Occupations Maggie & George are bartenders at Beach Barrels in Ocean City
Wedding date May 17, 2026
Number of Guests 100
Number of Attendants (wedding partY 3
How You Met: The old-fashioned way: at a bar. Maggie was technically hired as George’s replacement at Beach Barrels while he jetted off to Australia for a year-long internship, presumably to perfect his accent and his tan. When he finally returned, he caught her eye immediately—but she’s not one to wait around, so in July 2017, Maggie asked him out on a date he simply could not refuse: all-you-can-eat crabs. Nothing says Maryland romance quite like elbow-deep in crab shells together. The rest, as they say, is history.
The Engagement George: I planned a surprise weekend away at The Tides Inn in Irvington, Virginia—Maggie had no idea where we were headed. On our first evening there, we set out on a sunset cruise before dinner. My plan was to propose sometime between the cruise and the meal, with the ring burning a hole in my pocket the entire time.
As it turned out, we were the only two passengers on the boat, and the captain kindly offered to extend our cruise. It was a beautiful gesture—but it left almost no time before our dinner reservation, throwing my carefully laid plans into question.
While we were freshening up before dinner, Maggie called her mom and confessed that she had a feeling I was going to propose on the boat. Thankfully, her mom kept her composure and gently told her not to get her hopes up too much. At dinner, Maggie told me all about this conversation, completely unaware of how close to the truth she actually was—and how soon I’d prove her instincts right.
Right before dessert, I asked the restaurant manager to take our photo. As the camera came up, I dropped to one knee with the ring in hand. Maggie could only laugh and cry at the same time, completely overwhelmed—especially knowing everything that had led up to that very moment.
Wedding Design Inspiration Both of us grew up near the water, and a shared love of boating has always been part of who we are, so finding the perfect venue felt essential. While searching, we had the good fortune of a family friend offering up their River House in Bivalve along the Nanticoke River, as the place to celebrate, and the moment we saw the view, we knew we’d found our spot. For Maggie, it held special meaning, being so close to where she grew up; for George, it was the water views that sealed the deal. Either way, it felt like the perfect fit for both of us, and it set the tone for everything that followed: with a spring wedding in mind, Maggie and her wedding coordinators (her mom and aunts, doing double duty) leaned into a coastal-casual design full of color, bringing the same easy, by-the-water feeling straight into the decor.
What Was Unique and Special About Your Wedding Day We knew early on that a formal, white-tablecloth affair just wasn’t us. We wanted our wedding to feel like us: a little loud, a lot of fun, and never too serious for too long. So, we went with a live band we knew would get everyone on the dance floor and keep them there all night, and we even brought in a mechanical bull for good measure. Then we surrounded ourselves with the people who already know exactly how we get down and let them celebrate right alongside us.
Favorite Details The mechanical bull was an obvious highlight, since it was the one thing Maggie had wished for. Her stepfather surprised us with a custom-labeled “Magpie IPA” from RAR Brewing. But the true highlight of the day was the love poured into it: Maggie’s aunts, Amy and Wendi, her mother, Jenni, and their close circle of friends came together to plan and create a wedding that was as beautiful as it was meaningful. They spared no effort, ensuring the couple had nothing to worry about, before the wedding or on the day itself.
Maggie’s grandmother, Mimi, had passed away before the wedding, But Maggie knows she have loved every bit of it. Mimi would have been tickled pink.
Piece of Advice Our advice to other couples: enjoy the moment and make sure you carve out time for yourselves. During cocktail hour, we slipped away to a separate area to eat dinner privately, away from everyone else. It gave us a chance to decompress without feeling rushed, and to truly soak in a quiet moment together before the celebration continued.
Beauty Makeup: Skye White Beauty (makeup); Leandra Peterson (hair) Bridesmaids Birdie Grey dresses; KanthaKraft getting ready robes on Etsy Cake Classic Cakes, Salisbury Caterer Rick and Kelly Taylor, family friends Flowers Bride’s bouquet and bridal party bouquets/boutonniere from Flowers by Alison; centerpieces designed by the bride’s mother and aunts Groom Oliver Wicks suit, Brackish bowtie Honeymoon Waldorf Astoria in Costa Rica Invitations Zazzle Location The River House, Bivalve Mechanical Bull The Bull Guys Music On The Edge Officiant Raleigh Midkiff Photographer Green Feather Photography Wedding Outfit Sarah Seven dress; Oceanvalleyco cowboy hat veil on Etsy