Wedding Day Memories

Richard Acuti and Melissa Boyle

Married October 17, 2015, at Cove Point Lighthouse.

We wed on the banks of the Chesapeake. One special memory from the day would be the love of brisk Bay breezes! Attached is photo from inside the lighthouse tower.

photo by Birds of a Feather Photography, LLC

Brian and Tiffany Cromwell

Married December 25, 2013, in Baltimore, and August 16, 2014, in Hope, Idaho.

We had a Christmas and a summer wedding; Who could ask for anything better!

Connie and Blaise Bekavac

Married October 11, 2014, on their pier.

Our very best friend, Gil Nelmes, officiated, and our daughters and grandson were our wedding party. The rest of our family and friends were on our lawn watching and supporting our nuptials, and the reception was held in our home.
    It doesn’t get much better than that!
    A special memory for me, the bride, is that since the wedding was in October, I was concerned about the weather; particularly out on the fickle Bay. And as my luck would have it, the day started out with nasty, dark clouds in the sky to let us know that rain was on its way. My husband Blaise knew how important it was for me that we were married on the pier, so when I arrived home from having my hair done, he was out on getting everything set up along with the florist in spite of the light, drizzling rain. The photo I have of that, not only materially but also mentally, is the one I cherish the most!

Adam and ­Christina Groves

Married July 18, 2005, at their home in Shady Side

We were very proud of throwing our wedding ourselves with the help of our good friends. My husband smoked the BBQ, and I made our wedding cake. Our wedding embodied the spirit of what our relationship is: we make an awesome team and can get through anything with help from our friends.

William and Sarah Wheatley

Married October 18, 2014, in William’s hometown of ­Vienna, Md.

We were high school sweethearts.

Mossberg Photography

Amanda and Kyle Davis

Married September 19, 2009 in an Episcopal church in Clinton Maryland followed by a reception in Bowie. We now reside in Shady Side.

A special memory for us is that he was my first kiss in middle school and I was the girl who told him no in high school. Now today, married with two children together, we still look at each other amazed. In this photo we were saying to each other how we couldn’t believe we were married to each other! It was and is a great day!

Harris and Holly Ansari

Married January 3, 2016, at the International Palms in Orlando, Fla.

We had a traditional Pakistani wedding. It was a two-day event that started with dancing and ended with a classy reception as we walked in husband and wife.

Barbara (Betts) and Robert Sprecher

Married on December 24, 1966, in Hagerstown, Md., during a snowstorm.

We were married during my two-week leave, and after returning from the honeymoon I took her to an apartment in Connecticut and left for a three-month deployment on the nuclear submarine USS Francis Scott Key SSBN 657. For that three months, our only communication was one-way from her to me (four family grams). When I returned home after patrol, I knew I had a keeper because she was there waiting for me. We have two daughters and three grandsons, and we celebrate our 50th wedding anniversary this year.

–Bob Sprecher

Lisa and Alex Knoll

Married October 11, 1997, in Mount Cuba, Del.

We had an outdoor wedding at a hunt club where my wife had mucked stalls when she was a girl. We worried about the weather for weeks, but when the day arrived it was beautiful. We had a short ceremony led by a justice of the peace. After our vows, as we kissed, a flock of geese took flight in a V-formation.

Kaeleigh Kennedy and Chris Yuknis with dog Jake

Engaged May 31, 2016.

Not sure if proposal pictures count but figured I’d send it over 🙂 We have been dating for seven years and moved to Annapolis from Massachusetts about a year ago. Chris proposed to me at City Dock. I said yes 🙂
    We have not picked a date yet, but we are thinking some time next fall!

Dan Phelps Photography (danphelpsphoto.com)

Anna Reinert and Alex Wong

Married May 3, 2015, at Historic London Town & Gardens in Edgewater.

I made my shoes Chesapeake-chic by adding oyster shells to cover the rhinestones. My parents are both involved in the South River Foundation efforts at oyster revival. That’s a silver six pence in my left shoe: Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue.
    After the wedding, my husband and I sailed away from the reception on my father’s Marshall 22 Catboat.

The Rev. Donald and Mrs. Denise Melvin

Married December 2, 2006, at Gospel Ark Temple in Washington, D.C.

Our wedding was followed by a celebration in Chesapeake Beach and a honeymoon cruise. Now the Calvert County residents give honor to God for 10 years togetehr, praying daily through a life in faith.

Natalia and Byron Dunlap

Married June 7, 2008, at Christ Church in Port Republic.

The Shady Side couple share their anniversary with Byron’s parents Carol and Steve Dunlap, married on June 7, 1970.
 

Sarah Zang and Zac Hultz

Married September 26, 2015, at Zangs Farm in Harwood, Md.

We had a country wedding on the family farm. It was a beautiful and relaxing day with family and friends.

Heather Mykal Rubenaker

Married November 8, 2014.

It was wonderful! Perfect weather and perfect location at Quiet Waters Park. Wouldn’t have changed a thing.

–Heather Rubenaker

Desmond and Emily Marie Brown

Married May 6, 2016, at the Royal Resort in Playa del Carmen, Mexico.

