If you ask Kelly and Adam where they met, they tell you they don’t know.
Actually, they DO know. This is just their in-joke.
“We met at a bar in Baltimore,” Kelly said. “Adam’s older brother was bar tending. The name of the bar is ‘Don’t Know,’ so it is funny when people ask where we met!”
While Adam was blown away by Kelly, he didn’t manage to snag her phone number that first night.
“He struggled trying to get my number from his brother and a few mutual friends,” Kelly said. “When he finally got it, he called and asked me on a date to Soto Sopra, a very nice Italian restaurant in Baltimore. We have been together ever since!”
While Adam and Kelly are very creative, they both have an excellent head for business. Adam is an Officer at Wells Fargo. Kelly is a Business Development Manager for a wholesale brokerage All Risks, Ltd.
It wasn’t long before Adam was certain that Kelly was the woman for him. He decided to propose on President’s Day.
(“Very romantic!” Kelly said, laughing.) Here’s how The Big Proposal Day was SUPPOSED to work: Adam and Kelly both had the day off. A friend, Ann Claire, invited Kelly to go for a mani/pedi so Adam could have everything prepared. A relaxed and refreshed Kelly was supposed to waltz in the door, so Adam could pop the question. Here is what REALLY happened on The Big Proposal Day: Since Kelly and Adam rarely had the same workday off, Kelly wanted to spend it with Adam. She loved her friend Ann Claire, but she really wanted to spend a relaxing day with Adam. Imagine Kelly’s surprise when Adam told her he really didn’t WANT to hang out with her that day. Needless to say, Kelly felt a bit upset.
So, Kelly, feeling rejected, DID go with her friend but while Kelly sat in a nail salon chair, Adam sprinted all over town picking up the ring, the flowers, and everything else.
What began as a Monday for Kelly turned into a weird, scary Monday for Kelly after she came home and kissed Adam. She could smell whiskey on his breath, he was by himself, and it was only 2 in the afternoon.
Unnerved, Kelly asked Adam why he was acting so weird. Why was he having a shot of Jameson’s at 2 p.m. on a Monday afternoon? (“He needed a little liquid courage,” Kelly said, in retrospect.)
“Adam went in the other room, grabbed the ring and a bunch of flowers, got down on one knee and asked me to marry him,” Kelly said. “I was so elated and emotional that I forgot to answer him — twice! We both forgot about the ring!”
After Kelly’s ecstatic “Yes!”, the couple began calling family and friends to break the big news. They went to their favorite restaurant, 131 Main, then joined friends for celebratory drinks at the elegant Ballantyne Resort bar.
In fact, Adam and Kelly love The Ballantyne Resort so much, they decided to get married there.
For Kelly, one of the most touching and unique things about her wedding was the wedding vows and where she keeps them.
“We wrote the entire ceremony, including our vows, in my family Bible,” Kelly said. Since Kelly is Catholic and Adam is Jewish, they incorporated both faiths into their wedding.
During cocktail hour, a large collection of photographs from both families were set up for guests to enjoy. The guest books were coffee-table picture-books of Baltimore, Maryland, and Connecticut, where Kelly and Adam grew up.
“This made it fun for people to sign our guest books and look through pictures of their hometowns, since most of our guests were from Baltimore and Connecticut,” Kelly said. “For example, my brother signed the page in the Connecticut book that showed Yale University, since he went to school there.”
The couple could not have asked for a more beautiful or joyful wedding day.
“We both just enjoyed the love that was captured on that day between us, our families, and our friends,” Kelly said. “It seemed as if it were fate that everything was perfect. The weather? No issues. Everything was perfect! We had the best team of vendors who really allowed us to just ENJOY our special day and not have to worry about ANYTHING.”
For their honeymoon, Kelly and Adam went to Cocobay Resort in Antigua for 11 days.
“It was paradise!” Kelly said. “It was the perfect place to unwind after a crazy wedding weekend.”
Photography – Chuck Eaton anf Jason E. Miczek of Chuck Eaton Photographers
“We met in Charlotte several years ago,” Stasha said. “We went on a few dates and decided it wasn’t the right time for us.”
Time marched on, Frank moved to Colorado, and Stasha had her heart broken.
“In 2009, I was displaced from my job of 8 years,” she said. “I was devastated.”
