I am so pleased to introduce you to Leah and Mark, a beautiful couple coming all the way from
Washington, that will soon host their wedding here at the Ridge. I was struck immediately by Leah’s kind and fun spirit, which came through emails immediately. I can only imagine how wonderful Mark, who was detained by his job in the military, is.
Tell me a little about you and your fiancé
“I am a speech-language pathologist. I would say that I am an imperfect perfectionist and an introverted extrovert. I tend to plan out every little thing and like to know all of the details before I jump into something regardless of how big or small it is. I am a huge sports fan, particularly the Kentucky Wildcats. I love to bake, especially cheesecakes, as well as garden. Mark is a pilot in the Air Force. He’s much more out-going from the start than I am. He’s also much more impulsive and loves to do things spur of the moment. Characteristics that definitely balance my personality traits well. He has always loved to be outdoors and loves hiking, camping, off-roading, you name it, as long as it’s not fishing which he claims is incredibly boring. Mark really enjoys watching movies, although it takes an exceptional movie for him to say it’s truly good. He loves to cook, particularly experimental. And of course for him, the spicier, the better. Together, we love to laugh with each other and at each other (kindly), explore with our Mini Aussie pup, Aoife (“ee-fuh”), and shut down some our favorite restaurants with some wine, a dessert for me, and endless conversation.” (Please invite me next time?)
How did you two meet?
“I like to say we were first introduced to each other online, but first met at an interactive zoo called Tanganyika. I had just moved out to Wichita for grad school and decided I’d do that for my birthday. As I recall, Mark just politely invited himself along, although he may not remember it that way. After doing so, he didn’t show up until I was nearly finished with all of the exhibits, but for some reason I decided the heck with it, so we went through them all again. There was great conversation which turned into lunch, and then catching a movie after exploring downtown. It was a pretty great birthday that was our beginning of forever."
How did you two get engaged?
"I love flowers and I dragged Mark to the botanical gardens countless times in Wichita. So, it didn’t strike me as odd that we would head out there for a stroll. Mark completely surprised me by popping the question in a little alcove in the back evergreen gardens - short and sweet, but it was perfect coming from him."
What vision do you have for your wedding?
"Our vision for our wedding is very much that it be a celebration of our love and the beginning of the rest of our lives with some of our closest friends and family. In terms of design, Mark and I are a bit of opposites when it comes to design and likes/dislikes. I prefer a more classic and refined look – he enjoys a more rustic look. So for our wedding, we’re going for a balance of the two. Our colors are black and white with pops of color coming from the floral design."
What vendors are you excited about working with?
"We are super excited to work with our photographer, Chris Beck of Brooks Range Photography out of Seattle, WA, again. He met us in Tacoma for our engagement shoot and we’re excited to have him traveling out to Maine for us to capture our wedding, too! We’re also excited to work with our coordinator, Cassie Fier of Doting and Details. She has been so sweet and patient with us (me) and I figure out what I want from across the country. And, the food - we’ve heard great things about the Good Food Store, and Heather and her team have been so easy to talk and work with - we can’t wait to enjoy their food!"
Why did you choose Granite Ridge?
"I feel like this question should be “Why wouldn’t you choose Granite Ridge?” To be honest, Mark and I have never been there. (WHAT!?) Our parents, bless them, went to venue after venue with my neurotic list of questions, took tons of photos, and answered countless additional questions I had after the fact. But before this all started, in fact, before we were even engaged, I had stumbled upon Granite Ridge online and fell in love. I mean, who wouldn’t!? The view is gorgeous, the barn is gorgeous, the house is gorgeous, Maine is gorgeous… And, after I spoke with Micki the first time - I had a good feeling. My parents went up to tour and once my Dad said “Leah, you won’t believe this place.” We knew it was the one for us. We couldn’t be more excited!"
Professional Photography by Chris Beck of Brooks Range Photography
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