"We met in the spring, when Michael got a new assignment at Newsday, where he had worked for five years. He joined me in covering New York’s City Hall, where I was working as the Associated Press correspondent.

"We even discovered we both had been reporters for the same news organizations, just not at the same time. We both have a passion for the outdoors, running, and cycling. We fell in love and became inseparable.

"In August a year later, Michael proposed while we were hiking in Colorado. We began planning our wedding soon after the engagement. I am from Nebraska and Michael is from Arkansas, but we chose to get married in New York City because it was a place family and friends from all over could come and enjoy.

"We looked at a few wedding venues, but after our first meeting with Dan Fehlig and Jim Weitzman at 91, The Event Space, we knew it was right. We were attracted to its townhouse-style space with exposed brick, as well as the idea that we would be working with one main venue that could handle everything.

"Dan and Jim made the entire wedding planning process easy and stress-free. One of their slogans is that “the whole experience should be fun,” and it truly was.

"Michael’s twin brother even got ordained as a Universal Life minister so he could officiate our marriage.

"The first course was grilled sea scallops with avocado and purple potato salad and roasted beet coulis, followed by a mixed field green salad with cherry drop tomatoes and a champagne vinaigrette.

"The main course was a bourbon barbecue chicken, which the chef created especially for us, paired with horseradish potato gratin and asparagus tied with chives, plus a sea bass garden cassoulet, cooked in a saffron broth. Our cake was moist and rich chocolate cake with vanilla butter cream.

"We cannot thank Jim and Dan enough for all their help in planning our wedding. We had a wonderful and memorable wedding that fit us both perfectly!