Marc & Hannah: From Flying Saucer to Forever – The Story Continues

Some stories don’t end at “I do”… they just begin.

Marc & Hannah’s journey is one I’ll never forget. From premarital sessions at Flying Saucer, to sitting around their apartment sharing dinner and diving deeper into what really matters… to a ceremony that was full of laughter, love, and authenticity.

And now… we get to catch up.

In episode #3 of the Hitch & Spin Podcast, we revisit those conversations, talk about what real life looks like on the other side of the wedding day, and share some honest insight for couples walking toward marriage.

This one is real.

This one matters.

Because your story doesn’t end at the altar… it grows from there.

Transcript

SPEAKER_01 0:02

All right. Welcome to the Hitch and Spin Podcast. My name is Stephen Currell, and I will be your host, as always, here on the podcast. This podcast is all about bringing back couples that I've worked with over the years, past 30 years, weddings for hundreds and hundreds of couples. That has just been an incredible adventure. And my motto is that every story matters, and it's just an honor to help tell your story and be a part of the story. And tonight, I have some special guests on that just I love and are just the most amazing people. Mark and Hannah. Their wedding was incredible. But not just the wedding, it was the journey up to the wedding. And we're going to talk about that tonight. So we're going to play this little intro. So if you are listening on Spotify or iTunes, I'm going to have a little intro that I play so that people can join in while we get ready to do our live.

SPEAKER_02 2:18

And then we got a clear look at the logo because it's not, you know, the our pictures aren't blocking it now. But I was like, man, that almost looks like an old like soda cam logo. Like a vintage popcorn.

SPEAKER_01 2:29

I know that's what I was going for, like for a vintage look. Because my dream is to have it on the side of a Volkswagen van.

SPEAKER_06 2:34

Yes.

SPEAKER_03 2:35

All right.

SPEAKER_01 2:36

That's the goal.

SPEAKER_06 2:39

Yeah, but you know, those things are they're not.

SPEAKER_01 2:42

I'm not being a NASCAR guy, but yeah, I guess it would look good on like the hood of an ASCAR if it would be like my dream is the is a Volkswagen. Those things are expensive. So I don't know. Eventually we'll have one. So it's good to see you guys.

SPEAKER_06 2:57

So you guys are like I have so much.

SPEAKER_01 2:59

I've I've been so excited about this podcast and having you guys on here because it's been so long since we connected. Yeah, literally a year. Crazy.

unknown 3:07

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 3:07

You've been married one year. Your anniversary just happened, right?

SPEAKER_08 3:10

Yeah, on Sunday.

SPEAKER_02 3:11

Hard to believe. Tom Flash when you're having fun.

SPEAKER_01 3:14

Did you have a big celebration?

SPEAKER_08 3:17

No. So I was I was in Austin for a bachelorette party.

SPEAKER_01 3:22

Oh, that's right. That's right. Yes.

SPEAKER_08 3:24

And so when I told Mark, so first yeah, I had a bachelorette party over Valentine's Day for another friend. And then I had a bachelorette party for another good friend over our anniversary. And I felt like I was just like digging my grave. Every time Mark was like, Oh, another really nice holiday for you to miss, huh? And so I came back on Sunday. I got him a nice pair of cabby boots right from Tacovas, fresh out of the box. Still smelled like leather, so I think I redeemed myself a little bit. But that's why I sound a little froggy because I was singing a little bit too much tonight's Wayne in Austin. Um we did end up, Mark planned some good stuff for us, and then we went out to dinner on Sunday night, and yeah, it was good. It was great.

SPEAKER_02 4:00

Yeah, I got given the reins to do a reservation. Uh, last first time I did one, we went to a steakhouse, but when we walked in, it was like a almost looked like a buffet. And I was like, no, I promise you, it's a it's a nice place. It was uh Texas Day Brazil, it was like our second tree. Yeah, and so I was like, Yeah, I brought I brought you to this nice steakhouse, and I didn't realize what Texas Day Brazil was. But when we sat down, you know, they brought out the meat and they cut it out in front of you. It was like, all right, see, look, I told you it was nice.

SPEAKER_01 4:28

Yeah, it's it's good. This is the golden corral, we're all good, exactly.

SPEAKER_02 4:32

Yeah, right. But yeah, so she she's had her reservations with me. Whenever I make a reservation, ironically, that's good. Thank you.

SPEAKER_01 4:40

Yeah, you know, it's funny, like, and we talk about this in a little bit in a little bit, but just like even that conversation, like knowing your personalities and everything just from the past, you know, from our conversations, it fits perfectly.

SPEAKER_08 4:50

It was probably a thing of like, oh, Hannah probably can't let go of control on that. But we're letting Mark lead and do that piece, and I just had to I just had to go with the flow, and I'm learning that.

SPEAKER_01 5:01

Learning that. Yeah, so how is marriage? How are you guys doing? Kind of update us a little bit. How's things been going on? What's been going on?

SPEAKER_06 5:09

Oh my gosh.

SPEAKER_02 5:10

Well, I mean, yeah, uh, we we've been shopping around. Oh, yeah, it seems like we never had really a free weekend. So, I mean, we've been doing a lot of stuff with friends, family. Um, we got weddings coming up, and so we're in the midst of our wedding season right now. I think we got we got two in April.

SPEAKER_08 5:27

Yep, two in April, and then a couple later this summer and in the fall, and um we're both in some of those weddings. But I feel like also we've we keep saying it's our wedding season, but I feel like my our friends have been getting married since like 2020 continuously, which then I'm like, I guess we have a lot of friends then. I'm not sure.

SPEAKER_01 5:45

Yeah, you have a very exciting friend group too.

SPEAKER_08 5:49

We do, that we do, but yeah, we are just popping around. We've made a couple trips up to Minnesota to see my family, right? Um, and then we just moved into a house because last one of our last sessions, you were at our apartment and it was very small. I was losing my mind with my very tall man and my very large golden doodle. Um, I felt like we were running out of space, and I said, we need to upgrade. And so we moved into um like Valley Ranch, like Irving area. Um, Georgie heard we were talking about him. So if you see something moving, it's him down here. Um and so just that we moved in end of January. Um, and there's still boxes on boxes on boxes, and I'm like, how do we have so much stuff? Um, but yeah, that's kind of the biggest thing that's happened lately.

SPEAKER_01 6:33

Well, is that like a pain moving out of it I have to I always think about moving out of an apartment or moving into an apartment? Is that just the most is that awful?

SPEAKER_02 6:41

Well, so I was in control of that one, and I had to assemble an A team to get the job done.

SPEAKER_08 6:47

And we uh Well, I said, I told Mark, I said, listen, I don't care how we do it, I will pay for movers, whatever. Just let it be known. I'm not personally, I'm not moving a box. I don't want to deal with that at all. I'll pack it up. The only thing I want to do is can go there, can go. That's what I'm moving. And so Mark was like, All right, heard. I will, I'll do it.

SPEAKER_02 7:10

And then so well, and I didn't want to pay for movers because I was like, okay, we're still at the age where we can move things, but I it's like 30s, like I've been told is the cutoff to where you can't really ask your friends to hey man, I got pizza and beer. Uh, I need some help moving. And so I capitalized on hey, like we're we're still a couple of young bucks, we can move some stuff. And so I bought pizza, bought beer, and had three of my friends come over. So we knocked we knocked it out in a day. I mean, some small stuff that we had to go back and like get, but I mean, heck, that and I didn't have to do much. Oh, yeah, it was so thank you for listening. It was pretty, yeah. Ridded a U-Haul, got it loaded up. I mean, we stacked it to the brim and then got it done in one day. And then, yeah, some small trips to gather like a couple boxes here and there, but it wasn't anything that was detrimental to the move. So I was like, uh, if we leave it there, will they be mad?