It was time to take stock and do some soul-searching. Stasha headed for her sister’s apple farm up in New York. While Stasha was figuring out her next step, Frank was floating, too.
“He was trying to find the best career decision that suited him,” Stasha said. Frank finally found his fit — he works for the government. Stasha ended up as a a fraud analyst. But those early months were filled with uncertainty… and possibilities.
“While soul-searching, I kept thinking of Frank and he kept thinking of me,” Stasha said. They kept in touch over the months, as friends do, but…
“Both of us felt that something or someone was missing,” Stasha said. “Frank had said he wanted to show me Colorado,” she added. “So I called him up in the summer of 2009, and told him I was coming for a visit after more than four years since our first date. We have been inseparable from the moment our eyes and lips met at the airport in Denver.”
Their love spanned mountain ranges and time zones. But as their love grew stronger, long-distance dating was no longer enough. Stasha planned a move to Denver so she could live closer to Frank. Frank planned to help her move after Christmas.
But then, “mysterious” things began to happen to Frank’s travel plans.
“Frank was traveling to the East Coast to spend Christmas with family when I got the call on Christmas Eve that his flight had been cancelled. He was being rerouted through Charlotte on his way to see family,” Stasha said. Although he was still planning to see her after Christmas to “help her move,” he asked if she could just meet him at the airport outside of security for a quick hug and kiss. He told her after that, he would have to be on his way.
“Frank ended up sweet-talking the airline agent and she ended up changing his flight to Christmas morning at no charge so that he could spend the night with my family in Charlotte.”
Or at least, that’s what he told Stasha. Frank had a Christmas Eve surprise planned, and, better yet — Stasha’s dad helped Frank plan it.”
“Little did I know he was carrying an important piece of jewelry in his pocket,” Stasha said. On Christmas Eve, she was happily chatting with her family and Frank by her family’s outdoor firepit. That’s when Frank gave Stasha the surprise of a lifetime.
Frank went down on one knee and asked Stasha to be his wife.
“I freaked out!” Stasha said. “I hugged him so hard around the neck he almost fell over, while saying ‘Yes, of course!’”
Tickled by her reaction, Frank asked, “Don’t you even want to see the ring?”
“I was so excited I didn’t even see the ring in the box that he was holding open in his hand when he asked,” Stasha said. Three days after their engagement, they drove cross-country to Denver to begin their lives together.
“We made it to Colorado just before the snow on New Year’s Eve,” Stasha said.
With so much family on the East Coast, the couple decided to wed in Charlotte, in an intimate ceremony at St. Mary’s Chapel.
What was Stasha’s favorite thing about her wedding?
“The best thing was all of the love that Frank and I got to share with our family and friends. For some of us, it was our first time meeting,” Stasha said. “It was also a beautiful Carolina Blue fall day. We found out later that it snowed on our wedding day back in Colorado. I’m glad we picked Charlotte for the wedding!”
With Stasha in Colorado, much of the Carolina planning was done by her mom, sister, extended family and friends. So many brides carry “something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue.” For Stasha her “something old” was the delicate bonnet she had worn as a baby.
“The bonnet is sewn with a few strategic stitches so that on your wedding day, it becomes a handkerchief to carry,” Stasha said.
After a lovely ceremony and reception, a lavish honeymoon in Hawaii awaited. “We had a great time snorkeling, swimming, sunbathing and eating,” Stasha said. She and Frank went on a night dive with manta rays and took a helicopter tour of the active volcano and lava fields.
But Stasha’s most special wedding memory was seeing her husband.
“Seeing Frank for the first time when they opened the church doors is a moment I will not soon forget,” she said. “The smile and warm look on his face made me light up inside.” Photographers: Franklin Adams and Jason E. Miczek for Chuck Eaton Photographers
What do you get when a beautiful woman in a helping profession meets a handsome mover-and-shaker in high finance?
One beautiful and memorable wedding, that’s what. The couple met on EHarmony, and Kristin decided to take it slowly.
“We talked online for a few months before our first date,” Kristin said. “It was at Olive Garden. We had so much in common that we they were mopping the floors around us! From that time on, we were together almost every day.”
