A Romantic, Great Gatsby-Inspired Wedding At The Glen Manor House in Portsmouth, Rhode Island

“There’s something to be said about falling in love with someone without really having to try,” says Mark Blanchette. He met his future bride, Elizabeth Kim, through Match.com. Their very first date made them feel like teenagers again, from butterflies during dinner, to kissing in the car until a police officer asked them to go home!

Their relationship was so natural, and despite their reserved personalities, it took off at a rapid pace. “We have so much respect for each other,” says Elizabeth, “how close we have become over the short amount of time we dated is indescribable.” Mark agrees, “She truly loved me just the way I am.”

On Mark’s 30th birthday, the two took a mini ski vacation to Big Bear Mountain Resorts. Elizabeth thought the cabin they rented was “abnormally large,” but didn’t suspect anything more. After a full day of skiing, Mark and Elizabeth were ready to settle in and watch a movie by the fire. On the couch, Mark pulled out some champagne to celebrate the day.

Still unsuspecting, Elizabeth took the drink, and watched as Mark pulled a small box from his sweatshirt. “I think I just started crying and Mark started tearing up and when he showed me the ring, I just about died.” The rest of the night was spent in awe, trying to find a spot with reception to call parents and upload a picture for everyone else to see.

The wedding was held in Rhode Island, so that Mark’s grandmothers could make it. Elizabeth and Mark had a few places in mind for a reception, but when they got to the Glen Manor House, they got chills. The venue was decorated with roses and hydrangea, blush linens and gold flatware. There were even custom matches that read: “Perfect match,” a fond reference to the relationship’s origin.

The morning of the wedding began in classic New England fashion with a trip to Dunkin Donuts. Mark, usually the perfectionist, felt at ease after seeing how well the reception was being set up. And Elizabeth and her bridesmaids enjoyed complimentary champagne in the hotel until it was time for the big moment.

Elizabeth was determined not to cry during the ceremony and says, “I gave myself a serious pep talk that I was not going to cry ... months in advance.” But Mark got so overwhelmed that Elizabeth’s mother started to cry just watching her soon to be son-in-law. After the vows, it was off to the Glen Manor House, where guests danced until the sun came up.

The full weight of the day didn’t hit the newlyweds until the next morning, when they held out their hands and admired their new rings. Elizabeth says, “We were actually married! ... It was as if someone had laid a warm fuzzy blanket over us at that moment.”

They stayed on Goat Island and spent the week in Newport for a mini-honeymoon. They plan to escape to Bora Bora for their first anniversary. But whatever they do next doesn’t exactly matter, as Mark says, “We just have fun doing everything and anything together.”