SPEAKER_07 8:01

So I was just shocked at how much stuff we have.

SPEAKER_02 8:04

Oh, yeah. I mean, where has it been?

SPEAKER_07 8:06

We've had a small like two-bedroom apartment.

SPEAKER_02 8:08

Well, and now I'm moving into stuff. I mean, like, we got a new couch, and so it's nice, you know, because when you're in an apartment, you can't really get stuff that you're gonna get when you move into a house. And so when we moved in this one, we're like, okay, let's get a couch, let's get fridge. So whenever we do make another move, we have everything prepared. Yeah, and so it was it's better to do that here because we thought about being in an apartment again, but it was it was time to get into a home.

SPEAKER_01 8:33

Yeah, is that kind of the area that so like even those discussions, like area you're gonna move into and what you're gonna have, and all that, like in as married couples, just a different vibe, right? It's like a whole different conversation, it's a whole different feeling, you know. And I mean, I didn't know that 30 was the cutoff age for that, though.

SPEAKER_02 8:53

Yeah, that's the allegedly, allegedly, that's what I feel like we're aging like at a faster rate.

SPEAKER_08 9:00

Like, I feel like I mean, literally, I picked up a box when we moved. Oh, yeah, and I like had a shooting pain in my back, and I'm like, I thought I was too young for this, but I guess oh yeah, I'm on rapid speed, turbo speed.

SPEAKER_02 9:14

I'm like, I'm laying on the ground, like I cannot get up. And I'm like, all right, well, what do you mean? And she's like, I I tried to lift up the lightest box ever, and I pulled something in my bag, literally nothing.

SPEAKER_01 9:25

Y'all crack me up, hilarious. So tell me about like challenges you face, like in marriage. I mean, it's been one year, right? Yep, yeah, and so just and you guys have been together for how long now? I can't remember.

SPEAKER_07 9:36

Six years.

SPEAKER_01 9:37

You've been together six years, yeah. Yeah, six years, but one year married. But it's like once you cross over that, you know, you move from okay, we were together, but then now we're married, it's full commitment, right? As that's a whole different that's a whole different vibe.

SPEAKER_02 9:51

Yeah. Well, I mean, to me, it's um we were talking about this earlier, and it was like, all right, what's been something challenging? And I mean, it hasn't been so much on the challenging part, but kind of planning our future, as in, okay, now what comes next? All right, so you know, we've been talking about moving to Minnesota, and it's like, all right, so when when does that start taking into place? Is it one year? Is it two years, you know? And then along the lines of, you know, you know, starting a family. And so it's just, I think that's the challenging part right there is like what what is our future looking like, you know, with the married life and how how do we progress to the next milestones? Yeah, I mean, we know we've had our tips here and there, but I mean, nothing that communication doesn't handle, and yeah, I made a joke where I was like, listen, the year I spent planning leading up to my wedding, yeah, anything after that's gonna be a cakewalk.

SPEAKER_08 10:48

Great because that almost I think actually killed me. So yeah, after the wedding happened and everything went according to plan or whether it didn't, whatever, after the wedding day, I was like, all right, I can breathe again. So suddenly everything was easier. So yeah, but no, yeah, I kind of agree with Mark. And then I think right now we're kind of just in a circumstantial, like very specific time in our life where Mark with his job, he gets he has a lot of ups and downs, like just with his workload, because he's in construction right now, he's in a really busy season. And so I think like this kind of dynamic can lead to a little bit more just like friction, because like our battle, we don't even have a balance right now, it feels like sometimes because he'll be going to work before seven and then getting home after seven, because he just has a job to do and he thrives and excels in it. But I feel like that can kind of then lead to something if it's like too many days in a row, because then I'm like a little bit a lot of a mental load for me. But Mark's very aware and acknowledges that. And he's very like, hey, like I know I haven't really been around a lot, or like this week I've been kind of working a little bit too much more than you know, usual. And he definitely like is at home and he'll do things around the house and definitely tries to be mindful of kind of these types of like when he's in a season like this, which is good. He's like doing routine maintenance and not like waiting for the check engine lights come on and then the engine blows up with me. He's like very good at checking in routinely, like, all right, what can I do? How are we? Like, whatever. When it's like because naturally we're just not spending as much time as we like to, you know, be right now. Yeah, um, which I love that about you.

SPEAKER_01 12:25

So that is so good. And I think too, like, I think it's really a good point. Just you know, we talked about, and we'll talk more about this in a second as well, but just communication and even the things that you're talking about, like we think about challenges and highlights and you know, and the first year of marriage and just kind of moving forward, but that is part of it, planning out your future, where do you want to be? You've talked about it, but now you're executing it and you're trying to figure out okay, what over the next X amount of years, you know, when do we want to do this? When are we able to do this? When is the best time to do this? That kind of thing. I think that's a great point for couples to know, like that's important, you know, moving into marriage in the first year. Things don't happen immediately, you know, things don't think they don't just take place, and you've got to get a plan, a strategy, right?

SPEAKER_08 13:09

Yeah, and I think that just like defines our dynamic because Mark and I are just like a yin and yang in so many aspects, and like we just compliment each other in just very various ways. I'm the one that's like 42 steps ahead. Like, I'm already in my head, like in 2040, and I'm like, what bank account are we opening for our kids to go to college today? And Mark's like, hey, I love your thinking about it, but it's March 24th, 2026. So let's be here and like let's slow down. And he's very grounding in that way, but also like he also needs that from my end of things too, to like be kind of planning around, and so it's we kind of meet in the middle and that way, which is good.

SPEAKER_01 13:49

That's what marriage is all about relationship and and moving forward together and understanding one another and complimenting each other, building into that. And I think like just looking back at how you guys met, and I just I want to hear that. I have the I have the notes, I don't want to give it away, but so I think that's a great story. I think that's fun to hear that.

SPEAKER_08 14:10

I feel like you should tell it because it ended in your favor.

SPEAKER_02 14:13

It did, it did.

SPEAKER_08 14:15

If I tell it, it's gonna be more on the friend zone.

SPEAKER_02 14:17

Oh, yeah. Well, so for those that don't know us, um that's better for me. Yeah, for for those that don't know us. I mean, we started working uh at the same job. We met in college, uh what, 2019?

SPEAKER_08 14:30

Yeah, we were 21, 22.

SPEAKER_02 14:32

Yeah, and so we uh we got hired on the same day at this place called World Beer, and um we went through beer school together because at this job you have to learn about all the different beers, what glasses they go in. Took it seriously, yeah.

SPEAKER_08 14:45

Apparently, a four-day course of this beer pairs with this thing on the menu. Don't ask me.

SPEAKER_02 14:51

Yeah, it's like beer, beer can pair with food, apparently, and so it's like wine. And um, anyway, so we're going through the school, and the very first day I noticed Hannah, and um, we end up sitting next to each other at the bar, and I mean we're talking like we've been friends for years, you know. It's like, no, we didn't miss a step where there wasn't any silence between us, it just felt very natural. And so at first, I'm thinking, like, wow, I really like this girl's pretty cool. I want to get to know her. And um, and we got to sample a whole bunch of beers off the menu, and so it wasn't just the drunk state talking, it was like, all right, I gotta get to know her. And uh anyway, so kind of flash forward uh a couple weeks, we're working together, and I'm really I'm really digging her, you know. She she's very friendly, she's very nice, like I feel like she's flirting with me. And so one day we're going to a party together, and I'm driving her, and she just goes, Mark, you know what? You're just a really great friend, and just shoulder punches me. And I I mean, I was driving the truck, and I had a moment where I'm like, you know what, I could definitely crash this car right now, and that'd be my way out of the friend zone here. And so she friend zoned me right off the rip. And um, that was the long journey of how to get out of the friend zone there because the next three months was a he's a pro at it.

