THE MAEWOOD JOURNAL

Mr. & Mrs. Long

Real Weddings

June 13, 2023

Whimsical Woodland Wedding

This past weekend, we enjoyed witnessing Em and Brad’s, aka Mr. & Mrs. Long’s, Twilight-inspired, whimsical woodland wedding celebration. The dreamy scene was set on Brad’s family’s property in the heart of Hartford County, MD. It spanned from the family home, then weaved down a torchlit forest path to a ceremony site in a sunlit grove so full of simple elegance it was gorgeous enough to be straight from the big screen.

Our newlyweds are no strangers to the woods. Emily has always loved nature, especially the forest. She is a sure shot, a seasoned hiker, and an avid outdoorswoman. Additionally, we think she might be part woodland sprite, which totally tracks if our photos are any indication!

While Brad may not be as smitten with wildlife as Em, he also grew up in Harford County’s countryside. He spent his fair share of days outside playing football, four-wheeling with friends, and messing around in mother nature. But between their mountaintop proposal, springtime Susquehanna State Park engagement session, and forest-facing homestead nuptials, one thing is for sure:

these hearts are wild

Brad knew Em’s affinity for the wilderness. So, he opted to pop the question at the top of her favorite hike in Harpers Ferry, West Virginia. He spent countless hours searching for the perfect ring and enlisted the help of both his and Em’s moms for insights. Brad even went as far as to purchase what he thought was the ring, only to decide it wasn’t good enough for Emily. He returned to the jeweler, newly purchased ring in tow, unwavering in his quest to find the perfect cut, clarity, & color to adorn Em’s dainty finger.

When Brad first suggested the Harper’s Ferry hike, Em was a bit hesitant. Their earlier trekking attempts were met with little exuberance on Brad’s part. However, despite that previous experience, Brad was adamant they make it to the finish line, knowing full well what he had planned at the top of the mountain. Like his search for the perfect ring, Brad’s determination and perseverance paid off…

she said yes!

Sometimes, coincidences happen in life. Yet, some moments are way too consequential to have just been luck. Those second ones are what the Turks call “Kismet,” which means “fated or destined to happen”…so, let’s do a little pop-quiz to test your Kismet meter, shall we?

Kismet or Coincidence?

Em & Brad started dating, got engaged, and got married the same weekend in different years.
They stumbled upon the song “Turning Page” by Sleeping at Last when planning their wedding playlist, only to find out later that it was the same song Bella Swan walked down the aisle to
Though the threat of Canadian wildfire loomed, the air quality cleared up JUST in time for Em & Brad to tie the knot!
Em, Brad, Jes, and Meg all graduated from North Harford High School, the very same high school where Meg and Dave met as teachers.
Em & Brad and Meg & Dave share the same wedding song: Adele’s rendition of “To Make You Feel My Love”
Jes & Michael’s anniversary is the day before Em & Brad’s, while Jess & Russ’ is just a couple of weeks after
Jess and Em’s sister, Fuzz, share the same lucky number: 13. Fuzz currently has a bun in the oven whose due date is close to Jess’ birthday: August 13th!
The 1st movie in the Twilight series came on Hulu just as the team sat down to write this very blog!

Ok, so full transparency,

We’re not fortune tellers, nor are we of Turkish descent. But you don’t need to be either of those things to see the synchronicities here, right? You also need not be either to know that these two were made for each other and that Kismet was in full effect on Em and Brad’s special day.

A quote from the evening’s thematic inspiration, The Twilight Saga, comes to mind: