered around a pole, waiting for the girls to reach the elevator. Once they were out of sight, and Ryan had a minute to compose himself, he parked the car. From there, he made his way to the lobby of the Michigan Theater where he’d be met by his entire family and his future father-in-law.
Back at the studio, the photographer suggested taking a few shots outside as the sun was starting to set. She led Kennedy, her mom, and her siblings across the street and around the corner. Once they approached the theater, the rest of the family held back, allowing Kennedy to walk ahead on her own. She cleared the theater entrance and Ryan snuck out, calling to her once she’d passed from under the marquee. Kennedy looked at Ryan a bit confused, wondering why he was dressed nicely and his voice trembled slightly as he spoke. She didn’t quite process the words spoken, but saw a tear form in his eye, looked up, and read the words illuminating the theater marquee: “Kennedy, will you marry me?” Her hands covered her shocked face as Ryan knelt to the ground. Surrounded by both of their families, in the town where their love story began, she said “Yes!”
The rest of the semester continued much the same way, until Kennedy was presented a golden opportunity. Ryan’s older sister had adopted a rather cute kitten, which Ryan wasted no time posting to social media. Kennedy saw this as the opening to start a conversation. What more common ground do you need than a cute pet? Much to her delight, her icebreaker paid off, and the conversation never stopped.
By the fall of that same year, Kennedy was wearing Ryan’s football jersey to every game, and they had their first “real” date at the popular after-school hangout spot for FGR students: the Plymouth Road Panera. The two made their relationship official on October 17th, 2014. Ten years (plus a day) before their wedding date!
From that point forward, Kennedy and Ryan would go on to finish out their remaining years at Gabriel Richard and attend Michigan State University, making countless memories along the way. Upon Kennedy’s graduation in 2021, they moved to their first apartment in Kalamazoo. Here, in an homage to the beginning of their relationship, they brought home their own kitten, Stevie.
In August of 2022, the trio moved to Chicago. At the end of that month, unbeknownst to Kennedy, and with the help of his future in-laws, Ryan ordered a ring. Together they drafted a plan for the proposal. Kennedy’s mom scheduled a “family photo shoot” the day before Thanksgiving; it was the perfect excuse for Kennedy to look her best. The photographer’s studio was in downtown Ann Arbor, right around the corner from the Michigan Theater. This is where Ryan would ask the long-awaited question. The family session was scheduled for 4:00 PM, so Ryan planned to arrive at 4:30 to ensure he wouldn’t be seen. He pulled into the parking structure on-time and rounded the corner only for his car to be stopped in its tracks by three familiar faces walking towards him: Kennedy and her sisters. Ryan panicked. As far as Kennedy knew, he wasn’t supposed to be in Ann Arbor. He did the only thing that he could think of: throw his Kia Soul into reverse and back around the corner at full speed. He pulled into a “no parking” zone and peered around a pole, waiting for the girls to reach the elevator. Once they were out of sight, and Ryan had a minute to compose himself, he parked the car. From there, he made his way to the lobby of the Michigan Theater where he’d be met by his entire family and his future father-in-law.
Back at the studio, the photographer suggested taking a few shots outside as the sun was starting to set. She led Kennedy, her mom, and her siblings across the street and around the corner. Once they approached the theater, the rest of the family held back, allowing Kennedy to walk ahead on her own. She cleared the theater entrance and Ryan snuck out, calling to her once she’d passed from under the marquee. Kennedy looked at Ryan a bit confused, wondering why he was dressed nicely and his voice trembled slightly as he spoke. She didn’t quite process the words spoken, but saw a tear form in his eye, looked up, and read the words illuminating the theater marquee: “Kennedy, will you marry me?” Her hands covered her shocked face as Ryan knelt to the ground. Surrounded by both of their families, in the town where their love story began, she said “Yes!”