SPEAKER_08 16:16

You could write a book on it. Oh, it was a nightmare.

SPEAKER_01 16:18

You should you should write a book about it.

SPEAKER_02 16:20

I mean, I think it'd be a great book on how to get out of the friend zone, you know, instead of how to lose a guy in 10 days, how to get out of the friend zone in 10 days. There you go. And uh it wasn't well, yeah, three months. It's and so you know, we're we're texting, you know, we're we're calling each other, and to me, it's like this is not what friends do, like, this is something that a couple does, but in her mind, she's like, Oh, this is my buddy, this is my pal. Like, I got a good guy friend here. And so I'm telling my sister about this. I'm like, Dana, I need you to read these text messages and give me your thought process on this because she friend zoned me. Her friends all tell me that she's a nice girl, and like this is how she treats everybody, and she's just very friendly. But read these text messages and think, let me know what you think. And she's like, Mark, she's likes you, she likes you. Like, it sounds like she really likes you. And so um, I'll bring it up to my friend Dayton, my best man. Go, Dayton, man, what do you think of this? She's like, dude, she likes you, she's got to. There's just no way someone's this nice and they don't like you. And so I end up battling a little bit. Hannah goes away uh to Minnesota, she leaves for a month, um, and we're calling, texting. Um, she comes back uh after she gets back from Minnesota, and I mean, I see her and I'm just like, oh, there she is, and I give her just a big old bear hug. And I mean, I she didn't know.

SPEAKER_08 17:46

So that's when I knew I was in trouble. Because this whole time, my friends are like, oh my god, you and Mark, you guys, like he definitely likes you. I bet you like him. And I was like, gonna die in this hole. I was like, no, no, I'm not, I just graduated college, I'm not staying in this town, like, whatever. And so I was very stubborn and like into that. I was like, I really don't like him. And then I get that hug, and I get a little flutter in my stomach. And I'm like, no, no, no, no, no, this isn't part of the plan.

SPEAKER_02 18:17

And then there it happens. And then so when that came, I talked to my sister, and I go, hey, like, how do I take her on a date without telling her it's a date?

SPEAKER_08 18:27

Because he knew I would panic.

SPEAKER_02 18:28

Yeah, he knew I'd panic. And even that's what my sister she said. Well, you know, don't don't mention the word date, just say let's go hang out. And so uh we went to go see uh it chapter two in theaters, and um I can't remember.

SPEAKER_01 18:44

That still cracks me up, but anyway, go ahead.

SPEAKER_02 18:46

Yeah, yeah, that was uh so that was our first date.

SPEAKER_08 18:49

And now our dog's name is Georgie.

SPEAKER_02 18:50

Our dog's name is Georgie because of that.

SPEAKER_08 18:52

Pay homage to our first date, friend zone date.

SPEAKER_02 18:56

And so we end up we we go watch this movie, and then we I'm I'm you know, doing the gentlemanly thing. I picked her up and I'm dropping her back off, and um we're sitting in my truck, and I start playing some music, and she just goes, Oh, you you like that type of music? And I go, Yeah, like what type of music do you like? And I kid you not, it was probably what midnight that we started listening to music, and then what four 4 30 in the morning, probably? Yeah, 4 30 in the morning comes around, and um it's like oh wow, you know, I gotta go to work in three hours.

SPEAKER_08 19:33

Open the restaurant, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 19:34

I gotta we gotta call it a quits, even though tonight's been an amazing night. And so uh she's like, Okay, well, I can I can head out. I was like, No, no, no, I'll I'll walk you to your door because her parking lot was probably about I don't know, like 500 yards away from her front door. I was like, No, I'll walk you to the front door.

SPEAKER_08 19:49

Also, let me point out that before the movie I said, oh hey, what do I owe you?

SPEAKER_02 19:53

Oh, yeah.

SPEAKER_08 19:54

I genuinely didn't, I was like, This is not a date, absolutely not. He's like, for what? I'm like, the movie, and he's like, I got it. So then it just it uh Yeah, and then it transitioned into something, I guess, more than that.

SPEAKER_02 20:10

Yeah, because she she yeah, she's like, Okay, what owe you? Like, man, you don't owe me nothing, you don't owe me nothing. And so I ended up walking up to her front door and she's on a step, and like she's probably about my eye level on this step. And um we're sitting there, I hug her, and then we're we have a moment where we're staring at each other, and in my head, I'm thinking, I'm in the friend zone, I'm in the friend zone, I know I'm in the friend zone. Let's throw a Hail Mary pass to see if she catches it or not. And so um I go, Man, it's really cold out here, and she goes, Yeah, it's cold. And I go, Oh, my hands are freezing. And I put my hand on her face, put my hands on her face, and I'm just I'm staring at her like this. And again, all this is going in my head, like I'm in the friend zone. I just went, you know what? I'm sorry. And I went and gave her a kiss. And uh, so we kissed, and I mean, I just felt like just electricity fly off, and I was like, oh my god, like I'm in love. And she she goes, Okay, goodnight, and goes upstairs.

SPEAKER_08 21:17

I got like, Oh my, I this he's my first boyfriend. I didn't know what to do, I didn't know how to do anything, and so I ran upstairs and then I shut my door behind me and I blasted Enchanted by Taylor Swift.

SPEAKER_02 21:29

And all the while I'm driving back to my apartment. I'm like, I couldn't get a read on her on that one. I feel like I got a good read on people, but after I kissed her, I was like, Oh, I think that was the worst move. I I think you just run this, like well, yeah. I mean, in hindsight's 2020, it was the best move. But I'm sitting there driving in my truck, like, oh, you messed up, you idiot, you idiot. Get to my apartment, and I'm waiting for her to like say, Hey, did you like make it home or something? And like, probably about 30 minutes goes by. Uh uh.

SPEAKER_04 21:59

I didn't know.

SPEAKER_02 22:01

And so 30 minutes goes by and I text her. Oh, you texted me in Islam text. Yeah, and I texted her like a two-bar paragraph text, like saying, like, hey, I'm sorry if that was out of left field. Like the moment was telling me that I had to kiss you. And you know, just giving like XYZ on reasons why I did what I did, in case I just ruined a friendship that I was clearly the friend zoned in. And then she responded back probably about 30 minutes later, I guess, after dancing to Taylor Swift on repeat, and finally told me, like, no, that kiss was wonderful, it was magical. And I say that. I mean, I'm paraphrasing, but something like that.

SPEAKER_01 22:40

It was close. It was something it was in that general area.

SPEAKER_02 22:43

Yeah, it was in that general, yeah.

SPEAKER_03 22:44

I probably was like, that kiss was decent.

SPEAKER_01 22:48

That's fantastic.

SPEAKER_02 22:49

But yeah, that yeah, that's what led it off right there, and then yeah, all uphill from there.

SPEAKER_01 22:56

Yeah, that's the thing I love about just y'all's relationship and just getting to know you, is just the way the communication and just the honesty and the authenticity of the whole thing, and just that's why I wanted you to tell that because I think it's such a great story.

