Katie and Markus said their vows at a Beachmere Inn wedding in Maine. Read on for more details!

Where it all began

Markus and Katie met in Denver in 2012. Back before they met, Markus’ professional hockey career brought him all the way from Copenhagen, Denmark! Since then, they have endured a few stints of long-distance dating in addition to living together in four different countries — USA, Sweden, Germany, and Denmark! In July of 2018, Markus asked Katie to spend her life with him at Top Golf, right down the street from The Bridal Collection! While Katie had hoped the proposal would come soon, she was completely surprised when it finally happened. After she said yes, the newly-engaged duo celebrated with Katie’s family in Colorado, then hopped on a plane to celebrate with Markus’ family in Denmark!

Beachmere Inn Wedding in Maine

When it was time to plan the wedding, the word “intimate” stayed at the forefront of Katie’s mind. She and Markus wanted a very small wedding with their families and close friends. Since the two are from completely different parts of the world, they decided to get married in Maine — somewhere near and dear to their hearts. Also, besides somewhere in the middle of the ocean, Maine is about as “meet in the middle” as you can get between Colorado and Denmark! 

Markus and Katie’s wedding had a simple coastal feel to it — everything they dreamed of! With only 22 guests, they were able to truly be present at the reception and spend time with every person. This is definitely a benefit of having a small wedding! First of all, you don’t have to feel rushed to get to every guest (or feel guilty for not getting to everyone). Second of all, you don’t have to miss out on dancing or eating because you are making the rounds! One of the guests said at most weddings it feels like the bride and groom are celebrities and you are lucky if you get to talk to them for a couple minutes the whole night. It was special and she really felt like she was a part of the wedding instead of just a guest.

Wedding dress shopping in Denver

The Bridal Collection was Katie’s first and only bridal shop appointment in Denver. Initially, she booked her appointment just to get an idea of what she liked. Little did she know she would find THE dress on that day! Even though she didn’t know the exact style of dress she wanted, she tried on about 10 wedding dresses and just knew it when she found “the one”. “Mia” by Kathryn Elizabeth (our in-house collection) was one of the last gowns she tried on. Even though Katie never expected to have such a strong feeling about one dress, it was clear that “Mia” was perfect. She added a Toni Federici veil to make her wedding day look complete! After she said “yes”, her stylist told her “Mia” was the first dress she picked out while looking through the showroom! It was meant to be all along. 

If you’re ready to have your very own wedding dress moment, book an appointment! You will work one-on-one with an incredible bridal stylist to find a dress that makes you look and feel the most beautiful.

Beachmere Inn wedding traditions

Since the bride and groom have different heritages, they incorporated wedding traditions from both backgrounds. First of all, they got special permission to raise the Danish flag along with the United States flag during their ceremony. Why did they need permission? Technically, it’s against Coast Guard laws to raise a different country’s flag on the coast! As soon as the ceremony ended, the Danish flag was taken down. However, it was a special way to signify their two backgrounds coming together on their wedding day. 

Another special wedding detail was Katie’s father being the ceremony officiant! Since their wedding was a destination, the bride and groom didn’t want to choose a local officiant who didn’t know them at all. So they were thrilled when Katie’s father accepted their request to perform the ceremony! While her father waited at the altar, Katie’s mom walked her down the aisle. To make it even more special, Katie’s grandmother had walked her mom down the aisle on her wedding day — so Katie continued the tradition! 

Finally, a very personal touch was the bracelet Katie wore at her Beachmere Inn wedding. Ever since she was a little girl, her grandmother has gifted her one or two loose pearls for birthdays and Christmas. The reason? One day, she’d have enough pearls to string a necklace on her wedding day. Katie used the gifted pearls to make a bracelet, which turned out beautifully. We absolutely love this tradition! 

Advice for future brides

“My advice to future brides would be to do what makes you and your soon to be spouse happy! It’s true what everyone says, the day goes by in the blink of an eye so make your wedding one that you will look back on for the rest of your lives and smile about. Enjoy every moment and don’t worry about the “shoulds”, or breaking tradition- because after all, this is YOUR day and every decision you and your spouse make should be because you want it that way, not because you feel pressured or obligated. Getting married is the best, I hope it is one of the happiest day of your life!” 

Vendors:

Dress: “Mia” by Kathryn Elizabeth

Bridal Shop: The Bridal Collection

Venue and Catering: Beachmere Inn in Ogunquit, Maine

Photographer: Patrick McNamara

DJ: The Music Man DJ Service

Flowers: Calluna Fine Flowers

Cake: Bread and Roses Bakery

Rings: Shane Co.

Hair and Makeup: Naviina Salon