Cathedral of St John the Baptist

Wedding Day

Wedding

The DeSoto Savannah

Reception

The DeSoto Savannah Harbor View Room

Wedding Reception

Our Wedding

Neil was three sheets to the wind when he met Tara's parents John &amp; Tracy Bittner at another wedding. A few weeks later Mr. Bittner mentioned to Tara how nice of a guy Neil was, and that she should contact him. Tara was not sure if she wanted to contact Neil after learning he was a pilot, and the stereotype that went with it. Not to mention she thought even if I contact him, it does not mean he will like me, or even talk to me. Tara got up the courage to send a message to Neil via Facebook. Tara felt very weird, nervous, and scared. Neil replied after consulting with his best friend, and Tara's childhood friend Halie. Neil wanted to make sure that Tara was not a crazy person. After a few messages being sent over Facebook, they began to talk over the phone for the next few weeks. Once it was decided they both should meet, they planned a first date in Savannah, GA. For four days Tara and Neil spent time together learning about each other, and realizing even though they had never met it felt like forever. And who knew that is how it would play out. They walked around River Street and had dinner at the at The Old Pink House. The date went very well since Tara ordered a big steak and not a salad which Neil appreciated. Neil had found a keeper a woman with an appetite, and a taste for adventure. From there it has one big nonstop adventure for both Neil and Tara. Traveling to Iceland for Spring break, and driving across the country while living in a Subaru for a month. Both major adventures proved to Neil that he had found the woman he wanted to be with forever, and continue to have adventures with. Tara felt the same way and accepted Neil's proposal of marriage. http://www.bittnerhoywedding.com

The first date

Hotel's

Bittner/Hoy Wedding room block 

The&nbsp;DeSoto Savannah

Address: 15 E Liberty, Savannah, GA 31401

#912-232-9000

Holiday Inn Express Savannah-Historic District 

Address: 199 E Bay St. Savannah, GA 31401

# 912-231-9000

Hotel Indigo Savannah-Historic District

Address: 201 W Bay St. Savannah, GA 31401

# 912-236-4440/ Pet Friendly&nbsp;

Our Story

Details

Met at Georgia Southern University in the Athletic Training Program. Friends for 6 years!&nbsp;&nbsp;

Holly Meese 

Nate and I met at Ohio University in freshman year&nbsp;aviation class

Nathan Grupendoopin

Christian and I met freshman year at Ohio University in the dorms.

Christian Big Country Hamby

Met in the Athletic Training Program at Georgia Southern University and were roommates for a year! Friends for about 5 years!&nbsp;

Lacey Dennis

Jeff and I were roommates last 3 years of college at OU

Jeffe Goonies

Bidwell and I were roommates last 3 years in college at OU

Jordan Biddy Bidwell

Met in the Athletic Training Program at Georgia Southern University, graduated together, and were practical application partners! Friends for the past 6 years!&nbsp;

Nikki Renfroe

Met in Moultrie Georgie while working on Master's and being an Athletic Trainer at&nbsp;high school in South Georgia and roommates. Friends for 2 years!&nbsp;

Colby Fowler

Christopher Bittner

John and I met at OU freshman year in the dorms and were roommates our last year of college.

John Marvar

Wedding Party

Photos

Registry

Q + A

<h2>Uber, cabs, and rental cars are all available.&nbsp;</h2>Once downtown everything will be within walking distance. (i.e. the Cathedral, Hotels, and reception)&nbsp;

Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport

Where both families will be staying. We do have a room block here! To block a room go to <a href="http://www.thedesotosavannah.com">www.thedesotosavannah.com</a>&nbsp;and click group reservations. The group code is WHB. The site is not yet mobile friendly but you can use a laptop or call 1-844-257-3520 M-F 9am-5pm to make reservation with Scott Siegel, Reservationist.&nbsp;

Holiday Inn Express Savannah-Historic District

Pet friendly Hotel. We do not have a room block here.

Hotel Indigo Savannah Historic District

Travel

These are our top picks of Savannah found through trail and error and getting lost in Savannah!!Best bar - Jen and Friends on corner of Congress and Bull St. Whatever flavor martini you can think of they can make it. Also 100 beers available! It's a small hole in the wall but lots of fun.&nbsp;Favorite Coffee Shop - The Coffee Fox off Whitaker St. and Broughton St. This is our favorite little coffee shop downtown. There are many but this one is ours!Favorite Restaurants - We love to eat and would never steer you wrong here.&nbsp;Chive Sea Bar and Lounge is one of our favorites for oysters and seafood as well as pretty good drinks, a more casual place.&nbsp;Circa 1875 is unbelievable. Everything is good and the wine selection is large. It's a french style place and a little more fancy. Ask to sit in the basement!!Wicked Cakes - if you want a cupcake you come here. They have happy hour cupcakes. The owner Abby is amazing and is in charge of our cake also.Leopolds Ice Cream - Old school ice cream spot that has a ton of flavors and best after a nightcap at Jen and Friends. Our top flavors: Lemon Custard for Neil and Rocky Road for Tara.B. Mathews Eatery - The sit down brunch spot. Cool old spot hidden on a corner. Everything here is good. It gets busy so make a reservation before you head out to Jen and Friends and forget.&nbsp;Goose Feathers Cafe and Bakery - If you can't get in to B. Mathews and need to eat this is the place for some good breakfast food, they serve breakfast all day!!&nbsp;

Tara and Neil's Favorite Spots in Savannah!!