SPEAKER_08 23:10

Um we're honest. Oh, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 23:12

Yeah, absolutely. And I think that's the important thing about for couples and for people, you know, just every now and then you throw a Hail Mary, right? You know, you gotta you just gotta go for it at times. Yeah. And then you guys got engaged in Minnesota. Oh, yeah. And you planned all that with family and everything, and yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_08 23:34

So at that point, we had been together for three, three and a half years, and I had been waiting for like three years at that point. Like, I was like, when are we gonna show on the road? I'm I'm ready for this ring. And so we go up to Minnesota for I don't know, a week or two vacation that we do over 4th of July every year. And I'm reading into every single thing this week. He's like being very like, oh, I'm gonna go golf with your dad. Oh, me and your sister are gonna go get coffee, but you can't come because of some BS reason that I whatever. So I was like, I thought that they were planting seeds to plan the proposal for like later on, like not in that same trip. And so I'm like, all right, so I guess it's not happening this trip, maybe the next trip. And so two weeks go by, we spend a great couple, you know, weeks in Minnesota, and it's the very last day before we drive home. We we drove that trip, it's the very last day. So I'm like, obviously, Mark isn't going to propose now. Like, why would he propose the very last day of our trip, knowingly how our friend group and family party and drank? It's gonna be a big celebration, and then I'm gonna be hungover and he has to deal with me for 16 hours in the car tomorrow. Not happening today. But then that morning, there's this elaborate plan to go to the arboretum with my sister-in-law's grandma, and there's just all these like hoops to jump through about why we have to go at this specific time, whatever. There were so many reasons I could justify. Like my sister is like my sister, the whole thing was like planning a surprise brunch for her wife because she had just graduated or gotten a new job. And I was like, my sister's very romantic, and that's very realistic of her to do because she's very thoughtful like that. So I was like, that checks out to like do the brunch thing for their thing. But then Mark willingly put on a dress shirt and cowboy boots and sprayed cologne. And I'm like, you wouldn't do that unless I told you to do that. So something's going on. I don't know what, but something's going on. Well, I had a feeling.

SPEAKER_02 25:34

Well, I was trying to disguise it as like we're going, we're going to a nice brunch spot, and that because Liv was saying, Oh, you guys got to dress up because she told Hannah to dress up. And so I was like, maybe she planted the seed well enough for that. And I didn't realize that one person in that car is not a very good liar. But Callie did great. I know she kept her cool.

SPEAKER_07 25:57

Yeah, she did.

SPEAKER_02 25:58

I know, but if Liv would have told me that beforehand, I would have been like, oh my gosh, she got it in. She can't be, she's a liability. She's gonna put it together, she's a liability.

SPEAKER_08 26:04

So anyway, we get to the um arboretum and I'm looking for Callie's grandma, my sister-in-law, like, I'm looking for this grandma everywhere because if she's she's there, that checks out. But I I'm in my head, I'm like, if they lure me to the rose garden, that's where my parents got married, if they lure me to the rose garden, game on. It's happening. So we go to the rose garden, and I'm like, it is a beautiful Sunday morning in Minnesota. Why is there nobody in this garden? It's almost as if it's been rented out for something very specific and special. And all of a sudden, I see Mark's mom, Mark's dad, Mark's sister, my whole family, all my friends, my friends from Texas went up to Minnesota, my friends from Minnesota from middle school. This whole long line of people file into this garden. And I'm like, oh no. And then Mark likes to be really dramatic with how he recreates.

SPEAKER_02 27:00

It's not dramatic, it's exactly how it went down. So all of her, all of our family and friends start coming out behind this fence area, and Hannah. I so as she's staring at them all coming in, I get down on one knee with the ring out, and she just goes, No, no, no, no, oh my god, no, drop drops her purse and then like goes out of sight for me.

SPEAKER_08 27:28

I literally ran out of the gazebo, which probably is not, and I said no 17 times because I was so you know, well, the one word excited. Right. I ran away and then I said no 17 times. Like, wow, I really threw a he's probably like, Am I still in the friend zone after all these years?

SPEAKER_02 27:47

Yeah, was this just an elaborate plan? And so she she does her dramatic exit. Um, and then her sister Liv in the video that we have, you can hear Hannah. Do you want to come back? And so Hannah finally comes back, and I'm sitting there, I had a whole speech ready for this moment, too. Like I've been rehearsing it, and I felt like some momentum killed me a little bit.

SPEAKER_08 28:12

Killed his bad.

SPEAKER_02 28:13

Uh yeah, I mean, totally killed my momentum. But then I start getting choked up, and all I could say was in a choked up voice was Hannah, Racial Tammanin, will you marry me? But before I also said that, she goes, No, no, I should probably stop saying no. And I was just like I did say Hannah Racial Tammanin, will you marry me?

SPEAKER_08 28:36

And then I said yes, and then somehow they blasted Dancing Queen, my favorite song ever. And I came back down to Earth, and then we drank and partied all day, and then I was throwing up in the car the next day on the drive back to Texas.

SPEAKER_02 28:49

Well, she she definitely partied hard, and one of us still had a drive, and so I was like, I'm gonna drive 16 hours with both of us being hung over. So I played at that time.

SPEAKER_01 29:01

Oh, yeah, I think the thing that I and just hearing you guys like for other couples listening and other people that are listening, I think like from the time that kiss on the porch, right, to three and a half years later, and the journey that you guys had and your families and interacting with each other and just developing their relationship, you know, I love the I just feel like it's such a cool journey that you guys had together, you know, and have had together. And so, like, as you kind of think and just sharing with other couples from from the porch and the kiss to the the three and a half years later and that whole journey, what do you feel like are the things that you would just say to anybody listening that's in that situation or looking to be in that situation? Just any kind of positive thoughts and encouragements, things that you learned along the way um over that journey, you know, in your relationship.

SPEAKER_02 29:52

Um I mean, two things for me is when you know, you know. I mean, whenever we're two weeks into being official, I mean, I I was talking to Tyler um going about it, and I told him, I said, Man, I I think I'm screwed. And he goes, Why? And I go, I'm marrying her. Like, I I know for a fact I'm marrying her. Yeah, and um he was like, really, man, like two weeks in, and I was like, I I just I got a feeling like I I love her. And sure enough, you know, around our fourth fourth week of dating, you know, being official, um, I mean, I wanted to say I love you, but we're playing music was like a huge thing with us, I mean, it still is, and we're sitting in my truck listening to music, and I'm trying to say the words like that I want to express to her, and she's playing this song. Um, what is it?

SPEAKER_08 30:49

I I Fing Love You.

SPEAKER_02 30:50

Yeah, I effing love you, and I'm just like plot twist. How can she put this song on?

SPEAKER_08 30:56

Plot twist. I said I love you first, and she did because I think what who would have thought that girl putting this man in the friend zone all those months would have been doing that, right?

SPEAKER_01 31:06

Well, I think it goes back though to the fact that you were just it was all new to you too, right? You're just trying to you're navigating it, and I think that's I mean, that's part of the journey as well.

SPEAKER_08 31:16

Yeah, yeah, but I think in general, just like advice. I just feel like so much has happened in the last six years. Like, I met Mark when I was 21 and I'm 28 now, and like I think just we've grown through so many different versions. And I think like meeting each other where we're at continuously and like continuously extending grace and knowing like we're not always gonna be on the same page, or maybe I'm gonna be growing in a different way and he's gonna be growing a different way. But as long as like we are adapting to that and like leaning into that, I think that only makes you guys like you more powerful as a couple and as a unit because like we're learning all these things along the way, like individually about ourselves, but also with our relationship, um, and just being able to stay like adapt to that and just embrace that. I think it makes you stronger than ever.

SPEAKER_02 32:09

Well, that and my long-winded story of it was communication. I mean, I was trying to find the words to communicate, you know, hey, I I love you, and then she said it. And I mean, I think from there on, it was just open communication throughout, you know, all these years we've been together. And I mean, even still to this day, you know, if there's something that's on her mind, you know, we gotta find sometimes it's you know, it's not always easy conversations, but I mean, if there's something that I did that rubbed Hannah the wrong way, you know, she it takes her a second to kind of bottle, you know.

