Once Upon a Time…
There were two women (12 percent of Americans in their 50s) who ventured into the world of online dating. Mary Ellen Mahan and Joan Marie Hanley met for coffee and tea at Barnes & Noble in Wyomissing, leading to a nearly three-hour chat. Joan discussed how important her faith was to her, and Mary Ellen shared how volunteering was near and dear to her heart. Admits Mary Ellen, “I think we were trying to quickly eliminate each other since online matches were not working well for either of us.”
The ladies’ friendship grew, and they enjoyed numerous hikes and canoe rides in the parks of Berks County. Their first date was a wine & jazz event at Pinnacle Ridge Winery, Kutztown, followed by unique outings such as volunteering at Opportunity House, attending library benefits and church potlucks, soliciting donations for BCTV’s Octoberfest, tending their respective gardens, and more.
The Proposal…
Mary Ellen proposed to Joan at Dans at Green Hills last fall. During a class at Longwood Gardens, Joan once stated that a spotting scope would be a great substitute for an engagement ring. So that’s what she received. Non-traditional, but consistent with the pair’s mutual interests. It worked. She said, “Yes!”
The Big Day…
The women wanted to incorporate their love for Berks County and keep as much of their wedding celebration in the area as possible. As avid gardeners, they used local flowers provided by The Rustic Bunch LLC, Leesport. They also collected silver pieces for a year and crafted unique floral displays for the wedding, held at All Souls ECC in Reading.
Susan Golembiski of Jan-Rae in West Reading created custom outfits for the women and their attendants, incorporating a stunning vintage botanical print. Their makeup and hair were perfected by Ambiance Salon & Spa in Shillington. Ties for the male attendants were from Sneaky Pea, a local online maker of bowties. The folks at Goldsmiths, Wyomissing, designed identical custom wedding rings which included elements of the couple’s mutual Irish heritage and, again, their love of nature.
Instead of a unity candle, Mary Ellen and Joan planted a native pawpaw tree from Sugarbush Nursery, Reading, with dirt from each of their yards. The music in the church was provided by Christopher Hoster & Geert Ruelens of the Opus One Chamber Choir. Church programs were printed in Berks too, by Exeter Printing.
The After Party…
Recalls Mary Ellen, “Photography by McDonough [West Lawn] did a great job capturing our guests wearing dinosaur masks and tails, since the reception included tours of the Reading Public Museum’s dinosaur exhibit.” The table assignments were printed on seed packets in library card catalog drawers, reflecting Mary Ellen’s involvement as Board President of the Village Library of Morgantown. The cake was a huge naked cake baked by The Well Dressed Cake, West Reading. The Party People DJ service cranked out tunes and kept attendees dancing. The ladies laugh at the recollection of the 20-plus children wearing dinosaur garb dancing to the Dinosaur Stomp!
Following the event, the flowers from the reception were donated to numerous churches in the area for their Sunday services. In lieu of gifts, guests were asked to contribute to the PC fund for the Village Library and the KenCrest Services playground fund. With an additional contribution from the Rotary Club of Twin Valley, Mary Ellen and Joan were able to replace all the PCs at the library. They are still working to raise funds for the playground.
After the Big Day came to a close, what was each lady’s favorite memory? Says Mary Ellen, “Being overwhelmed with joy that I could marry such a wonderful, caring person and knowing that so many friends and family were there to share in our public acknowledgment and commitment of our love.”
For Joan, it was “Exchanging vows that we had written and sharing that moment while surrounded by our family, [and] friends.”
The Honeymoon…
The couple honeymooned for a week on Mt. Desert Island and Acadia National Park, Maine, and then spent another week hiking, canoeing and dining out in Berks County.
Future Plans…
Joan is Vice-President at KenCrest Services and Mary Ellen continues to volunteer for the Village Library, Opus One, BCTV, the Gundaker Foundation and the Rotary Club of Twin Valley.