Kristin is a substance abuse counselor, and Kevin works for a major bank. It wasn’t long before Kristin joined Kevin’s family for a vacation to Sunset Beach, North Carolina. Unfortunately, Kevin had been under the weather for a few days. Once he was feeling better, he wanted to take a quiet walk on the beach with Kristin. The couple headed for an old mailbox, a famous Sunset Beach landmark.
“People who visit the beach leave messages inside the mailbox,” Kristin said. “It’s an old mailbox, just standing there, with nothing around it.”
Yes, that’s where Kristin and Kevin were headed. At least, that’s how the stroll began.
“Kevin did not realize how far down the beach the mailbox was,” Kristin said. “Personally, I think he was getting a little nervous and could not wait any longer!” To fill the time until the big moment, Kevin began chatting with Kristin local history.
“On the way down the beach, Kevin stopped at one point and started telling me a story about how the old waterway used to run through this section of the dunes. He was pointing things out to me, when all of a sudden… he stops in mid-sentence. He drops to his knee and pulls a ring out of his pocket. Then he asked me to marry him.
“I was so taken by surprise and so excited that I started to cry,” Kristin said. The following day, Kevin and Kristin walked all the way down to the mailbox. She left a note for other beach-combers to read, sharing her proposal story and her joy.
As the wedding approached, the couple opted to keep their ceremony low-key and intimate.
“Our wedding was unique because we kept it small… only our very closest family and friends.” Kristin said. “We picked a venue that interested us (Bonterra Dining and Wine Room). I made all of our save-the-dates notes, invitations, place cards, table numbers, centerpieces, favors, and all other decorations myself. We kept everything with the fall theme.
“We spent our honeymoon in Hawaii. We stayed one week in Maui and five days in Kauai. While there we were able to relax by the beach and by the pool. We saw sea turtles right outside our condo! We visited a volcano crater (Haleakala), Waimea Canyon (the Grand Canyon of Hawaii), and several other fantastic places.”
What were Kristin’s most treasured wedding-day memories?
“That we were able to spend our special day with family and friends,” Kristin said. “A wonderful new beginning. Starting a new life together and never being happier!”
Meet our beautiful wedding couple, Amy and Barry.
How did they meet?
As Barry tells it, “I shot her.”
Wait! It’s not as scary as it sounds. Barry used a water pistol. But make no mistake — Barry is one formidable adversary.
The “hostilities” commenced as a fraternity/sorority party during sophomore year. The party had a military theme, and the sorority and fraternity houses stalked each other, assassin-style.
It was open-season at Wake Forest. Each victim was chosen at random, names pulled from a hat.
Barry drew Amy.
It was time for stalking and strategic planning. Barry went undercover, coordinating with Amy’s resident advisor. Using his new ally, Barry gained access to Amy’s dorm suite. He deftly posed as a pizza delivery guy, ensuring that a room full of college students would answer the door.
Barry then asked which of those present was Amy. Despite her cat-like dive to hide beneath a blanket, the wide weave of the afghan worked against our heroine. Barry opened fire, soaking his target with an over-sized water gun.
Amy signed his card and he went on his smug, merry way.
Some girls might pout or hold a grudge, but our girl’s got game. She took the cease-fire in stride, and the two became close friends. Before they knew it, they graduated from the university. They began to establish their careers. So where, exactly, did the relationship stand between Barry and Amy?
Flash forward to the future.
“After nine years as friends — even a brief stint as roommates — we went on our first date,” Amy said.
The former assassin-and-prey were now officially a loving couple. On one frosty winter day, they decided to see the sights in Washington, D.C.
“Following brunch at Cafe Atlantico in downtown Washington, Barry suggested we walk down to the National Mall to see the Smithsonian Sculpture Garden,” Amy said. She resisted a bit, since it was 28 degrees outside and she had no hat, but the persuasive Barry prevailed. As they walked, Amy noticed they were approaching the National Archives. This landmark held a special place in both their hearts. Back when they were just friends, Barry was about to be deployed to Iraq. The day before he shipped out, they visited the Archives, together.
They had not been back since.
An imposing flight of steps leads up to the Archives. That isn’t where the Archives entrance is, but Barry suggested they go to the top of the steps anyway. Amy started to remind him that the entrance wasn’t up there, but opted to keep her mouth shut as it suddenly occurred to her that Barry seemed to be up to something.
Barry was. At the top of the steps, he dropped to one knee and proposed. Groups of passing tourists burst into applause.