SPEAKER_06 32:45

Stubborn.

SPEAKER_02 32:46

Yeah. But I mean, she'll eventually, you know, tell me because you know, I'm a pest, I'm I'm also stubborn in that way, and I want to get it out of her. Like, visionly, yeah, what's going on?

SPEAKER_01 32:58

Oh, go ahead.

SPEAKER_02 33:00

Oh, no, I'm just communication is key. I know it's cliche, but I mean it's a hundred percent true because I mean there's times in my past where I didn't have the right communication, but I mean, with Hannah, it's just second nature, and I mean, and I think that's what couples, when you guys are looking to get married, get engaged, practice communication. Communication is key, and that will help a relationship blossom.

SPEAKER_01 33:28

Yeah, yeah. And that was the thing I loved about uh just the premarital counseling, getting to spend time with you guys, the flying saucer, and you know, and just connecting the dots. I still have like my primitive notes.

SPEAKER_03 33:41

Oh, I yeah, I remember you would write all of them.

SPEAKER_01 33:43

And so uh just you know, kind of going back and looking back through that. I mean, just how much would you recommend just to be able to have conversations with somebody kind of outside of your circle? You know, for me, I obviously enjoyed getting to to to hear your story and and hear your foundation, hear where you come from, you know, your families, you got these two worlds that merge together, and you know, two individual people that are coming together and you're living in just like you just said, learning to communicate, learning to be together. But like I made myself a note, just like what were things that you felt are most helpful about that? Was it something that was good for you guys? Do you recommend it for other people? Just kind of just to just to highlight that a little bit, not necessarily to just from anybody, right? Not necessarily just me, but just the value of having those conversations and and just kind of revisiting some things maybe that you've already talked about, but just from a different perspective.

SPEAKER_02 34:39

To me, it's uh I mean hearing your stories too, you know. I mean, with your experience, your marriage, and I mean, you know, what what you've gone through and you know what y'all have overcome in y'all's marriage as well. It's you know, it's good good advice to hear, you know, somebody telling you their experience as far as how their marriage works. And you know, you could take components of someone else's marriage and hey, hey, this idea works for them, this idea works for somebody else, and start kind of merging your way in. Um, and also getting you know your perspective too, because I mean we didn't know you from Adam, and I mean, it was good to hear an outside person listen to us, figure us out who we are as a couple, like an unbiased opinion, yeah, exactly, unbiased opinion. I mean, it's almost therapeutical, you know. I mean, yeah, you have essentially a middleman, you know, hearing two sides of a story here, and then say, okay, well, you know, I mean, even with the test that we took, you know, like um that was huge.

SPEAKER_08 35:35

Whatever that test was, the personality one with the D, the test.

SPEAKER_05 35:38

Yeah, exactly.

SPEAKER_02 35:39

And then so it, you know, I've used that for work, and so is Hannah. But I mean, to put that into relationship really does show you, like, okay, hey, here's the here's the strong points, but here's where the weak points, you know, are not necessarily weak points, but areas of improvement that you can work on to help your mare marriage thrive. And so I mean, yeah, it um it is very beneficial. I mean, the sessions that we've had were amazing. It's given us food for thought, it's given us advice. And I mean, if someone's looking at, you know, going to premarital um, you know, counseling before they get married, uh, get married, I 100% say you should do it because it it does line you up for success. It uh you get to find out probably something that you didn't even know. I mean, Ham was telling stories and there's stuff that I was like, oh, that really, you know. So I mean it it's things like that, or maybe she mentioned something to you that I do, and I'm like, oh, I didn't even realize that I did that, you know? And so it just it's eye-opening.

SPEAKER_08 36:42

Yeah, I'm the same way. Um, I think the most memorable part, and like probably the thing that I um take with me today is definitely the disc test because I think sometimes I'm very quick to forget how different Mark and I are. Like I remember I said earlier that like we are a yin and yang, and I love that, but I've had to definitely like groan to appreciate that and love that about us because I'm a D and he's an S. And so I think like a lot of my issues sometime is like I'm just someone where like I just it's innate for me to just like attack this, long to do this, do this, type A particular, get things done. And Mark is very just like go with the flow and just like I forget what the S stands for, but basically the idea is like he will do anything if I tell him to do or ask him to do it. And like I think sometimes like I before knowing that, I was like, why doesn't he just do what I do? Like, why does why do I have to give him direction or like why can't whatever? And it's like that was very eye-opening because it's like we're just wired differently, and like yeah, now I feel like that's made me he's helped me like slow down and be like, no, it's okay, like that we're not like you know, the typical D that I normally am.

SPEAKER_02 37:55

But it also goes both ways too. Like, there's stuff that I gotta do as well that you know, you know, I think to myself, okay, what's what's Hannah thinking of that maybe sticks out a little bit more like a sore thumb that I'm not catching, you know. I mean, trying to think like, or something like clutter around the area, you know, like uh by the kitchen island or something, like kind of make the space a little bit more cleaned off. And I mean, even when you came back, you know, I intentionally worked around the counter area and try to organize it because I'm thinking, you know, because Hannah, Hannah and I's definition of clutter is way different, you know. I mean, uh my my job, I I have to embrace the chaos. And so when I see something that's very cluttered, I'm like, or you know, cluttered, I'm like, ah, you're not cluttered. But her definition of clutter, that's like, no, if there's stuff that's on that, that is no good for me. And so when she was gone, I that was one thing. I was like, okay, I know she's gonna appreciate this if I get this area looking a built a little bit, you know, tighter. And so she came back, and I mean, even one of the days she's like, Oh, it looks good in here. She says, Oh, hey, like the island's cleaned off, and was like that's me.

SPEAKER_01 39:04

Like, and when Donna's gone, it's like, I'm I know she's coming home, like, all right, I've got seven hours, get this taken care of.

SPEAKER_08 39:11

But also, though, what I learned about that is like my specific personality type, the D, I don't like people doing it. Like, I like to be the one to like orchestrate and delegate. Like, I feel like if the rules were reversed, I would be so resistant and be like, Well, why would you do it this way? Or no, I'm just so stubborn and I resist.

SPEAKER_02 39:32

That's how it was with the dishwasher when I loaded it. She's like, You load it weird. I had to shut up about that. And I was like, Hey, this is my like this is my domain, that's my side to where we split we split up chores, and so she's got laundry and I got I got dishes, and so that's my domain. And so she's like, You load it weird. I was like, Ah, your task is not this one.

SPEAKER_01 39:49

You all have the dishes, and I think it's the thing, is like I know, like in my case, I see the world differently today because of my of my relationship, because of Donna, you know, we've been married 34 years, but yeah, and and like I said, one day I'll write a book because she stayed. I think we talked about that, but yeah, I just think like we we work together, and part of the thing that I love about conversations like that, and what you guys you know, even experienced and over over your relationship and what you shared with me, and what you're sharing now is that we are different, you know, and when we understand our differences, we realize there's value in having those differences because it makes us a better person, it makes us more complete, you know, and we're able to do more together than we ever could apart, you know, and so it's so it's a value thing, you know. Like I'll be outside and I think we talked about this, and I'll hear a bird singing, but I'll actually hear it, and that's a small thing, right? You take it to a deeper level of a relationship or challenges or whatever, you know, that we face in life, you know, being able to be partners in this in this thing and walk in it together. Um you know, and the yin and yang, you know, sometimes can create friction and chaos. But more than not, once we once we embrace it, it makes such a big difference. So I I just loved I love doing it. And there's been times too, like in the premarital process where I've had couples, you know, actually we were supposed to meet again for a session. I've had couples message me and say, Hey, we need a week or two before we do this next one because we're still processing what we talked about last time. Yeah, and it just like you said, it kind of takes you inward a little bit, you know, and you learn things, you know, that you because it is an unbiased opinion, and someone whoever it is that you're speaking with is gonna care about hopefully, you know, the people that they're talking to. So I think it's a big deal. So I do think it gives you a good foundation, you know, to kind of move forward in as well. So it makes the and for me personally, it made the wedding day just awesome. Because you guys are, you know, and I try to do that with every couple, like this is my little team here, right here. Is every story matters and I'm excited to help tell yours. That's my thing. But I think every story is important, that's the whole point, and and when you when you embrace it that way, it makes the wedding day, it makes every like I I came in and couldn't wait to see you guys, right? I wasn't just showing up and doing a ceremony and then hitting the door.

