When Bethany Orvis and Kenneth Marcelle were setting a date for their nuptials they liked the idea of a fall wedding and they landed on Sept. 26 as the perfect date. Why? Goose season would end on the 25th and bow season would begin Oct. 1, so they had a small window where it didn’t interfere with hunting.
“We are avid waterfowl hunters,” they told the Independent.
But there was a long road to get to that special day, and they began traveling it a decade ago. Bethany, a Middlebury Union High School softball player, and Kenneth, a Mount Abe baseball player, met when the rival Tiger and Eagle teams met each other in the spring of 2015. Kenneth reached out to Bethany later, and they started hanging out. After a couple weeks they were dating, and that summer they had the time of their lives. Bethany dropped lunch off in Kenneth’s truck when he was farming those hot days, and they went swimming and did lots of bowling. Summer turned to fall and fall turned to winter and they found that 2016 wasn’t a time for them. Although dating had ended, the two still stayed connected. They decided to go their separate ways after Kenneth moved to Tennessee with his family and Bethany went off to college.
But a couple years later, Kenneth moved back to Vermont, and he made sure to drive by Bethany’s house — just to make sure she was OK. He drove an extremely fast truck with a loud exhaust, so his approach wasn’t very secretive. They kept in contact but never hung out, even though Kenneth was pretty persistent. In the fall of 2022, Bethany finally “gave in” and hung out with him. People say Kenneth will never show up on time, but golly he showed up five minutes early for Bethany this time.
After a while, they just made it official. Since March 2023 they have been inseparable.
“From raising cattle, loving up on our dogs, concerts and lots of traveling it’s been a fun, wild adventure,” the couple said.
One of Bethany and Kenneth’s first dates was looking at Christmas lights together, so Kenneth made a plan for a Christmas light viewing. On Dec. 23, 2024, they went out to look at lights around the county, and Bethany requested hot cocoa. Kenneth dutifully got cocoa for two at Dunkin but told Bethany she wasn’t allowed to enjoy it until they were in front of the lights. Once they got there, Kenneth added whip cream and another little surprise to Bethany’s cup. She turned around for the hot cocoa, and there was the ring on the whip cream and on the side of the cup facing Bethany was written, “Will you marry me.”
After all these years, the answer was, “Yes!”
The couple had fun planning their wedding and learned some things during the process. They urged other betrothed couples to check out multiple venues, because the one they think they want may not actually be a very good fit. “Also, go to the bridal shows,” Bethany urged. “We got many contacts for others about different services, which helped price check and build connections.”
The Marcelles had the wedding at Buck Ridge Barns in Hinesburg. They said that Jess at Buck Ridge was so lovely to work with — answering any and all questions. “She was also so kind enough to make sure our dessert bar was everything and more, plus a doughnut wall!,” Bethany and Kenneth said. “A bonus is us two farmers loving cows and the rustic feel, Jess let us incorporate the cows into our wedding!”
They had perfect weather for their beautiful fall wedding with “our girls wearing terracotta and boys looked sharp with navy blue.” Stagg Photography’s Zach Stagg of Shoreham captured some unforgettable images.
To entertain the guests during the cocktail hour, the Marcelles gave them cow treats to feed to the bovine guests during cocktail hour, which was fun. DJ Jonathon Carter of Rock the Floor Entertainment of Starksboro provided his own style of upbeat entertainment. The dessert bar, courtesy of Sugar Mommas Catering of Hinesburg, featured many yummy treats and the doughnut wall offered so many flavors to choose from.
“The doughnut wall was one of the things Kenneth and I wished for during our planning process,” Bethany noted.
Kenneth said that the moment that will always stick with him is watching Bethany walk down the aisle with her dad.
“Seeing her coming toward me, knowing we were about to become husband and wife, is something I’ll never forget,” he said. “I was filled with love and excitement, anxiously waiting for our next adventure to begin together!”
