In 2016, Ryder and Alex met while waiting in line with their respective friends for a popular college bar in Villanova. Alex initiated conversation with Ryder while waiting to enter. When they arrived at the front of the line, Alex took Ryder's hand and led him through the door; it was sparks instantly! About a month later, Ryder asked Alex to go steady with him under the Rosemont train station bridge. A lock with their hand-carved initials still hangs from the station fence today.

Ryder and Alex had a 'mid-distance' relationship for three years after college while Ryder began work in NYC as a CPA and Alex attended graduate school at the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine. Many NJT train rides and weekender bags later, they moved into their first apartment in Chelsea, NYC.

If you know Alex and Ryder, you know they are always down for an adventure. The two have traveled to Switzerland, England, Denmark, Portugal, Spain, Germany, Canada, France, Ireland, and Luxembourg together. They plan on touring Greece and Italy for their honeymoon. And when they're not rooting on the Jets, Mets, Knicks or Rangers, they're busy planning the next big thing. Today, Alex and Ryder have run 4 marathons together (Berlin, London, Chicago and NYC) and plan to run Tokyo and Boston after their wedding, one day becoming Six Star Finishers and earning the esteemed Abbott World Marathon Majors medal. They both credit each other to coming this far with it. And as Ryder likes to say, everything is just always better when 'Wugs' is there.

Above all else, Alex and Ryder feel enormously blessed to be finally making their union official in the presence of their friends and family (who are also to thank for helping both get to this wonderful point in their lives). The story continues, but soon as Mr. and Mrs. Farmakis.

Appleford Estate Grounds Map