SPEAKER_02 42:11

Yeah, we're gathered here today, yeah. Exactly, right?

SPEAKER_01 42:14

Yeah, and and I want to talk about that, but I think everything that you do, and I know sometimes when you do premarital, you do it with someone outside your circle, it may be somebody independent that doesn't do your ceremony. I mean, that's fine. But for me, and just being a part of your journey and learning your history from Minnesota and Louisiana and the whole world and the beer, and you know how you met that whole thing, and then it just makes such a big impact on my life. Because I was genuinely excited to see you guys tonight because we hadn't talked to you. Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. You know, and then you walk up to the wedding day, and and y'all's wedding day was just just amazing. I mean, truthfully, right? And y'all just I mean, and I want to talk about that just a little bit too, just about your wedding day, how awesome it was, because for me personally, the things that I I put this in a text I sent you guys too, but it was community, family, energy through the roof, celebration, laughter, authenticity, and obviously love. But I mean, from the moment that Mark walked into the the ceremony, I mean, people just went, it was energy, right? So I wanted you guys to talk about your wedding day, how the you know, as far as the planning of it, and we'll talk more about the details, I guess, but just that side of it to you guys, and just as you reflect back on it, the things that you love most and that you would share with other people that made it such a big deal for you guys.

SPEAKER_08 43:39

Yeah, I think back to the premarital sessions. I think originally when we were kind of talking about who would officiate our wedding, I was pretty attached and that had this idea in my head. Like, like, you know, storytelling and um just thoughtfulness and intentionality is really, really important. to me and that was translated throughout many aspects of my wedding with what I coordinated and what I put into it.

SPEAKER_02 44:05

Right, everything down to the last detail. Yeah.

SPEAKER_08 44:07

Yeah. And so like it was really important for me to and made sense in my head like, oh, someone who knows us and knows our relationship, obviously they would have to be officiating us because that that's how they're gonna they know us. How how else is a stranger, how would a stranger do that? But then like you know we sat we found you on the knot and we you had incredible reviews. And then also the fact that you're also this another thing needed someone fun that was a non-negotiable. Need someone fun and energetic because I don't want someone boring who's not gonna hype the you're the beginning.

SPEAKER_05 44:40

You're the face of right the day starts.

SPEAKER_08 44:44

And so the fact that you were also a DJ like you hype people up in like MC for a living I was like this is the resume I've been looking for. And so then you had you know amazing reviews too. And so when we did our FaceTime we immediately felt a connection with you. Oh but I feel like the premarital sessions were wonderful for the benefit of our marriage but for for the ceremony and kind of the wedding day you have such a gift at like learning about people and like really genuinely caring about people especially couples and the way that like you learned about us and our stories and like were able to tell it and like convey us and who we are felt like you knew us for years. No seriously and like we're literally not saying that like that is honestly the truth. And so I just feel like the sessions really helped like our relationship thrive and like our friendship with you. But I think because we built that foundation together throughout our sessions that was able to make our ceremony the most authentic and organic it could have been so I don't think we ever said that to you but thank you. Yeah truly the best and so that means a lot a whole lot yeah but our wedding in general um god amazing it was and that's not even like I think my favorite part I have two parts of the day that was my favorite but one of them is dependent on the other the very first thing and the top thing that was the best for me was our dance party we wanted an electric unforgettable like upbeat dance party and we got that but it could not have happened without our people and like our friends and family around that yeah and I don't know if you saw this but actually my wedding speech that I gave went viral. Yeah um if you go to my Instagram um it's up there but how do how do I not know that how do I know that I mean it had like I don't know like 800 000 views or something yeah wild yeah but basically it was this idea of like I look I gave this speech and it was pretty much about like when you when you're at your wedding like you look in front of you and you get like this like glimpse of this picture of your whole life and it's all these puzzle pieces of like your love and support timeline. Like I looked and I saw someone from elementary school and I saw my parents and I saw people from ATT who I had met in my career and like same with Mark. And so it was just really beautiful to see all of our people who are from all these different walks of life and places in our life all come together in celebration for us and then give us and party with us and dance with us and sing with us and cry with us. And it was just the most cathartic thing ever. And so the dance party was the best part but it couldn't have happened without without all of our people.

SPEAKER_01 47:41

Yeah I think that's cool and I think too that I I say this a lot like when I do my opening like right before reception starts I'll before I send everybody to dinner or whatever I'm I began saying um this group of people will never assemble under a roof like this ever again. This is the one time in history that'll happen and it's happening because of the couple you know is for every reason that you just said and so it's such a great opportunity and I love the thing that that's important I think for every couple and what you just alluded to was like it's your day it's your story and having your people there to be a part of it that's that's beautiful. You know it's the way it should be yeah and I think the energy you know you were it's just exciting you know and so I have this video I can show and for those that are listening online this is their intro I mean you came in look I mean the truth is from the get go it was like that right it was the whole deal and everybody was in everybody was in everybody was engaged with you guys and it makes such a big difference from the very beginning from the entrance.

SPEAKER_08 49:05

Alright so the dance party and then what else would you have oh I don't know to me it was uh you probably won't like this one it was coming out the sharp dress man that's definitely oh I ended up loving that actually that was a great I wish I wish I had that on video but go ahead I yeah I feel like maybe our photographer I think there's a small video of it would be coming out to that so I obviously made pretty much all the decisions at our wedding and Mark had very specific things that you know he wanted to say and that's not like me making that happen. It's just he was very like whatever like yeah that sounds great whatever he had a couple of like non-negotiables and his non-negotiable which I did not receive well in the beginning but then it ended up being the best thing ever was he said I want to walk out like open our ceremony doors and everybody sees me for the first time to Z Z Tops sharp dressed man and I'm like no that's so untraditional I want like some strings something like Bridgerton esque and then I was like I don't know I was just like I get my moment Marcus I simmer I was like you know what what's the big deal like well that that was the argument that I leaned on was you get a song why can't I get a song and he hit me with that it was true.

SPEAKER_01 50:36

And so I'm like hidden away uh because obviously I couldn't be seen and so I hear the music start for sharp dressed man the intense really guitar amazing intro yeah and the doors open and I have never I it landed everybody was screaming cheering crazy it was so good like yes Marcus and flop thank goodness but I don't know why I thought that I mean our friend group and family loves that type of stuff but like literally the fact that that started like you know what thank you that started the I think the foundation for our really it was a great yeah it was a great moment and I think that's the deal is that I say this all the time to every like I've said it tonight to couples I was because they asked me questions about this or that I was like look like order of things and when things should happen and what do other people do and and why you can gather from other people I always am like look it doesn't matter what anybody else does it matters how do you envision it what do you want to happen yeah and that's what matters and and I've and and I get to see some things that are unique and you know because I had a guy come out to uh Drew you know you know so and people same way people went nuts and he danced down the aisle you know and and that's not for everybody that's fine you know and then other guys have come in and it's you know it is what it needs to be but I think ultimately it goes back to what you want your day to be you know and and how you want it to happen.

