It’s only fitting that our wedding falls on National Book Lovers Day, because from the very beginning, our love story has read like a really good book.

Sometimes a sweeping romance.

Sometimes a mystery.

Occasionally a cliffhanger.

And yes, sometimes a horror story (usually when Meagan’s hangry or Ben’s “body battery” drops below 20%).

But always, always worth the read.

Because the best stories, the ones that stay with you, have characters who grow over time.

They hold unexpected turns, honest dialogue, and chapters that challenge and change you.

They’re not perfect, but they’re real. Full of tension and tenderness, light and shadow, quiet miracles and (belly) laugh-out-loud moments.

The kind of story you underline, dog-ear, and return to, again and again.

Meagan, the creative storyteller.

Ben, the devoted student (and teacher) of story and narrative.

Together, we’ve written something real, wild and tender, funny and fierce, honest and still unfolding.

We met three years ago on a date at Jacob’s Beach in Guilford. Ben had planned it thoughtfully. And there, in two Adirondack chairs by the water, we both felt a mix of calm and ecstatic anticipation, an almost immediate sense of I know this person.

Later came lobster rolls, chosen with intention but layered with a deeper meaning, as Ben didn’t know it was the same place where Meagan had held her father’s celebration of life just six months earlier.

That first date was full of nerves, but not the anxious kind. It was the kind of feeling you get when the person sitting across from you doesn’t feel like a stranger at all, but like a mirror. Like someone who sees you, reflects you, and somehow brings you closer to yourself.And somehow, even in the newness, it felt like home. Like being home.

What followed was six hours of uninterrupted conversation and laughter, the kind that leaves your stomach sore the next day. It was unlike anything either of us had ever experienced. A beginning that felt rare. Sacred. Meant to be.

From that first date to now, there’s been joy we didn’t expect, laughter we didn’t know we needed, and adventures that changed us for the better.

But our story hasn’t been all lightness and laughter. It's also been forged in fire, in the kind of intimate knowing that comes only through challenge. We’ve climbed high mountains together and trudged through dark valleys, both literally and figuratively.

One of those mountains was Mount Desert in Acadia, where we got engaged nearly two years ago. Moments after the proposal, we were caught in a sudden storm and had to navigate a slippery descent in the dark. It felt, in a way, like a preview of the life we were committing to: full of beauty, uncertainty, and the promise that whatever came, we’d face it side by side.

Ben is the serious one (with a not-so-hidden silly streak) who will, and often has, blazed a trail when no clear path appeared. Meagan is the dreamer (equally funny (although she’d say funnier)) who’s usually the one checking the map, making sure we’re still headed somewhere meaningful.

Together, we are each other’s grounding and grace, spiritually stretched, continually shaped, and lovingly refined by both the peaks and the valleys. And through it all, God has been the center, whether we knew it or not. Our compass, our strength, and the true author of this love story.

Since that first day, we’ve built a life full of meaning and the kind of moments that rarely make the highlight reel, but matter more than anything: spiritual growth, April’s wild and wonderful personality that keeps us forever entertained, the animal game during (almost every) family dinner, muddy hikes with Shiloh, movie nights turned pillow fights, and the kind of adventures that anchor you. Our family is God’s greatest provision in our lives. A living reminder of His faithfulness and divine plan.

By the grace of God, we’ve grown, and we’re still growing. There’s so much more ahead.

Every year from our first summer together, we’ve returned to Bar Harbor. We’ve hiked mountains in Acadia and every year, we’ve celebrated those summit moments with our favorite lobster rolls in the world. The very ones you’ll enjoy with us at the reception.

From falling in love, to getting engaged, to honoring hard-won family victories, this place has held space for some of the most sacred chapters of our lives.

So here we are, inviting you into the next chapter that means the world to us, in the same place we said yes to forever. We’ve brought you here not just to witness a wedding, but to step into the story with us, to celebrate love, family, and all the beautiful, messy, sacred in-between.

And yes… we really are getting married on Thompson Island.

Thank you for being part of it.

We can’t wait to write what comes next.

P.S. Below are some photos of our past Acadia adventures! And as you can see... Bar Harbor, Acadia & lobster rolls have a special place in our ❤️