Combine a convenient hop-on hop-off trolley ride with a spooky evening ghost tour to explore Savannah by day and by night. Ride around town on an old-fashioned trolley, jumping off at your leisure to visit local attractions, and then set out on foot as dusk falls to uncover the city's eerie past and spine-chilling tales.
During the day, roam around Savannah in hassle-free style aboard a hop-on hop-off trolley. Listen to informative and engaging narration, hearing local legends and interesting facts as you cruise past the historic architecture and verdant botanical gardens of this lovely coastal city. Disembark whenever you'd like to get a closer look, whether you want to travel back to the Civil War era at the Green-Meldrim House, sample the Southern cuisine at Mrs. Wilkes boarding house, or shop around City Market and Bay Street.
After night falls, meet up with a guide for a ghost tour—Savannah's centuries-old architecture, atmospheric streets, and moody ambiance make it the perfect place to imagine harrowing happenings and hauntings. Delve into the city's dark side as you visit 10 purportedly haunted sites, discovering what lures ghost hunters from around the world to Savannah's storied streets. Your guide regales you with frightening anecdotes and tales of paranormal events as you make your way down dark alleys and shadowy side streets.

Combo: Hop-On Hop-Off Trolley Pass & Evening Ghost Tour

Aboard a charming trolley, hear the history and stories that shaped Georgia's first city, Savannah. With 16 well-planned stops, you are free to hop on and off the trolley to explore landmarks, shops, museums, and historic sights.
Once Savannah's social and commercial gathering spot where fishermen and farmers brought their wares to sell, City Market now hosts live music and entertainment in the courtyard. In a place boasting quaint artisan shops and art galleries, enjoy perusing boutiques and meeting local vendors.
Visit the birthplace of the founder of the Girl Scouts—Juliette Gordon Low—and view the home affectionately known as the &quot;Girl Scout Mecca.&quot; The first Girl Scout headquarters, in use through 1985, is now a museum full of interactive educational experiences.
Known for impressive 18th- and 19th-century architecture, Savannah boasts more than 1,700 restored buildings and each has its own story to tell. Stroll through the impeccably preserved Colonial District, the largest historic landmark district in the US, and visit the Pirates' House. Once a place for visiting sailors to dine and share stories of their time at sea, it is now a restaurant with scrumptious Southern cuisine that is dedicated to preserving this history.
Be sure to take a moment to relax in a few of the city's 21 picturesque squares, filled with statues, fountains, and lush vegetation, as you hop on and off the trolley tour as you please.

Old Town Trolley Hop-On Hop-Off City Tour

Get out of your hotel room and into a comfy sightseeing boat for an awesome experience drifting around Hilton Head. Your journey is filled with expert narration, navigation, and pointers from your knowledgeable captain—all you need to do is enjoy the sights and sounds.
Look no further for a fun and relaxing Low Country adventure with beautiful sightseeing all along the way. Head to Cross Island Boat Landing and hop on board a spacious and comfortable boat before drifting peacefully out onto the Harbor River. Explore the backwater of the salt marshes and take in the sights of Historic River Street in the heart of the south Savannah.
This is the perfect opportunity to relax and socialize with the special people in your life, free of distraction and surrounded by nothing but the stunning natural beauty of the Low Country. Bring your own beverages and a picnic basket and enjoy lunch on the shore, with magnificent Savannah scenery as your backdrop.

Private Historic Savannah Cruise

Go off the beaten path in Savannah for a true taste of the South, gaining exclusive access to restaurants before they open, avoid long waits and getting real local insight into the secrets of Savannah's delectable culinary scene. Meet up with your guide in the heart of beautiful, historic Savannah and set off at a leisurely pace, strolling between eateries in the idyllic residential portion of the Historic District. Come hungry, because there's a whole array of fine nibbles on offer during this satiating stroll.
Your first stop will be Smith Brothers Butcher Shop, a butcher shop that does way more than carve meat. From there, make your way to other famous restaurants and some out-of-the-way finds, which may include 17Hundred90 Inn &amp; Restaurant, Wall's BBQ, Zunzi's Takeout and Mirabelle Cafe.
Chat with the proprietors and enjoy tastings of both local and international favorites such as fried green tomato chutney, pit-smoked chopped pork sandwiches, pimento cheese croissants, en papillote chicken sandwiches and peach cobbler waffles. Some tasting locations also provide beverages, and you can bring other non-alcoholic and alcoholic beverages (own expense) along on your tour.
You'll likely find that the various samples from your tour add up to a satisfying lunch. You will walk 1.1 miles (1.77km) in Savannah's famous historic district during your 3-hour tour, with plenty of tastings to break up the walk. Your culinary exploration of Savannah's most famous restaurants and best-kept secrets ends only a few blocks from the starting location. Continue seeking out the city's many eclectic flavors there or use the map provided to you to revisit restaurants from your tour on your own

Famous & Secret East Side Food Tour

See the historic sights of Savanna with a combo tour that includes a hop-off hop-on pass as well as a tour of the city's haunted pubs. Enjoy the flexibility of the hop-on hop-off pass and prepare to get the creeps as you learn about the haunted history of the city's pubs. Keep your camera handy!
Embark on a comprehensive, fully narrated tour of the city. Take advantage of hop-on hop-off flexibility to explore the stunning sites of the historic district throughout the day. Make use of the trolley for up to 8 hours on the day you redeem it as you explore the sights of this southern jewel.
Next, gear up for excitement as you explore haunted pubs. Interact with your savvy guide as you take a more personal narrated walking tour of 3–5 historic Savannah pubs.

Tara & Neil

Tara & Neil

Photos