SPEAKER_08 52:09

So yeah I think I know the answer to this question but is there anything like when you think about telling people planning for their wedding day um you know I mean was there anything that you would have done differently now you look back at it like one thing you think well that'd be but I feel like the answer is no yeah I struggled like thinking about this the only thing that I think that I would have done differently is I planned a lot of very special specific thing I'm a I'm just unique that way with the way that I think and so I had like facilitated a lot of different things like um obviously sharp dressed man was a thing that was different that you know maybe photographers don't typically look out for and then I surprised Mark with like my um walk down the aisle song and we handed him like my sister handed him a note and oh yeah that was oh yeah that was oh yeah when she came out yeah the uh the second I heard the strange from Mac Miller 2009 that I hand him a note that said bet you're crying now yeah literally that's what it said well she had one more word at the end of that too but it censored it censored um and then you know I surprised Mark's birthday is on Monday it's a week after our anniversary and so um I said he loves minions and so I made I surprised him with like a minion cake that we brought out in the reception. No yeah there were a lot of things that like were just random that I that were kind of surprised for people and I wish I would have maybe sat down with like my photographer and videographer to like put that on their radar because like there's so much that they're already doing that like I didn't really have to have them think like to pan the camera or like capture those specific moments. But you know it's like we got to experience those and we know in our heart how it happened like we don't need pictures about it but it would have been cool to have the pictures and videos of those things but not in the world.

SPEAKER_01 54:07

But if that if that's my only regret I think every dang good wedding you know yeah and I think that's kind of a you know the question probably could change the question like things that you know because I think when you look back on your wedding day every wedding day I've ever been a part of you know for the most part you know you see um it's just a great day you know and you want to make it the day that you look back on it was just you know the best day ever. And weddings have changed so much. In fact I'm gonna have a couple on here in a few weeks that they got married like 30 years ago I was a kid they were a kid you know it was crazy. But we're gonna talk about just how weddings have changed which I think for the better. I love the way weddings are today. I love the fact that families come together I love the fact that they eat a meal together that there's a celebration there's dancing drinking you know you know cake all that kind of stuff you know and that reminds me you know why I do it you know because it is about love and family and celebration and community and it's about building relationships that's and celebrating relationships. You know I think ultimately that's the the biggest part of it to me as well.

SPEAKER_02 55:13

So all right kind of closing it down so like what are the things you would advise couples that are in in the middle of trying to begin their process of planning their wedding what do you think the things that that really helped you make the day exactly what you wanted it to be um just kind of looking back I think I asked yeah helped you out you know the different areas what were the things that you think are the non-negotiables for you guys well I think one tip that I would say is you know kind of brush on what you're saying too is this is your day make it how you want it you know I mean very untraditional for someone to come out to sharp dress man you know and I mean but that's like our twist because that to me that's like that's us. Yeah you know I mean we're we're here to have fun we're here to have a great time it's a serious moment but we're gonna have some fun with it you know and so I mean don't be afraid to make it your twist of something that you know is considered traditional make it untraditional have fun with it you know I mean if popping up shotguns out when people are walking through you know go ahead do it and I mean be safe but you know just like make it make it your make it your day and no one said there's a book on how to get married. So I mean do what you want have a blast and I mean even one thing that I told Hannah you know coming down to like some pricing on stuff was we're looking at it and we're like oh yeah that is a little bit pricey but we're like you know what I don't plan on going anywhere. This is the only wedding that I'm gonna have in my entire life I know you felt that same way so let's let's pull the trigger let's have some fun obviously you know be mindful you know it's nothing worth going into you know $100,000 worth of debt over but you know get give that if you're debating on something that like you know you can't afford that go ahead and do it because I mean this is this is your day this is your moment this is the one time we're gonna do it so have fun pull the trigger because one thing that I always said was I don't want to look back on this day and have a regret on man we didn't do that.

SPEAKER_08 57:25

And I mean even when I know there's a couple times you're like oh should we do that I go well think about it this way are you gonna look back in 30 years and be like man I really wish we did have the wedding you know and so she'd be like yeah and then we'd sign off on it you know and so I wanted to be able to look back 30 years from now and say that was a wedding that we had that's a wedding that we wanted and when our grandkids are asking us how was y'all's wedding it's like man you should have been there show you the nice videos that I paid a lot of money for the exactly we have the memories we got the receipts there's there's a reason why my knees are hurting right now when I'm walking you know yeah we cut it up on that dance floor yeah I think for me like in terms of the couple and like navigating it with your partner I think like romanticizing the little moments like I think definitely like to the type A in me I got really lost in like just the order of things and like keeping everything on track and whatever and like we just like the more that we could romanticize and like doing fun things and like deciding things over dinner or going to do a fun date night or going to a movie and then doing stuff after like kind of making it more fun and like actually enjoy being engaged that's huge because this is prepping you for the most exciting happiest day of your life and like you don't you don't want to be miserable doing it.

SPEAKER_01 58:48

Trust me I had my low moments I had my low moments just alone you it was not perfect.

SPEAKER_08 58:54

No it was not low we should just but no I think my other thing that I've never heard anyone think of or say is talent for your vendors obviously is a big thing but be really intentional about who you bring in to be on your team we said like at the end like with every single person we signed a contract with and like got to like engage with and work with we kept saying like our squad is stacked. We genuinely have I feel people who were just our friends and they really wanted to like work with us and they were such a joy to work with it wasn't about the money it was not about the money obviously they were all good at their craft they were all talented. We would not bring in some random person on the street to like do the photography but like they were just great people and great humans and that I feel like made our day come together like so beautifully and seamlessly because everywhere we looked who was you know doing the flowers or doing the planning or doing the like the DJ or or you like just people that we love to be around and that like I felt like it was just energy that like bounced off of each other to make it the most best day.

SPEAKER_01 1:00:08

So like that's such great advice.

SPEAKER_08 1:00:10

Yeah it's like obviously you want people who are good at what they do but you just want good people.

SPEAKER_02 1:00:14

Be intention that's a huge thing be very intentional with the people you give but I mean yeah to piggyback off you is it was like the pieces were falling in together from I mean the caterer I mean they're straight up with us about hey like this is what's going on I mean they're very honest with us and I mean their food was amazing and I mean we signed with them we didn't even go do other taste testing because I mean we're we're just like yeah you guys are the one I mean you're the you're the only person that we talked to as far as getting an efficient and you know but the day that we talked to you after our phone call and we hung up I looked at Hannah and I go that's our guy. Yeah that is a hundred percent our guy and I mean it was just have those conversations with people get to know who you're gonna be working with because I mean they are going to make your day like Hannah said they will make your day they'll make it better or if you're just throwing someone in there I mean you just don't know what you're gonna get and so I mean we got to know who we were working with and it 100% made the day a whole lot better.

SPEAKER_01 1:01:15

That's such such great advice I mean it's just I think so many people you know don't do that or you know or they look at and then and to your point Mark I mean if you're gonna have a wedding you know you're gonna there's a price point that you're gonna be at right and and so you got to know where that's at and you want to fall within it as best you can you want to find so whatever your price point is you but you still can find the right people at that price point and make sure they're the ones that are going to be like you said your squad yeah and um and your team to make your day what you want it to be that's yeah that's what matters.

