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Collins & Nystrom BY KATE BROW N ST EI N PHOTOGRAP HY BY C ASI E W EAT HER S, CAS IEWE AT HE R S .COM
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hile online dating can be the stuff of nightmares for some, Alyssa Collins and Erik Nystrom managed to swipe right on each other and find true love over three years ago on Tinder. Once they met in person, Chapel Hill High School graduate Alyssa bonded with South Carolinian Erik over a shared love for the outdoors, good food and strong coffee. On a chilly morning in 2020, during a romantic weekend trip to Boone, the two hiked to the summit of Rough Ridge to watch the sunrise with a cozy blanket, and Erik proposed. Despite the freezing weather, both say it was the perfect proposal. On April 23, 2022, Alyssa and Erik got married under beautiful blue skies at the Chapel Hill Carriage House. Their good friend Galen Howlett officiated a heartfelt ceremony and managed to leave everyone with tears in their eyes. The event was filled with baby goats, alpacas and loved ones including his parents, Brian Nystrom and Susan Nystrom, and hers, Val Collins and Ed Collins, plus local bridal party members, Elise Healy and Ariane Cook. After dinner from Rocky Top Catering, guests enjoyed a cake made by Alyssa’s mother. The night ended with impromptu limbo and lots of dancing thanks to the work of DJ Al of Epic DJ who got the newlyweds behind the booth for a few songs. The couple lives in Durham where Erik works as a finance analyst while Alyssa is a clinical dietitian at UNC Hospitals. CHM 86
chapelhillmagazine.com
January/February 2023