Kate & TJ Horner, October 21, 2023
Kate Atkinson, 27, originally from New Zealand, attended the University of Kansas before transferring to William Jewell College for nursing school. She’s obsessed with traveling and tries to use her passport at least once a year. Her favorite hobby is reading books with her husband so they can have a mini book club.
TJ Horner, 35, went to the University of Kansas and graduated with a degree in political science. He hasn’t missed a Kansas City Chiefs game in years as he is a season ticket holder. He loves reading, playing basketball and most of all he loves his sheepadoodle, Ziggy. TJ and Kate live in Overland Park.
“I grew up with TJ’s little brother, Jake, and always had a crush on TJ,” Kate laughs. “Eventually Jake told TJ I had a big crush on him, and he messaged me on Facebook. I lost all resolve and went out with him immediately; we met at Harry’s in Westport that night and that was six years ago!”
TJ proposed to Kate during a golf outing in New Zealand. “We took a vacation to New Zealand to visit my family. I thought I knew his proposal plan but we spent a few days in Napier, a city in Hawkes Bay, and went golfing at Cape Kidnappers on one of two sunny days in New Zealand,” Kate relates. “I actually found the ring box in TJ’s golf bag and was so convinced he had a different plan that I just thought he was so responsible for keeping it on him. We got to the end of one hole on the edge of a cliff; he said he wanted to take a pic of me looking over the edge and when I turned around, he was on one knee.”
The blissful couple tied the knot on October 21, 2023. Kate’s Maid of Honor was her sister, Mollie Elfrink; attendants were Eliza Little, Jane Peterson, Morgan McNeace, Grace Freeman, Courtney Patterson, Raelyn Waters and her brothers, Matt and Ben Atkinson. TJ’s Best Man was Garrett Lynn; groomsmen were Jake Horner, Justin Horner, Adam Marrello, Sam Jordan, Kyle Kaker, Scott McAvoy, Benjamin Hughes and Dustin Lamoreux.
“TJ and I wanted to have a big party for our loved ones and we really wanted our guests to have fun. My Uncle Seth was our officiant, which was special for us,” Kate describes. “We added details such as a string quartet and had New Zealand meat pies as one of our passed appetizers during cocktail hour as a nod to my home. We had spent time in the South of France and became obsessed with French cuisine, so we had a French wedding cake called a croquembouche, a beautiful tower of cream puffs wrapped in caramel threads. We were so happy to spend the night with all the people that have loved us. TJ and I will always be grateful to our parents, Tom and Shelly and Esther and Staci, for everything they did to give us this night. I really don’t know how I got so lucky.”
Kate and TJ honeymooned in Kauai, Hawaii, where they could relax after the wedding week.
Photography
The Waldron Photograph Company
Grooms Suit/Tuxedo
Dan Dan the Tailor Man
Groomsmen suits/tuxes
Dan Dan the Tailor Man
Hair Styling
Jordan Hubbell
Makeup
Keely Fink, collab.kc
Band
Lost Wax
Caterer
Scratch KC
Cake
Velouté French Market & Catering
Venue
The Century Club
Wedding planners
Lesa Frick and Mark Eyman
