Oak Hollow

Wedding Day

Ceremony

Cocktail hour

Reception

Winter

Our Wedding

We&nbsp;started&nbsp;talking&nbsp;on&nbsp;November&nbsp;13,&nbsp;2023&nbsp;and&nbsp;we&nbsp;both&nbsp;had&nbsp;a&nbsp;feeling&nbsp;that&nbsp;there&nbsp;was&nbsp;something&nbsp;special&nbsp;between&nbsp;us.&nbsp;When&nbsp;we&nbsp;met&nbsp;for&nbsp;the&nbsp;first&nbsp;time&nbsp;on&nbsp;November&nbsp;18,&nbsp;2023&nbsp;at&nbsp;the&nbsp;Everglades&nbsp;Conservation&nbsp;and&nbsp;Sportsman&nbsp;Club&nbsp;Thanksgiving&nbsp;celebration,&nbsp;our&nbsp;suspicions&nbsp;were&nbsp;confirmed.&nbsp;I&nbsp;was&nbsp;surrounded&nbsp;by&nbsp;a&nbsp;large&nbsp;group&nbsp;of&nbsp;life&nbsp;long&nbsp;friends,&nbsp;and&nbsp;Mark&nbsp;knew&nbsp;no&nbsp;one.&nbsp;He&nbsp;said&nbsp;he&nbsp;felt&nbsp;at&nbsp;home&nbsp;almost&nbsp;immediately. &nbsp;I&nbsp;sure&nbsp;am&nbsp;glad&nbsp;for&nbsp;unlimited&nbsp;cell&nbsp;service.&nbsp;Living&nbsp;an&nbsp;hour&nbsp;and&nbsp;a&nbsp;half&nbsp;from&nbsp;one&nbsp;another&nbsp;with&nbsp;both&nbsp;of&nbsp;us&nbsp;working&nbsp;two&nbsp;full&nbsp;time&nbsp;jobs&nbsp;a&nbsp;piece,&nbsp;we&nbsp;were&nbsp;burning&nbsp;up&nbsp;the&nbsp;phone&nbsp;line.&nbsp;After&nbsp;an&nbsp;event&nbsp;at&nbsp;my&nbsp;place&nbsp;of&nbsp;employment,&nbsp;Mark&nbsp;rushed&nbsp;to&nbsp;my&nbsp;side.&nbsp;We&nbsp;have&nbsp;found&nbsp;ourselves&nbsp;nearly&nbsp;inseparable&nbsp;since.&nbsp;From&nbsp;airboating&nbsp;to&nbsp;buggies&nbsp;and&nbsp;everglades&nbsp;camp&nbsp;life,&nbsp;our&nbsp;two&nbsp;lives&nbsp;have&nbsp;seamlessly&nbsp;melded&nbsp;into&nbsp;one.&nbsp; Knowing&nbsp;our&nbsp;shared&nbsp;affliction&nbsp;for&nbsp;both&nbsp;family&nbsp;and&nbsp;the&nbsp;outdoors,&nbsp;Mark&nbsp;orchestrated&nbsp;an&nbsp;engagement&nbsp;beyond&nbsp;my&nbsp;wildest&nbsp;dreams.&nbsp;At&nbsp;the&nbsp;Annual&nbsp;Barbecue&nbsp;at&nbsp;the&nbsp;Airboat&nbsp;Association&nbsp;of&nbsp;Florida,&nbsp;where&nbsp;we&nbsp;were&nbsp;joined&nbsp;by&nbsp;both&nbsp;of&nbsp;our&nbsp;parents,&nbsp;as&nbsp;well&nbsp;as&nbsp;my&nbsp;closest&nbsp;extended&nbsp;family,&nbsp;and&nbsp;some&nbsp;of&nbsp;our&nbsp;dearest&nbsp;friends&nbsp;he&nbsp;manged&nbsp;to&nbsp;sneak&nbsp;off&nbsp;and&nbsp;ask&nbsp;my&nbsp;father's&nbsp;permission&nbsp;to&nbsp;marry&nbsp;me.&nbsp;All&nbsp;day&nbsp;long,&nbsp;I&nbsp;was&nbsp;the&nbsp;only&nbsp;person&nbsp;in&nbsp;our&nbsp;group&nbsp;unaware&nbsp;of&nbsp;the&nbsp;surprise&nbsp;in&nbsp;store.&nbsp;I&nbsp;found&nbsp;it&nbsp;a&nbsp;bit&nbsp;peculiar&nbsp;being&nbsp;hurried&nbsp;off&nbsp;to&nbsp;the&nbsp;sunset&nbsp;ride&nbsp;so&nbsp;early,&nbsp;but&nbsp;with&nbsp;our&nbsp;large&nbsp;group&nbsp;of&nbsp;family,&nbsp;it&nbsp;can&nbsp;be&nbsp;similar&nbsp;to&nbsp;herding&nbsp;cats.