Kristin Winchester
Kristin grew up across the Carolinas, developing a deep love for BBQ, hush puppies and sweet tea (extra ice, please!) along the way. She currently resides in a sunny Florida with her husband, although North Carolina will always be ‘home’. She loves any excuse to bake, not so secretly wishes she was a co-host on Good Morning America and can go toe-to-toe with most anyone who wants to talk college sports (Go Heels!). Kristin is a self-proclaimed bookworm, a lifelong lover of good penmanship and a brunch connoisseur. She believes that love never fails and would willing plan a wedding (and still marry KPW) every year if given the chance.
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Hometown: Gastonia, NC (Although I was born in the BBQ capital of NC–Lexington!)
Birthday: April 21
What fires me up: Marriage, monograms, and macaroni and cheese
You would be surprised to know: I’ve never seen Gone with the Wind (shhh, don’t tell Marissa!)
Claim to fame: I’m the five-time winner of my family’s annual Christmas Cookie Bake-off. I last took the crown in 2015. I am always on a mission to find a competition-winning recipe (feel free to email me if you have any family favorites).
Favorite class I took in college: I guess I should pick the one where I met my husband (Interpersonal and Organizational Comm Theory), but my social ballroom dancing PE will be my forever favorite.
How I met my husband: The specifics of the story are debated; his side is slightly different than mine. However, the summary is that the magic started in Chapel Hill during the fall of 2004.
My favorite memory from my wedding is: There was a slightly panicked moment right before our departure when the candles couldn’t be located. Instead of fretting, my precious friends went off to find them and the guests were herded outside. This left me and my groom alone for the first time all day. Our sweet DJ decided to play “Strawberry Wine” and there, in the quiet, with the crazed candle caper going on outside, we danced in the dark, all by ourselves. I am pretty sure time stood still for a few moments.
How I came to work at Southern Weddings: Another good story that started at the 2011 SW Gingerbread Barn Event. In truth, it started a few years before with the release of V3 and a happenstance connection that led me to stumbling across the SW team photos, being re-directed to the SW website, and instantly falling in love. Fast forward to December 2011, a few follow-up emails, and a persistent promise to bring everyone a batch of my famous chocolate chip cookies, and I joined the staff in the summer of 2012.
Favorite Southern Weddings editorial ever: Hands down, V3’s Carolina On My Mind. Although V6’s Fine Feathered Fete is giving my lifelong favorite a good run for its money.
Best part of my job: Besides the food? I love the people. The gals I get to work with. The sweet vendors I get to know. The amazing readers and friends that help spread our mission. I just want to give everyone a giant, big squeeze!!
What I do in my spare time: I love to talk, cook, travel, decorate for holidays, send snail mail, giggle, and spend sweet time with KPW, my precious friends and dear family.
The cause/organization/charity that most captures my heart: It is well known that the SW gals have a heart for marriage and I firmly believe that it is possible to change the world, one good and strong marriage at a time.
True love is: worth fighting for.