SPEAKER_02 1:01:47

Yeah like I genuinely remember like leading up to the ceremony all this like when people would come in like Jenna would drop off her flowers and like seeing Jenna and giving her a big hug like oh my god I've only talked to you on a computer like it's good to see you in person and like when I walked up to the ceremony and saw you I we did not get straight to business I gave you a big hug first because like I just lit up seeing all these people who I got to know and like who invested so much time and thought into us like they just that really made such a difference in like how we saw the day and how we went through the it would have been great no matter what well I mean even Dando our baker too she was loved her she uh Kaylee yeah she so she was on maternity yeah she was on maternity leave and I reached out to her um you know me being you know this was one of the things that Mark got to do that he almost sent me to a psych work for because it was like a month what was it too close to us getting married and we didn't have desserts locked down and I said Mark this is your one thing that I'll you know you can please help me out with because he asked me a million times so I was like yes I can entrust you to get the baker but yeah and so I reached out to her the last month before because I heard such great reviews about her and I got an email back an automatic response and I was like oh I'm on maternity leave and I was like oh this is the fifth baker I've reached out to he's like Anna's gonna kill me I'm so done coming in with a Walmart cake with I was talking to my mom I said mom I we probably have to call Walmart and get some cupcakes on the go here and uh sure enough a couple days later she reached back out to me via email and she was like hey Mark like here here's what's going on um I saw your email uh but hey I could take I can take this and so one it wasn't like so I mean I had a backup plan in case you know Kaylee couldn't do it for us but I mean her just being you know coming off of maternity leave and willing to do that for us for our day it was like you know I had someone else that I was talking to and I was like hey like respectfully I'm going in another direction like the person that I originally wanted was uh reach back out to me and so it it was just like all right Kaylee that's amazing like that already gave me an idea of what type of person she is and I mean yeah great heart and I mean just her to do that coming off in Terry Lee was amazing. And I mean she gave us the best dancing we could have asked for and then the the cupcakes were phenomenal. Yes and so it was just it was just everything was just perfect.

SPEAKER_01 1:04:21

Yeah well I just want you both to know first of all thanks for doing this with me you know and just I mean just getting to connect with you guys is awesome in the first place. And then everything that you said just the kindness that you showed me and just everything is great. It's amazing but I um I genuinely and I'm you know just the relationship with you guys and just getting this you know spend time with you and you said something earlier about the premarital how that you you know went away but and and just the encouragement that it was you and you know and all that but it helped me you know because it's always good I think for anybody to just be able to to to talk to someone else and kind of tell back their story you know and where we are and I put on the notes that I sent you just being able to close authentically you know and just talk about family and friends and making your day special it's about truly is about that. And if you want to live authentically it takes work it takes effort it takes conversations you know it takes honesty it takes all those things and and that's important that you build the foundation for that for your lives obviously individually and then collectively but also you know for your wedding day because it makes such a big difference and I've been so blessed to be a part of so many different stories and getting to hear your story the ups and downs and where you came from and your history and your family background and all that which would be a whole nother podcast right but just um but how those worlds came together and you know what a blessing you have been to me and then what a blessing you were to you know I think everybody that came to that wedding I always say it you know I think I may have said it In your ceremony, I can't remember, but you know, as people are sitting there, they have an opportunity to look at your love and the relationship that you have. Um, and nobody should leave there and not be challenged, you know, to to be better themselves and to reignite or whatever they need. You know, I just just you guys are special. Oh, yeah, I had this picture too of us. I forgot to show that. Look at us. Ah, yes. Yeah, it was a good day. Yeah, you guys were amazing. So pretty. Look at you.

SPEAKER_08 1:06:32

Thank you.

SPEAKER_01 1:06:32

Yeah, I mean, you look good too, Mark. You look good too, Mark.

unknown 1:06:36

Right.

SPEAKER_01 1:06:37

Y'all are a good looking couple.

SPEAKER_08 1:06:40

So beautiful.

SPEAKER_01 1:06:40

Well, thank you guys for doing this.

SPEAKER_08 1:06:44

So good to catch up with you. Love to hit up Tosser soon.

SPEAKER_01 1:06:48

Yes. Yes, let's do it. I love it. Let's do it. Yeah, I would love to do that and catch up.

SPEAKER_08 1:06:53

And uh love to see pictures of a cute little grandbaby.

SPEAKER_01 1:06:57

Oh my gosh. Have you not seen any?

SPEAKER_08 1:06:59

No.

SPEAKER_01 1:07:01

Oh, yeah.

SPEAKER_08 1:07:02

I think we saw one like Gray when he's born, probably. Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 1:07:08

Well, I will send those to you after I get off this.

SPEAKER_02 1:07:11

Please do.

SPEAKER_01 1:07:12

Okay.

SPEAKER_02 1:07:12

But but everything that you said, you know, just uh it's right back at you. I mean, we're blessed to have you in our life, and I mean to seriously take the time to get to know us. I mean, I don't think anybody's ever really had that, you know, especially someone. I mean, like I said, it was it was instant when we met you. Like it was like we talked to a friend that we've you know that we haven't talked to in a while, but we made a phone call and we picked up right where we left off.

SPEAKER_01 1:07:38

100%, yeah, I feel the same way.

SPEAKER_02 1:07:41

It felt just pure, natural. I mean, and it I mean, it felt like family, you know. And so, I mean, if anybody that's listening to this and is wanting an efficient, Steven's your guy. This is your guy. 100% your guy.

SPEAKER_07 1:07:55

And if he did DJs, he's also your guy.

SPEAKER_02 1:07:57

He he has hundreds of couples that he's worked with, but and I guarantee you he knows every single one and still remembers their story. I mean, that's just the type of guy he is, and there's no one better, in my opinion. Yeah, uh, unfortunately, we didn't get the DJ side of him. We didn't know he was on the phone.

SPEAKER_01 1:08:13

John's a pretty good dude.

SPEAKER_02 1:08:16

He was great, but I know Andy Austin is a great dude. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I know for a fact you know how to spin it, especially some of the samples that you showed us. So, I mean, seriously, anybody that's listening to this who hasn't been married looking for an efficient, this is your guy right here. He will take care of you, he'll get to know you, he'll make your ceremony beautiful. And seriously, we're we're very blessed to know you, and we're we're we're very lucky that we stumbled upon you, and just thank you for everything that you did for us.

SPEAKER_01 1:08:44

Well, thank you guys. Thank you guys for doing this. This is awesome. I'm so excited about this whole podcast. And uh, this is having you two having you two on here was a priority.

SPEAKER_07 1:08:54

Never been on a podcast.

SPEAKER_01 1:08:55

Oh, this is there.

SPEAKER_07 1:08:57

Maybe I'll go viral again.

SPEAKER_02 1:08:58

Yes, let's do it.

SPEAKER_07 1:09:00

Let's do it.

SPEAKER_02 1:09:01

Yeah, we gotta send you that video too.

SPEAKER_03 1:09:03

Everybody share, yeah. We'll send that to you.

SPEAKER_01 1:09:06

All right, you guys. Well, thank y'all.

SPEAKER_03 1:09:08

All right, thank you. See you. Hang tight one second, or I'll be right back.

SPEAKER_01 1:09:12

Uh we're done. All right, guys. Thank you guys for joining in. As you can hear, they're amazing. Hey, I've got so many couples lined up that are gonna be doing this, and I wanted to have Mark and Hanna on here for that very reason because of just the way they live life and the conversations that we had, and hopefully you gain something from that that can encourage you as well. If you're planning a wedding and uh maybe you know somebody that is, you can get some points or some uh some some tips, I guess, and some good things that have some good things to say. So hey, we'll be back on pretty soon. I have another podcast on with another couple, and um you guys be encouraged and share this with your friends and neighbors, subscribe if you will, and we will keep you updated on what's next, all right? We'll talk to you soon, y'all. Take care. All right, bye.