Wedding Date on Sep 15, 2017

From The Bride: Marc and Meghan met serendipitously during their last semester at North Carolina State University working on their Master’s in Structural Engineering. A part-time graduate student, Meghan took most of her coursework via online classes, but a scheduling change forced her to decide between attending the class on-campus or choosing a different class…she chose to attend the class on-campus, and that one decision would change her life forever! They "unofficially" met on the second day of class, where Marc caught Meghan’s eye right away. After a few weeks, their quick small-talk in the hallway before class turned into longer chats on their walk to the parking deck after class, and then even longer conversations IN the parking deck when neither was ready to say “good-bye” just yet! These conversations segued into study sessions, assignment collaboration, and late nights in Mann Hall finishing final projects and preparing for finals. After graduation, though, it was becoming clear that they weren’t ready for their time together to come to an end. Meghan went home to Dalton, NY for two weeks at Christmas, while Marc went home to New Bern, NC. They talked whenever they could, and texted when they couldn’t talk. When Meghan got back to Raleigh, the first thing she wanted to do was to see Marc again, and the rest, as they say, is history! They spent the next few years adventuring together. Initially taking shorter trips to spend time with each other’s families, spending long weekends snowboarding in the mountains, and exploring Raleigh via camping, hiking, and kayaking with Meghan’s black lab, Ellie… one weekend and hundreds of memories at a time. They quickly learned that they shared a love of travel and turning everyday experiences into memorable adventures. Weekends on the water in the Outer Banks, 10-hour road trips to visit Meghan's family, then planning longer trips to visit college and high school friends around the country, “suddenly, then all at once” their love blossomed, then flourished. Marc bought a house, and then surprised Meghan with the first addition to their “family”—a Bernese Mountain Dog puppy they named Finley, after the namesake of their Alma Mater’s football stadium, Carter Finley Stadium. Finley & Ellie became fast friends, and Marc & Meghan’s love grew stronger by the day. Another adventure that was their biggest vacation undertaking yet, was a double-wedding weekend in the Pacific Northwest. Meghan wasn’t sure Marc would agree to it (it was a lot of travel on a tight timeline), and was ecstatic when he did! They agreed to leave an extra day at the beginning of the trip that was “just for them”, to ensure they could take in a bit of scenery while they were in the Pacific Northwest for the first time, before the excitement and craziness of the weddings set in. The only plan Meghan had for that day was to rent a car and drive down Hwy 1, starting in Seattle and ending “wherever we end up” along the coast in Oregon—no agenda, no timeline, just a “vacation mentality”, their cameras, the road, and the radio! That day would come to be one of Meghan’s favorite memories. Marc had booked a room at The Drift Inn in the quaint town of Yachats, Oregon with a beautiful, unobstructed view of the coast. They checked into the inn, and decided to walk the coastline before dinner. Meghan was entirely preoccupied by so many exciting things, that she never once considered Marc might have other plans for how that night would go! They walked and wandered their way along the rocky coastline, marveling at rocks left behind when the tide went out, taking hundreds of photos of the ocean crashing against the rocky outcroppings, and snapping dozens of selfies--trying to hold onto the moment, relaxed and happy in each other’s company after an amazing day as the light faded and evening rolled in with the fog. It was in one of these little coves that Marc got down on one knee, the two of them alone on the Oregon coast that foggy night, and asked Meghan to spend the rest of their lives together, to start a family, and share memories like these forever. Not only was Meghan completely surprised by his proposal, she was overjoyed to say “Yes!” to this man with whom she had already envisioned spending all her tomorrows! After taking some time to revel in the love and emotions that accompany the excitement of engagement, they started the “venue hunt”. However, for Marc & Meghan, this meant deciding which state they wanted to get married in—their life as a couple was solidly grounded in Raleigh, North Carolina, Marc grew up in New Bern, North Carolina, and Meghan’s roots were in small town Western New York. After weighing their options, Meghan’s desire for their friends and family to have an opportunity to see “her New York” (not the “big city, skyscrapers, traffic, and public transit” that often accompanies the mental picture of New York) won Marc over, and the search began. It was a suggestion from Meghan’s sister, Chrysta, that led them to consider a local ski town, where the sisters had snowboarded as little girls. The decision was made: Yodeler Lodge at Holiday Valley Resort in Ellicottville, NY. This venue was PERFECT in the couple’s eyes. Nestled in the hills, at the base of a ski mountain, the ceremony backdrop was a trickling stream surrounded by rocks and trees behind the lodge’s Champagne Sundeck. Just a few steps away, the Yodeler Chairlift invited guests to a view from above as they rode to take in the vistas from the top of the mountain, and surveyed the foliage across the valley just on the brink of fall on their ride back down to Yodeler Lodge. The lodge itself had the exposed post and beam construction that appealed to the couple’s eye, with plenty of space to accommodate their guests. The bustling village of Ellicottville provided the perfect setting for a perfect wedding weekend. Marc and Meghan took a very personal approach to their wedding planning, opting to make several integral pieces by hand. Meghan designed their Save the Date cards and invitation suite, and the couple’s mutual love of photography led them to want to share their engagement photos with family and friends. Ellie & Finley, such an important part of their family, made a quick cameo during the engagement session, and were featured on the backer for the “Details” card. The couple also arranged for the pups to be brought to the venue just after their “first look” so they could be a part of their big day, too! As “something borrowed”, Meghan’s veil was worn by her sister at her July 2015 wedding. The girls hope for it to be an heirloom to pass on to their daughters! Marc and Meghan searched for the perfect ceremony arbor, but found nothing they loved for such a special day. Meghan turned to her dad, a lover of fine woodworking, who designed the arbor just to the couple’s liking. In the days leading up to the wedding, Meghan’s whole family got in on the construction and assembly process, making it an even more sentimental and special piece of the big day! Other handmade items were found throughout—Meghan hand lettered their mirror guest list, the table numbers and the easels used were another craft of her father’s, and her cousin painted a watercolor scene from their Oregon trip as the background for their guest book. Their day was filled with personal touches and the overwhelming love of friends and family, and was a more perfect day than either could have dreamed!