We met at Bates Middle School in Annapolis and went to different high schools and colleges, then met again after college one day. The rest is history.

Tom Lyons and Betty Thompson

Married December 11, 1943, with the wedding reception at the Winged Foot Country Club in ­Mamaroneck, New York.

A toast was given to those men and women who could not attend, and a prayer was said to those who had fallen.

Barbara Ann (Kleinhen) and James Kevin Malloy

Married on March 3, 1962, at Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church in Washington, D.C.

The reception for about 300 family and friends was held at the historic Kennedy Warren Hotel. We left for our honeymoon in Florida driving my snazzy blue Bel Air Chevy convertible.
    Upon arriving in Daytona Beach, the Chevy needed repairs. The mechanic gave us a loaner car for a few days. However, he was not authorized to do so. An All Points Bulletin went out on the car — We were picked up and charged with unauthorized use of a vehicle. We had to go to court to prove our innocence and then pay a $50 fine! My marriage was exciting and unpredictable for the next 49 years.

Charlotte and Pete Dahlberg

Married August 8, 2015, at St. Mary’s Chapel in Ridge, Md.

Blessed by a perfect day, our wonderful ­family and friends, our love … and beautiful weather!

Mollie and Steve Flounlacker

Married September 18, 2004, in Annapolis.

While our wedding day started with hurricane rain, this umbrella escort with the groomsmen was a shining moment. As luck would have it, the rain stopped by mid-day, in time for my husband and me to leave our Chart House reception by boat.

Stephen and Lindsey Snyder

Married June 21, 2012, at Quiet Waters Park in Annapolis.

We will always have this awesome memory of our photographer Chris Block going above and beyond for our photos!

Chris Block Photography

Abby and Joseph Herche

Married June 14, 2014, in Central Oak Heights, West Milton, Penn.

Martin Kranitz and Kate Cullen-Kranitz

Married on November 2, 2014.

When we were getting ready to get married Kate wanted us to construct our own vows. I was hesitant but Kate came up with a solution, the song from Phantom of the Opera, “All I ask of You”. The song still brings tears to my eyes because it really describes our relationship. We even took the time to edit the song, removing the name Christine. Kate turned our unique wedding into a musical affair, with my entrance to the Olympic fanfare music.

Ashley Beall and Justin Stapleton

Married June 19, 2010.

We met in September 1994, a couple weeks into eighth grade. We were inseparable after that until the day I left home at 16.
    We didn’t see each other again for 10 years, but immediately we were inseparable once again, and had our son, Elijah Gray Beall Stapleton, soon after.
    We had no money for a wedding, a dress, suits or any of the traditional things. Our ceremony took place at a public park in Jacksonville, Fla., overlooking the beautiful Ortega River. We borrowed $70 from my husband’s mother for his wedding band, and I inherited my grandmother’s vintage diamond ring. My husband bought a shirt, I wore a dress I already had with flip flops, because it’s Florida you know!
    Even though we didn’t have much, we had all we needed. I wouldn’t change anything.

–Ashley Beall

Bill Anderson and Tara Smith

The Crofton couple tied the knot in Eugene, Oregon, on August 28, 2010.

Shannon and Freddie Shotland

Married May 7, 2016, at Historic London Town & Garden.

Our Story: After All This Time

Freddie
    After three long months at boot camp, graduation finally came in April of 2010. What I didn’t realize was that I would be meeting the love of my life. Shannon was with my family on the trip they took to Myrtle Beach for vacation, where they would also be picking me up from boot camp. Our personalities were so similar that we hit it off right away. We got back to Maryland and over the course of the next 10 days, I asked her out on our first date together to Ruth Chris. Then I spent all the time that I could with her until I had to leave for training.
    We began our long-distance relationship, which took me to California and North Carolina — away from her — when all I wanted was to be by her side. That’s when I knew we had something special. I knew it was quick, but I had never been so sure in my whole life when I asked her to marry me in January 2011. She said yes.

Shannon
    In the time we spent together, Freddie became my best friend. When he asked, I had no question in my mind when I said yes. We began planning for a wedding in May of that year, and we were just about to send the wedding invitations when Freddie’s deployment got bumped up. We weren’t willing to be apart without getting married, so we made the decision to move the wedding ceremony up to March and have a reception once he returned. Freddie was away for 11 months before finally coming home. When I saw him for the first time in so long, it was like no other feeling I’ve ever had before. It was pure happiness.
    I called the wedding venue where we had booked for our original May date, but the dates offered were not feasible for us to plan the day we dreamed of. With no possibility of a refund, we had to put the wedding we wanted from the start on hold.

Together
    It’s been a long wait: five years of marriage filled with lots of love and laughter, three dogs, a house in North Carolina and our permanent home in Texas. Now we are having the wedding we wanted. We are so happy that to witness our vow renewal we will be surrounded by all of our family and friends who stuck with us through our years together. This is an opportunity for us to show our family and friends our commitment to each other and to, of course, have a great time with the people we love and who love us!