Cape-Cod-LIFE

Held By Love

Cape Cod Life  / September/October 2026 /

Writer: Leslie Hatton / Photographer: Jannelle Connolly 

 

Held By Love

Cape-Cod-LIFE

Cape Cod Life  / September/October 2026 /

Writer: Leslie Hatton / Photographer: Jannelle Connolly 


Some weddings are memorable because of the setting, the little details, or the music—or maybe even the weather. This one was unforgettable because of the love. From the moment the day began until the final dance, the celebration was wrapped in genuine joy and centered on two people deeply connected. 

The couple, native Cape Codder Keely Kowalski and Jeremy Burke, began their love story just as friends when they met through mutual friends back in 2020. Although he grew up in Massachusetts, Burke was living in California at the time, so although they hit it off each time they saw one another, there wasn’t much opportunity for them to date with Keely living in Bourne and so many miles between them. During a visit back East over a year later, they ran into each other again, but this time Jeremy decided to extend his stay so he could spend more time getting to know Keely. The bride laughs, “I guess he thought I was cool because he looked at me and said, ‘I’m moving home.’”

“You’re the lullaby that’s singing me to sleep, 
You are the other half, you’re like the missing piece.” 
“Northern Wind” by  City and Colour 
In 2024, Jeremy reached out to Keely’s mother, Kristyn, to ask for her blessing and share his plans to propose. Kristyn told him about one of her dearest friends, who had passed away a few years before—a truly special woman who had lovingly called herself Keely’s “fairy godmother.” Kristyn had been gifted several pieces of her jewelry, including a ring with a beautiful diamond that he was welcome to. In a...

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Leslie Hatton

Leslie (Horne) Hatton enthusiastically joined Cape Cod Life in October of 2022. Educated in Mashpee and Falmouth, she graduated from Assumption College and received her Master of Education degree from Lesley College. A former teacher, she has taught middle school, preschool and most recently, fifth grade. She and her husband Tom have three children: Aidan, Colin, and Erin. Their newest family member is Millie, an outgoing, outrageously happy chocolate lab. She loves to talk about all of them so better not ask. One neat tidbit about Leslie is that she is the author of the locally best-selling children’s book Cape Cod ABCs, with over 10K books sold on Cape Cod, the Islands and across Massachusetts. Happiest in the summer with a little sun on her face, she loves being with friends and her family, laughing, drinking and eating all over beautiful Cape Cod.