Altadena, California — Months after losing their first home in the devastating Eaton Fire, a Southern California couple turned the site of their greatest loss into the setting for one of the happiest days of their lives.
Kenny Rotter, 41, and Morgan Soloway, 39, exchanged wedding vows on July 5 at the very spot where their Altadena home once stood before it was destroyed by the wildfire. With the wooden frame of their future home rising behind them, the couple celebrated a new beginning surrounded by family and close friends.
From Devastation to Hope
The Eaton Fire swept through Altadena and neighboring Pasadena in January, destroying thousands of homes and forever changing countless lives.
For Rotter and Soloway, the fire claimed the first home they had purchased together just months earlier.
Despite the heartbreaking loss, Rotter said the experience also reminded him of what truly mattered.
“I was like, what is the best way to create something positive from this moment,” Rotter said. “I have told people that this has been the best and worst time of my life. The worst because, obvious reasons. And the best because the outpouring of love and support from all directions has been so meaningful.”
He added that knowing Soloway and their dogs survived the fire gave him comfort during an incredibly difficult time.
“I knew everything important to me was safe,” he said.
Wedding Held Where Their Future Kitchen Will Be
Instead of choosing a traditional wedding venue, the couple decided to celebrate their marriage on the property where they plan to rebuild their lives.
Their ceremony was held where the home’s future kitchen will eventually stand, creating a meaningful connection between their past and future.
Planning a wedding in just eight weeks while rebuilding a home wasn’t easy, Soloway admitted, but she said celebrating there simply “feels right.”
Around 130 guests attended the ceremony—far more than the couple expected given the short planning timeline.
The event was even incorporated into the home’s rebuilding schedule, with their contractor including the wedding in the construction plans.
Friends Left Messages on the New Home
Rather than signing a traditional guest book, family members and friends wrote their names and messages directly onto the wooden framing of the new house.
The couple said the gesture made the day even more meaningful because the people who supported them after the wildfire will forever remain part of their rebuilt home.
“It was extremely emotional, but in a very good way,” the couple said. “These people supported us post-fire, and they’ll be with us in the house forever.”
Rebuilding Life After the Eaton Fire
Rotter and Soloway first met through the dating app Bumble in December 2017 after discovering they shared a mutual friend. Their relationship quickly grew, leading to years of traveling together, fostering more than 20 dogs, completing Tough Mudder races and eventually purchasing their first home in Altadena in March 2024.
Rotter proposed in January 2024 during a magic show at a Las Vegas distillery, and the couple postponed wedding planning while settling into their new home.
That home was later destroyed when the Eaton Fire tore through the region, destroying 9,418 structures, damaging another 1,073, claiming 19 lives, and wiping out more than 6,000 homes.
Since then, the couple’s rebuilding project has steadily moved forward.
“We broke ground in April and are in the middle of framing now,” the couple said.
With help from family, friends and a GoFundMe campaign that raised about $50,000, the couple has been able to begin rebuilding not only their home but also their future together.
What do you think about this couple’s decision to marry on the property where they lost their home? Share your thoughts and send your best wishes in the comments below.
