Date: July 25
Her story: Elizabeth "Liz" Hornick, 28, was born and raised in Solon, Ohio. She graduated from Loyola University Maryland with a bachelor's degree in accounting and is working toward her MBA there. She works in the audit and compliance department at Connections Education. Her parents, David and Debby Hornick, live in Solon.
His story: Justin Sayre, 28, was born and raised in Silver Spring. He works as an undergraduate adviser at University of Maryland, University College. His parents, Dennis and Laura Sayre, live in Silver Spring.
Their story: The two met through the online dating site eHarmony.
After being matched up and talking online, Justin asked Liz out on their first date — lunch followed by a picnic in the park, where he had flowers, fruit and a blanket set up.
The two spent more than six hours talking. "I liked him a lot," Liz said. "We had a lot to talk about and a lot in common."
After a week of dating, they became an official couple.
The two live in Silver Spring.
The proposal: Justin planned a surprise trip for himself and Liz during Memorial Day weekend in 2014. However, he wouldn't tell her the destination.
As the two were driving to the secret location, Liz imagined a slew of terrible possibilities. But as soon as they arrived in a small Pennsylvania town named Sayre, she realized the location had purpose.
The two spent the night at a bed-and-breakfast there. They walked around the town and eventually ended up in gazebo in the middle of a park, where Justin got down on one knee and proposed. He said he wanted to ask her to become Mrs. Sayre in Sayre, Pa.
"I started to cry," she said. "I didn't know when it was going to happen. It was very cute the way he did it."
Venue: One hundred people attended the ceremony at Loyola University Maryland Alumni Memorial Chapel and the reception at the Pier 5 Hotel Harbor Club.
Flowers and decor: Flowers, which were lilac, light green, light pink and white, were from Crimson and Clover. Liz and her mother chose the color scheme.
Her dress: Liz wore a lace, trumpet-style dress by Amy Kuschel, which she purchased from Something White in Independence, Ohio. The dress, named Rosemary, had sentimental value because it had the same name as Liz's grandmother who died recently.
Bridesmaid dresses: Bridesmaids wore short, strapless dresses in lilac and purple by from Bella Bridesmaids.
Men's attire: Justin and his groomsmen wore black tuxedos with white shirts and black ties from Jos. A. Bank.
Music: Music was provided by MusicMasters. The couple's first dance was "Let There Be Love" by Oasis.
Food and dessert: Food and catering was provided by Pier 5 Hotel. Appetizers included lamb chops, chicken satay with peanut sauce, coconut-encrusted shrimp with a sweet chili sauce, spinach and feta cheese turnovers, vegetable spring rolls with Thai chili sauce, and an antipasto station. Dinner included a tomato, mozzarella and basil salad, Maryland crab cakes, grilled asparagus, cornbread, portobello mushroom ravioli, beef tenderloin and smashed red potatoes.
Dessert: The couple served a three-tiered cannoli- and cookies-and-cream-flavored cake from the Baltimore Cakery. In addition, they served cookies from Vaccaro's Italian Pastries. There was also a gelato and espresso bar.
Favors: The couple gave each guest a set of chocolates shaped like crabs.
Special touches: The couple honeymooned for two weeks in Sicily and other parts of Italy. Justin's family is from Sicily and Liz's family is from elsewhere in Italy.