&nbsp;When&nbsp;we&nbsp;pulled&nbsp;our&nbsp;boats&nbsp;along&nbsp;side&nbsp;a&nbsp;group&nbsp;of&nbsp;fifty&nbsp;others&nbsp;lined&nbsp;up&nbsp;to&nbsp;watch&nbsp;the&nbsp;boats&nbsp;race&nbsp;and&nbsp;the&nbsp;sun&nbsp;go&nbsp;down,&nbsp;Mark&nbsp;joined&nbsp;me&nbsp;on&nbsp;my&nbsp;boat&nbsp;and&nbsp;handed&nbsp;me&nbsp;a&nbsp;small&nbsp;wooden&nbsp;box&nbsp;he&nbsp;claimed&nbsp;was&nbsp;a&nbsp;puzzle&nbsp;box,&nbsp;at&nbsp;which&nbsp;time&nbsp;he&nbsp;turned&nbsp;us&nbsp;around&nbsp;for&nbsp;our&nbsp;families&nbsp;to&nbsp;get&nbsp;a&nbsp;photograph&nbsp;of&nbsp;the&nbsp;two&nbsp;of&nbsp;us&nbsp;together.&nbsp;The&nbsp;countless&nbsp;cameras&nbsp;trained&nbsp;on&nbsp;our&nbsp;position&nbsp;and&nbsp;failing&nbsp;to&nbsp;subside&nbsp;left&nbsp;me&nbsp;at&nbsp;a&nbsp;loss. &nbsp;Mark&nbsp;then&nbsp;told&nbsp;me&nbsp;that&nbsp;I&nbsp;really&nbsp;aught&nbsp;to&nbsp;open&nbsp;that&nbsp;puzzle&nbsp;box&nbsp;he&nbsp;had&nbsp;handed&nbsp;me&nbsp;just&nbsp;moments&nbsp;earlier.&nbsp;When&nbsp;I&nbsp;opened&nbsp;the&nbsp;box&nbsp;and&nbsp;found&nbsp;that&nbsp;it&nbsp;had&nbsp;been&nbsp;concealing&nbsp;an&nbsp;engagement&nbsp;ring,&nbsp;time&nbsp;stood&nbsp;still.&nbsp;I&nbsp;looked&nbsp;back&nbsp;at&nbsp;Mark,&nbsp;down&nbsp;on&nbsp;one&nbsp;knee,&nbsp;it&nbsp;was&nbsp;as&nbsp;if&nbsp;we&nbsp;were&nbsp;the&nbsp;only&nbsp;two&nbsp;people&nbsp;on&nbsp;earth.&nbsp;I&nbsp;remember&nbsp;the&nbsp;sound&nbsp;of&nbsp;the&nbsp;airboats&nbsp;racing,&nbsp;but&nbsp;everyone&nbsp;else&nbsp;disappeared&nbsp;and&nbsp;all&nbsp;we&nbsp;could&nbsp;see&nbsp;was&nbsp;each&nbsp;other.&nbsp;It&nbsp;was&nbsp;as&nbsp;if&nbsp;the&nbsp;whole&nbsp;world&nbsp;stopped&nbsp;spinning&nbsp;for&nbsp;our&nbsp;one&nbsp;special&nbsp;moment&nbsp;together. And so begins our life long journey together.

Our Love Story

Our Story

Photos

Wedding Party

Q + A

You must book your room by September 6, 2024 in order to receive the special discounted price of the room block. You may book both nights or just one night. I have blocked off 30 rooms, 20 single king bed rooms and 10 double queen bed rooms. If you would like to come earlier or stay later I put a shoulder block for October 2nd, 3rd, 6th and 7th. You will receive the same price for all those days also, but they must be booked when you originally book your room. You can book your room by clicking the website button below or call in and state you are booking under the Lopresti-Hickman room block.

Hampton Inn Port Charlotte

Hotel

Things to Do

Registry

Amanda & Mark

Amanda & Mark

Photos