Ariel & Carl // Woodend Sanctuary, Maryland

Ariel and Carl are both biologists (PhD candidates) who met at an island research station (Dauphin Island Sea Lab), where they both shared their love of nature and animals. Their first day together was spent on a 12-hour-long research fishing expedition, which started at 3 AM! On the trip, Ariel was impressed by Carl's hardworking attitude and Carl was impressed that Ariel was smart and didn't get seasick. Needless to say, both were intrigued by each other. They met again on a party on the island and, after getting to know each other more, knew that what they had was something special. 

Because both the bride and groom are such relaxed people, they forwent the typical proposal and just decided to set a wedding date. Their love of and respect for nature truly shone through on their wedding day. Everything they chose, from the food down to the decorations, were deliberately as environmentally conscious as possible. The flowers were all locally grown and the arrangements were made without using any foam. The beef served at the wedding was sourced from the groom's family grass-fed cattle farm, the favors were wild flower seed packets, and the caterers reduced waste and locally source their food. In addition, their wedding venue was part of a society that provides sanctuary for animals and environmentally-focused programs to the community.

Another special aspect of their wedding is the meshing of two cultures. The bride is Cuban-American, so one of their entrees was a Cuban dish made from the beef from the groom's family cattle farm in Wisconsin. The bride's and the groom's two cultures came together perfectly in this entree!Ariel and Carl is a couple that truly walks the talk!