September 29th, 2018 was an extraordinary day that was 7 years on the making. Jennifer describes her journey with Michael and how they fell in love:
In August 2011 I was entering my first year of college at UMaine in Orono. I decided to join the UMaine marching band and it was our very first marching band rehearsal that I met Mike. He was entering his junior year of college. I didn't know anyone in the marching band would always be alone when we walked around campus to get to our next rehearsal. Mike noticed this and started walking with me. We started to get to know each other during these long walks across campus. On September 5th Mike asked me if I wanted to go for a nature walk in Bangor and I agreed. We couldn't find the entrance to this nature trail and ended up walking through the woods. We walked for miles and had no idea where we were. Luckily we found a lady who was doing some work or her field and asked her where the trail was. She pointed us in the right direction and we eventually found the trail. When we headed back we realized we just needed to park about a couple hundred feet ahead to the trail head. When we got back to campus Mike asked me if I had fun. I said yes. He asked me if I wanted to do more stuff like this. I said yes. He said do you want to go out? And you guessed it, I said yes.
A couple years later Mike and I hiked Mount Washington for the first time with some of my family. We both loved it so much that we wanted to continue hiking, but not just in the White Mountains. Mount Washington is the tallest mountain in New Hampshire, Mike said to me one night if I wanted to hike all the state's highest points. I said yes.
After I graduated college in 2016 we set off for a 3 week vacation out west to hike some of the mountains out there. I was most excited for Colorado. Mount Elbert, Colorado's highest peak is over 14,000 feet tall and is still to this day the tallest mountain we've ever hiked. Mike and I were slow to hike it but we made it and as we sat on the top of the mountain huffing and puffing, trying to catch our breath Mike ask me if I remembered how he asked me out. I said yes. He said do you want to do more stuff like this. I said yes. He said do you want to marry me? You guessed it, I said yes. He had carried the ring to the top of the mountain and put it on my finger.
For our honeymoon we are heading out to Hawaii to Hike Hawaii's tallest mountain, Mauna Kea.
All ll I knew I wanted for the wedding is that I wanted it to be in September and I wanted it to be Fall. September 29th was the perfect day. I also knew our colors had to be burgundy and navy blue because they look so well together just like Mike and I look so well together.
Our party favors were coasters made from pieces of cedar wood that my father cut down from my home in Maine. We bought a branding iron that had our names and the date of our wedding and a nice flowery design. We burned the brand in to the wood pieces and put many coats of polyurethane on them to make them shine and put a piece of felt on the back side.
Wedding Vendors:
Venue: Private Residence in Biddeford Pool, Maine
Caterer: Above & Beyond Catering
Photography: Trina Dinnar Photography
Officiant: Sharon Lovejoy
DJ: Steve Mondor (retired, family friend)
Florist, Cake & Desserts: Flour! Flowers & Sweets
Hair: Studio at Island Point
Dresses and Veil: David’s Bridal
Men’s Attire: Men’s Wearhouse
Rings: Maine Gold and Silver
Rentals: Savvy Rentals