Obviously, an overwhelmed Amy said “Yes!”
What made Barry’s and Amy’s wedding unique? Where to begin? Amy has a long list of cherished memories of their ceremony and reception at the Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden.
“I loved the personal touches that so many people contributed to the day,” she said.
Her list includes:
* “The wishing tree my Uncle Steve painted!”
* “The sash and the escort card display, both of which my mom made”
* “The Coldplay music that the Queen City Ensemble learned for my processional!”
* “My dad’s very ‘unique’ dance style”
* “The gorgeous and unusual flowers (including artichokes!) that Carey Roberts Design did.”
“Every element of the day felt like home,” Amy said. “Our vendors and our families alike brought their interpretations of our ideas to completion in a way that I never could have fully realized on my own.
“The best thing was the feedback from our guests,” Amy said. “Everyone keeps reaching out to say how much fun they had and how beautiful it was. Our biggest goal was to throw a great party where everyone felt welcome, and it really feels as though we did. People are also dying to see the pictures — the photographers were like ninjas, everywhere and yet nowhere all at once! (Thank you Amy, that’s quite the compliment!) The dance floor shots alone are going to be epic.”
As the joyful day drew to a close, the two departed for their honeymoon: an elegant European tour of Italy, Greece and Turkey.
At times, the course of true love flows slowly. For Kim and John, love gently unfolded over time.
The couple first met their freshman year of college. Their date was arranged by a mutual friend. They had a great time together in Boone.
But then, they both became swept up in their studies at Appalachian State University. They didn’t really see each again until graduation approached.
“We saw one another at a party and asked where did the time go? Why didn’t we date more than just that one time freshman year?” Kim said.
“Fast forward to January 2005,” Kim added. “The same guy who brought us together our freshman year managed to do it again! So we began dating. Who would have thought that 21 years later, after that date in Boone, North Carolina, we would be married!”
“Who says that fortunes in cookies don’t come true?” Kim said, laughing.
Hers did!
“After 6 years of dating, I thought that ‘the day’ would never come,” Kim said. But once John decided, he DECIDED. He was ready to become a married man. He was planning to pop the question on Christmas day, but he couldn’t wait. The jeweler had the ring ready two days before Christmas
“We had not even started our Christmas shopping,” Kim said. She was puzzled that John thought they had time to squeeze in a dinner at Cowfish, their favorite restaurant.
“As we had always done in the past, upon leaving the restaurant we took two cookies and exchanged each other’s fortunes,” Kim said.
What a fortune it was. John had secretly written his marriage proposal ahead of time and tucked it inside a cookie.
“On a third cookie, John pulled the switch. John insisted he had my fortune, so that I must have had his. I said, ‘Why, what does yours say?’ John came to my side of the car to hand me ‘the’ fortune, and I read it. So, on a snowing Christmas Eve, ‘Eve,’ December 23rd, John asked the question.
“ Of course I said ‘Yes!’”
John’s determination to become a married man didn’t stop there.
“Once John decided he was ready to marry, he was really ready!” Kim said.
“At the ceremony, before Father Tom was finished with the vows, John said ‘I do’ at the wrong time. Father Tom, the guests, as well as both John and I laughed,” Kim said.
So, red-faced, John said ‘I do’ again, later in the ceremony.
“At least I know that I am doubly sure he wanted me to be his wife!” Kim said. But their joy infused the wedding from beginning to end.
“We laughed and had fun at our rehearsal, rehearsal dinner, ceremony and our reception,” Kim said. “Bottom line, we always laugh and have a good time together. John is truly a fun guy who always keeps me laughing.
“With humor you can get through anything!”
With so many wonderful moments to choose from, Kim has a hard time selecting her favorite wedding memory.
There were too many special moments to select just one.
“From the absolutely beautiful weather, gorgeous flowers, great friends and family traveling near and far to share in our special day, to a flawless reception at the City Club. It was a picture perfect day,” Kim said.
After their wedding the couple enjoyed a blissful honeymoon at. El Dorado Casitas Royale, Riviera Maya, Mexico.
“Awesome place! Absolutely beautiful! Exceptional service!” Kim said.
Mr. and Mrs. John Larkin are now official and it feels great!” Kim said. “We are truly a blessed couple.”
