Riley & Kyle Married April 19, 2025!

The threatened rain held off to make for a beautiful wedding day for Riley and Kyle!

This love story begins in the sandy coastal city of Corpus Christi, Texas, where Kyle, a military bachelor in flight school, takes a leap of faith into the world of online dating.

He swipes right, left, right - his fingers making a well-practiced dance across his phone screen. He's searching, not just for anyone, but for someone special. Then, he stumbles upon Riley's profile. His heart does a little flip. She's perfect, he thinks, especially her personality which shines through her profile.

On the other side of the city, Riley, a local Corpus Christi woman, opens the same app. She's heard the rumors around town - avoid the navy guys, they're nothing but trouble. But then she sees Kyle's profile. She's torn. He's in the navy, sure, but he's also really cute. She spends five whole minutes staring at his profile, wrestling with her decision.

Finally, she throws caution to the wind and swipes right. It's a risk, but she figures he's cute enough to be worth it.

They match. The anticipation builds. Will he message first? Will he just leave it at a match and move on? But to Riley's relief, Kyle doesn't believe in endless small talk. He takes the initiative and, just a couple of days after matching, he asks Riley out on a date.

Their hearts are fluttering, their palms are sweaty. Will this be the start of something beautiful? Or will it be just another online dating flop? The uncertainty hangs in the air, but both Kyle and Riley are willing to take the risk, ready to see where this adventure leads. And thus, our love story begins. Kyle Wagner is on the move. His heart is pounding like a drum as he steps into the popular wine bar, scanning the room for Riley. Over there! He spots her, her smile lighting up the room. He feels his nerves settle a bit. He's not usually this nervous, but Riley is different. She's special.

They sit at a cozy table, the soft glow of the overhead lights sets the perfect mood. They start with small talk, but soon find themselves diving into deep conversations about weird music they both like. They discuss their shared love for indie bands and obscure tracks, their conversation flowing as smoothly as the wine they're sipping. The waiter arrives with a basket of focaccia bread. They both reach for a piece at the same time and laugh. It turns out, they both have a serious love for bread. They devour the entire loaf in a matter of seconds, laughing and joking about their shared bread obsession.

Riley feels comfortable. Kyle is easy to talk to, and she finds herself opening up to him more than she has to anyone in a long time. They pick appetizers to share, their fingers occasionally brushing against each other's. Each touch sends a jolt of electricity through them, a silent promise of what could be.

They spend hours talking, laughing, and getting to know each other. The uncertainty they felt before the date is slowly replaced with a sense of familiarity and comfort. They realize they have more in common than they initially thought.

As the night draws to a close, they both know this is just the beginning. Kyle and Riley aren't ready to say goodbye just yet. This is more than a first date. It's the start of something beautiful.

And that date leads to the next, and soon Kyle and Riley are building a life and a future together.

Kyle and Riley are now celebrating their 2nd anniversary. They're in Birmingham, AL, far from where their love story began, but closer than ever in their relationship. They spend the day exploring the city's botanical gardens, soaking in the beauty of the flowers and the serenity of the environment.

Kyle has a big question to ask. He's not nervous, just extremely excited. He's sure about Riley, sure about their future together, but he's also aware of the importance of this moment. So, he strolls through the gardens, his eyes scanning for the perfect place to propose.

Riley, on the other hand, is enjoying the day but suspects something is up. Kyle is acting a bit more nervous than usual, wandering around the gardens more than he typically would. She's in on the secret too, having helped pick out the ring, but she doesn't know when the question is coming. She finds Kyle's nervousness endearing; it shows her how much this moment means to him.

Finally, Kyle spots the perfect place. He asks a stranger to take a few photos of them. Riley's heart is pounding now, she has a pretty good idea of what's about to happen. Sure enough, Kyle goes down on one knee and pops the big question. Riley's answer is the quickest and easiest 'yes' of her life. The lady taking their photos is filming, but they never get the video. They laugh about it later, amused that a random woman in Alabama has a video of their engagement they'll never see.

They enjoy a fantastic weekend afterwards, reveling in their newly engaged status. They've come a long way since their first date in Corpus Christi. They've grown together, learned about each other, and laughed together. They've faced uncertainties, but each time, they've come out stronger. And here we are today.

They did it! Can we give it up for Riley and Kyle?

This is a beautiful story;

it’s a story of two people who

Met online, took a chance on love, and found their happily-ever-after!

It’s because of the moments in this story

and many others that Kyle can say of Riley,

when I asked him what he loves about her:

Riley is a beautifully positive person who is extremely caring to those she loves. The life she has given her cat, Marty, is a perfect encapsulation of this trait. She essentially found him in the garbage, and despite his extreme stubbornness, has given him a life of love and care better than anything he’s had before, which sounds shockingly similar to what she’s given me … I love her bubbly personality more than all else, she is always such a joy to talk to and I look forward to coming home and spending time with her always, no matter what kind of day I’ve been having. We enjoy each other’s company more than anything in the world, and I’m so excited to spend the rest of my life by her side.

And Riley says of Kyle, when I asked her what she loves about him:

It is impossible to write this and not sound completely cheesy and unoriginal, so bear with me. Kyle was probably made for me in a lab somewhere and dropped off in Corpus Christi Texas. While our lifestyle has its challenges, he has made building our life together feel so easy. I could never have imagined a relationship with so few challenges but is and will always be exciting and full of life. When we first met, I was so impressed by everything about him. He had already had so many successes and was only just entering a period of his life when he’d continue to be successful at every turn. He surfed, cooked like a pro, and did math problems to turn his alarm off in the morning, which was cute for about a week and then got annoying when he couldn’t solve them. He made me feel very impressive, even when I was finishing college and had absolutely no clue what was going on in my life, or what my future held. He was the steadfast rock I needed and is the balancing force in my life. He supports me at every stepping stone, and being there for each other is the greatest joy in my life.

Now, Riley and Kyle are in love,

and two people in love

do tend to gush about each other.

But it’s the opinions of family and friends

that are perhaps a bit more objective.

Well, I asked a few friends and family

about Riley and Kyle -

a few of you here today -

a few of the people

who love Riley and Kyle most.

Here’s what you had to say:

The main thing I remember is when they had just recently met and Riley was extremely nervous about us (my brother, who is Riley's dad) and me (her aunt) meeting Kyle. Ray and I were on our way to Corpus and Riley kept texting me, saying she was nervous about us meeting him, afraid of what Ray would think, and she was asking me to prepare Ray for meeting Kyle. There were MANY text messages to this effect. Well, I could not imagine what kind of situation we were getting into and how awful must he be if I had to prepare Ray and if she was so nervous. Imagine my confusion when we walked in & there was this nice looking, tall, well dressed, clean cut young man who had just graduated from the Naval Academy. And was now in flight school! Ray and I continued to puzzle over why Riley was so nervous for us to meet him. As we got to know him a little more that day, he outlined his 20-year plan for the Navy and afterward, and Ray finally said, I don't know what she's so nervous about, all I know is that SHE better not mess this up!

Sydney with Scarlet Rose Events did an awesome job with all the planning! Kat, the Venue Coordinator from the Witte, was an absolute joy to work with! DJ Ben was so nice and mic'd me up so that all could hear the fantastic story above. Chris & Jess (photography and videography - even a drone!), were able to get some absolutely fabulous photos! Check out the IGs for these great vendors below!

@WitteMuseum @ScarletRoseEvents @essenentertainment @chrisxjessphoto @spiceoflifesa @cakesandmorebakeshop @bell.flor.sa @dpcevents @joliebell.beautybar @Terravistastrings

Rev. Sabrina