If you like reading love stories, then get ready for this fun couple who were so destined to be together that not even an ocean could keep them from meeting! We had the pleasure of working with Mark and Megan to make their American-British combination wedding dreams come true. Now, we are excited to share their adventure with you!
The Love Story
How did you meet and become engaged?
Mark: “We met in the charming city of Newcastle in the North East of England on a course for work, of all places! The first words I heard Megan say, in her Michigan accent, was that her job was to sell tractors. Intrigued, I had to find out more. Before very long, we both knew; and when we knew, we knew! Amidst a courtship set in the rolling hillsides of the English countryside, the rugged North East coast and the delightful Cathedral city of Durham; we found the road back to Newcastle where I proposed on the very bench overlooking the River Tyne where we’d had a magical early date a year to the day earlier.”
What do you love most about each other?
Megan: “His confidence, spontaneity, and naturally – his charm.”
Mark: “Her kindness, her honesty, her beauty and her sensitivity. And most of all, her shoulders!”
The Wedding Preparations
How did you two take on the planning process? Who did most of the planning?
The couple: “We shared the planning pretty evenly, each taking the jobs that we preferred and sharing those that neither of us wanted. We have phenomenal family on both sides of the Atlantic – our own little DIY army – who all made planning and prepping a breeze.”
Why did you choose HORIZONS and the Temple Theatre?
“Who doesn’t want their wedding at The Temple?? Aside from the beautiful historic charm of the building itself, the Ballroom provided easy logistics for our guests with the ceremony and reception in the same place. Plus – it came with Andrea, our Rockstar wedding planner and the amazing team from HORIZONS to make sure décor, catering, and all the little details were taken care of, which was especially important with us so far away.”
What was your vision for the wedding? Were there any special décor items that you included/HORIZONS provided?
“Simple but elegant was our vision throughout. It was especially important to bring in elements from both our backgrounds, which we had a lot of help with. Among other things, Megan’s parents made an incredible card box and guestbook display using American and British mailboxes. Petra also did an amazing job of designing and decorating both the ceremony and reception layout to make our vision come to life.”
What was your favorite part of the preparations?
Megan: “Quality time spent with my mom and sister, building our décor vision with Andrea and Petra, deciding on flowers, and of course – dress shopping! Is it bad that my favorite part was the area my fiancé wasn’t involved in? :)”
Mark: “Planning the colour scheme for the wedding based on my choice of suit and top hat. It was also a great pleasure to work with Andrea, who managed to make the process of planning a wedding across the pond a genuine pleasure.”
What is one piece of advice you have for other engaged couples in the planning process?
“Be open and honest about your expectations and how you envisage your big day from the start. It’s easy to get swept up in the process of planning a wedding and lose sight of the vision you set out with.”
The Big Day
Looking back on your wedding day, what is one part about it that you loved?
Megan: “The ceremony was absolutely perfect. First, I really appreciated that we chose to do photos before the ceremony. Seeing Mark relieved all nerves so I was relaxed to enjoy the ceremony. Second, the moment I came up the stairs to the balcony, surrounded by our family and closest friends, was such a powerful and emotional moment I will never forget.”
Mark: “After months of anticipation, the moment I saw Megan in her dress fragmented time and distilled life into a perfect moment of joy and beauty. In the words of the great post-existentialist philosopher of the late 20th Century (Ferris Bueller), “Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.” Taking the time to step back and look at the love and happiness on the faces of our friends and family during the ceremony was one of the most wonderful and organic experiences of my life.”
What is one thing you wish you did differently?
“The only thing we would have changed about the day is we would have had loved ones who are no longer with us there to share the experience. HORIZONS worked with us to provide a suitable location to have a memorial table, with photos of the people who we would have loved to be there so that they could share the day with us.”
Were there any traditions you included in your day?
“Neither of us are particularly dedicated to “traditions” as such, but it was important to blend both cultures into our own ceremony and reception. For example, we incorporated an American sand/unity ceremony, but we had a European head table at the reception (seated with family rather than the bridal party) – among many other subtle differences throughout the day to make it uniquely ours.”
What is one piece of advice you can share about the wedding day?
“Leave the details in the planning phase. The wedding day is for the big picture. Ignore the little things and whether your second cousin once-removed will enjoy dessert. Focus on your partner and the beginning of your life together.”
Do you have anything else you’d like to share with us?
“The catering was amazing. Even better, the surprise pizza which was served later in the evening was a culinary work of art.”
Thank you, Mark and Megan, for sharing this with us!
~All photos were taken at The Temple Theatre~
Written by: Sarah Cline
Photos by: Black Sheep Chic Photography
