A Cosplay Meet-Cute, a Gas Station Proposal, and a Dream Wedding

Some weddings start with a ring. Others start with a ribbon. Kaldec “Kal” Frenzel’s and Aubrey “Bree” Register’s started with a late arrival at Japan Fest, a cosplay convention meet-cute, and a kiss on the cheek that changed everything.

“I was the photographer, and she was the model—who was late,” Kal recalls with a smile.

“Traffic was insane. I was panicking. Makeup running down my face. Total disaster,” Bree jumps in.

It was 2015. Both were in relationships and not looking for anyone else. But fate, and a shared love of anime and fantasy, kept drawing them back together. They reconnected months later at San Japan in San Antonio. Bree ran up to Kal, excited to see a familiar face. His response? “Who are you?” Bree laughs, “I was the girl who was late!”

Fast forward a few years and a cross-state move later, and Kal and Bree were texting until 4 a.m., navigating long-distance affection and quietly falling for one another. “We were very big on not crossing boundaries,” Bree says. “But the night he surprised me at an anime con for my birthday, I kissed him on the cheek. And he called his friend and said, ‘I’m in trouble.’”

Their first official date in 2017 was at the Austin Trail of Lights after their original Lord of the Rings marathon plans at Alamo Drafthouse fell through. “We do it every year now,” Kal says. “Even on our honeymoon, we found a light show at the New York Botanical Garden. It’s our December 21st tradition.”

The proposal wasn’t what Kal had planned, but it was perfect nonetheless. “I had the ring for two weeks. I was waiting for it to rain so I could propose at a gas station like Jim does to Pam in The Office,” he says. But after an upsetting encounter at a Korean spa, Kal decided not to wait any longer. “It was a terrible day. But I still wanted to be with her. So I proposed in a gas station parking lot.”

Bree, stunned, looked down at him. “This is a joke, right?”

Kal grinned. “Does this look like a joke?”

She burst into tears. “Of course I said yes,” Bree says with a beaming smile.

Their wedding, held on December 19 at Castle McCulloch in North Carolina, embodied everything that makes Kal and Bree, well, Kal and Bree. “We had a Lord of the Rings theme,” Bree says. “The venue was already so beautiful. We didn’t need to do much. It looked like a real Scottish castle.”

“It is a real Scottish castle,” Kal adds. “A family built a replica of their home in Scotland here in the US. It was gorgeous.”

And while the budget-friendly out-of-state venue made sense financially—“It would’ve cost $60–$80K in Texas,” Kal says—the wedding’s intimacy made it even more special.

“We had ten people in our bridal party and only about six to ten additional guests,” Bree explains. “Everyone important to us was either in the wedding or standing with us at the altar.”

Personal touches were everywhere. Their ceremony music, composed and performed live by Duo Licht, included selections from Final Fantasy X, XIV, and VII. “I walked down the aisle to Aerith’s theme,” Bree says. “It was perfect.”

“We’re big Final Fantasy fans,” Kal explains, “and the musicians were phenomenal. They even composed original music just for us.”

That deep sense of collaboration extended across the wedding team. “Our photographer, Brian Anthony, was incredible,” Bree says. “He and his wife were so good at making everyone comfortable. You could tell they were used to working with creative people.”

“They pointed the camera at our group,” Kal adds, “and everyone just snapped into pose. Fashion kids, cosplayers; we’re used to it.”

Decor-wise, Kal made the boutonnieres, Bree hand-decorated lanterns for the bridesmaids, and the venue provided the bride’s bouquet and groom’s boutonnière. A planned handfasting ribbon was accidentally left upstairs, but quick thinking saved the moment. “My maid of honor was a queen,” Bree says. “She undid the ribbon from my bouquet on the spot.”

The couple wrote their own vows and leaned into a pagan ceremony style officiated by longtime friend Joe McCorkle. “He’s been part of my cosplay group since 2005,” Kal says. “He got ordained before we were even engaged. He told us, ‘I know you’re going to get married, so I’m getting my license now.’”

Of course, not everything went as planned. “There was drama,” Bree admits. “Families have feelings. But having the right people in our corner made the difference.”

“My maid of honor literally told the rest of the party, ‘You come to me with problems. Bree doesn’t need drama on her wedding day,’” Bree recalls. “That kind of advocacy from your people, that’s what I’ll never forget.”

Kal’s favorite part was meeting one of his closest Final Fantasy XIV friends in person for the first time. “She flew in for the wedding. We’d never met before. She told her mom, ‘I might die in the woods of Carolina, but I’m going to this wedding!’” Kal laughs. “She was amazing.”

Other standout moments included the cake. “Curbside Cakery made a vegan cake that fooled everyone,” Bree states. “Hands-down, the best cake I’ve ever had.”

As for the food, it wasn’t perfect, but Culinary Visions responded well to their vegan needs. “They handled substitutions and were open to changes, which we appreciated,” Kal says.

They planned the wedding themselves, Bree working full-time as a community engagement coordinator and Kal bringing his marketing and photo know-how to the logistics. “We knew how to pull off events. That helped a lot,” Bree says.

Their advice to other queer couples? “Look outside your state. It saved us a ton,” Bree offers. “And know your people. Choose folks who will fight for your joy.”

Kal nods, “Expect something to go wrong, and just roll with it.”

And if all else fails? “Channel Jim and Pam,” he laughs. “Even the worst day can end with a proposal.”

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