Details
Rehearsal Dinner: Judy’s on Cherry, Reading
Host Hotel for Out-of-Town Guests: Courtyard By Marriott Reading-Wyomissing
Cocktail Hour Harpist: Phyllis E. Peters
Pre-Rehearsal Outing: FirstEnergy Stadium to take in a Reading Fightins game
Once Upon a Time…
There were two women (12 percent of Americans in their 50s) who ventured into the world of online dating. Mary Ellen Mahan and Joan Marie Hanley met for coffee and tea at Barnes & Noble in Wyomissing, leading to a nearly three-hour chat. Joan discussed how important her faith was to her, and Mary Ellen shared how volunteering was near and dear to her heart. Admits Mary Ellen, “I think we were trying to quickly eliminate each other since online matches were not working well for either of us.”
The ladies’ friendship grew, and they enjoyed numerous hikes and canoe rides in the parks of Berks County. Their first date was a wine & jazz event at Pinnacle Ridge Winery, Kutztown, followed by unique outings such as volunteering at Opportunity House, attending library benefits and church potlucks, soliciting donations for BCTV’s Octoberfest, tending their respective gardens, and more.
The Proposal…
Mary Ellen proposed to Joan at Dans at Green Hills last fall. During a class at Longwood Gardens, Joan once stated that a spotting scope would be a great substitute for an engagement ring. So that’s what she received. Non-traditional, but consistent with the pair’s mutual interests. It worked. She said, “Yes!”
The Big Day…
The women wanted to incorporate their love for Berks County and keep as much of their wedding celebration in the area as possible. As avid gardeners, they used local flowers provided by The Rustic Bunch LLC, Leesport. They also collected silver pieces for a year and crafted unique floral displays for the wedding, held at All Souls ECC in Reading.
Susan Golembiski of Jan-Rae in West Reading created custom outfits for the women and their attendants, incorporating a stunning vintage botanical print. Their makeup and hair were perfected by Ambiance Salon & Spa in Shillington. Ties for the male attendants were from Sneaky Pea, a local online maker of bowties. The folks at Goldsmiths, Wyomissing, designed identical custom wedding rings which included elements of the couple’s mutual Irish heritage and, again, their love of nature.
Instead of a unity candle, Mary Ellen and Joan planted a native pawpaw tree from Sugarbush Nursery, Reading, with dirt from each of their yards. The music in the church was provided by Christopher Hoster & Geert Ruelens of the Opus One Chamber Choir. Church programs were printed in Berks too, by Exeter Printing.
The After Party…
Recalls Mary Ellen, “Photography by McDonough [West Lawn] did a great job capturing our guests wearing dinosaur masks and tails, since the reception included tours of the Reading Public Museum’s dinosaur exhibit.” The table assignments were printed on seed packets in library card catalog drawers, reflecting Mary Ellen’s involvement as Board President of the Village Library of Morgantown. The cake was a huge naked cake baked by The Well Dressed Cake, West Reading. The Party People DJ service cranked out tunes and kept attendees dancing. The ladies laugh at the recollection of the 20-plus children wearing dinosaur garb dancing to the Dinosaur Stomp!
Following the event, the flowers from the reception were donated to numerous churches in the area for their Sunday services. In lieu of gifts, guests were asked to contribute to the PC fund for the Village Library and the KenCrest Services playground fund. With an additional contribution from the Rotary Club of Twin Valley, Mary Ellen and Joan were able to replace all the PCs at the library. They are still working to raise funds for the playground.
After the Big Day came to a close, what was each lady’s favorite memory? Says Mary Ellen, “Being overwhelmed with joy that I could marry such a wonderful, caring person and knowing that so many friends and family were there to share in our public acknowledgment and commitment of our love.”
For Joan, it was “Exchanging vows that we had written and sharing that moment while surrounded by our family, [and] friends.”
The Honeymoon…
The couple honeymooned for a week on Mt. Desert Island and Acadia National Park, Maine, and then spent another week hiking, canoeing and dining out in Berks County.
Future Plans…
Joan is Vice-President at KenCrest Services and Mary Ellen continues to volunteer for the Village Library, Opus One, BCTV, the Gundaker Foundation and the Rotary Club of Twin Valley.
Details
Rehearsal Dinner: Judy’s on Cherry, Reading
Host Hotel for Out-of-Town Guests: Courtyard By Marriott Reading-Wyomissing
Cocktail Hour Harpist: Phyllis E. Peters
Pre-Rehearsal Outing: FirstEnergy Stadium to take in a Reading Fightins game
Photos by Photography by McDonough
