Our Story

Our life together started…when exactly? In our years as a couple, identifying an “official” anniversary date has always eluded us. Perhaps it was when I first noticed her—the stylish and self-assured beauty who spent her days working for a magazine with offices just down the hall from me and the other click monkeys at baltimoresun.com. I’d regularly take note as she passed my desk; I wasn’t convinced she knew I existed.

Our first lunch included three other colleagues, and in her retelling, she failed to recall I was even there. Clearly, that’s not when our life together began.

Did it start when—after a particularly helpful colleague and friend intervened—she agreed to join me for coffee that first time? Or, maybe it didn’t happen until after our second or eighth cup. Sitting down to an actual meal probably provides a better basis for the beginning of our story, right? It could’ve happened over ribs and barbecue, sushi, or Peruvian chicken. Sadly, years after the fact, neither receipts nor credit-card transactions could be found to establish an anniversary. (Seriously. I looked.)

By the time we found ourselves snowed in without power—with only animal crackers and dramatic readings of McSweeney’s screenplays to sustain us ‘til morning—we had an inkling our life together had already begun.

Our life together was well under way by the time I finally proposed. I knelt beneath a string of twinkling Christmas lights, with photos of us covering the wall behind her: scenes from O’s games under sunny (and sometimes not-so-sunny-because-she-insists-on-enduring-every-rain-delay) skies; trolling for rockfish on the Chesapeake; sunsets on the beach in Delaware; Halloweens dressed (reluctantly, on my part) in full makeup and costume; and travels to Costa Rica, Hawaii, and Italy.

Soon, though, we’ll start a new kind of life together. And we’ll have a date to remember forever: September 30, 2017. Our wedding day.

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Ceremony + Reception

Ceremony, 4:00 p.m.

Annliese and Mark will be married at Our Lady Of Good Counsel Catholic Church, 1532 E Fort Avenue, Baltimore, Maryland 21230.

Please note: There is no dedicated parking lot for the church,* so please take this into consideration as you plan your trip, factoring in time to secure street parking. The Locust Point neighborhood (where Our Lady of Good Counsel is located) is quiet/residential and we have been assured by the parish that parking is not an issue for their weekend services. Public parking spaces are also available at Latrobe Park off of Andre Street (one block past church).

*There is actually a verrrrry small lot behind the church, which we ask you that you please reserve for our guests who have mobility challenges.

Directions
{Keep in mind, there may be city traffic, even on a Saturday.}
From D.C. and points south.
From Westminster and points north.
From Baltimore Marriott Waterfront.

Reception

Immediately following the ceremony, please join us at MICA’s (Maryland Institute College of Art) Main Building, 1300 W Mount Royal Avenue, Baltimore, Maryland 21217.

Reception parking is available across the street from the Main Building in MICA’s North and East Bunting Lots, at 1401 W Mount Royal Avenue (between W Lafayette Avenue and Mosher Street).

Look for this intersection (Lafayette and W Mount Royal) when turning to park in the North and East Bunting Lots.

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Hotel + Recommendations

Baltimore Marriott Waterfront

To book accommodations at the Baltimore Marriott Waterfront at the group rate, visit the Annliese & Mark Wedding Room Block by September 1. Rooms are available on a first-come, first-served basis. If you are staying Saturday night only, please note that check-in at the Marriott is not until 4 p.m. (We’re sorry—we tried. Really.) If you are not able to get dressed/ready before checking in, we strongly urge you to request early check-in or book a hotel outside of the block—feel free to contact us directly for recommendations!)

The Baltimore Marriott Waterfront is located at 700 Aliceanna Street, Baltimore, Maryland 21202.

While You’re In Town…

HARBOR EAST
Annliese says: The hotel is located in Baltimore’s Harbor East neighborhood, where fine dining and mid-to-upscale shopping are at your doorstep. Fun fact: I used to work at both South Moon Under and RA Sushi back in the day. (Watch your credit card in the shoe section at the former, and your sake intake during daily happy hour at the latter.) As our D.C. friends already know, Cava Mezze is always a good idea—and don’t even think about going here without ordering the Saganaki, a decadent cheese dish that’s flambéed tableside (or as Mark calls it: “THE FLAMING CHEESE”).

Mark says: If you’re in the mood for some awesome, no-fuss BBQ, put on your stretchy pants and pull up a chair at Dinosaur Bar-B-Que.

FELLS POINT
Annliese says: You’re just a short walk from one of our favorite neighborhoods, historic Fells Point. Take some time just to walk around along the cobblestone streets, popping into locally owned stores as you go. For unbeatable views of the harbor, order a margarita while you watch the sun set at Barcocina. Call ahead to snag a seat at Thames Street Oyster House for fresh seafood in a beautifully restored rowhouse. (If the dinner menu has you seeing dollar signs, sneak in at lunch to order a crab-cake sandwich or fried-oyster po’boy.) And if the hotel gym just isn’t cutting it, I recommend signing up for a drop-in TRX, cycling, or Beach Burn class at BeachFit. (I especially “enjoy” Saturday-morning TRX sessions with Kayleigh.)

Mark says: It’s autumn now. Skip the workout. For brunch, head to One-Eyed Mike’s, home of the first and largest Grand Marnier Club, for a crab-cake Benedict and Bacon Bloody Mary. Stop into The Sound Garden to browse the used record collection bargain bins. At night, enjoy a local craft beer in an unpretentious setting at The Wharf Rat (the building dates back to the late 1700s and is rumored to be haunted by a number of its old patrons, if you’re into that sort of thing) before peeking around the corner to see who’s (literally) singing the blues at Cat’s Eye Pub.

BREWER’S HILL
Annliese says: You’ll have to hop in a car (unless you want to walk the 2.5 miles) to Brewer’s Hill, but considering this is where we used to call home, we couldn’t help ourselves. Directly under the winking Natty Boh sign, you can wind down with yoga or tighten up at barre when you sign up for a class at M.Power Yoga. (M.Power Pilates-Barre with Jason on Saturdays is a personal favorite.) Then, head across the street for a good cup of Counter Culture coffee at Atwater’s (also a former employer of mine) and a homemade Pop-Tart at Iron Rooster. For inventive American fare and whimsically named cocktails in a stunning and unique setting (it was once the boiler room of the old Gunther Brewing Co.), go to Gunther & Co—perfect for brunch or dinner.

Mark says: Forget everything I said before this and just drive directly to DiPasquale’s Italian Market to order the meatball sub. It’s seriously the size of a football (but don’t make the mistake I did many times when I lived here, and forget that they’re closed on Sundays). Or, grab a bottle of wine before hopping over to Greektown—adjacent to Brewer’s Hill—for some old-school Greek food at Samos. No reservations. No credit cards. No frills. BYOB. (Also closed on Sundays.)

ARTS + ENTERTAINMENT
Check on showtimes and exhibit listings at: AVAM, Center Stage, the Creative Alliance, the Hippodrome, the Lyric, and Rams Head Live!

AND FINALLY
We’re selling Canton Square short by only listing one thing to do there, but whenever out-of-town friends ask where to go for Baltimore seafood, our answer is consistently Mama’s On The Half Shell. You’ve likely heard the tales or seen the photos of the notorious seafood club by now. Not a seafood fan? A Mama’s orange or grapefruit crush alone is worth the short Uber ride.

—
Of course, we’d typically recommend catching a game at Camden Yards, but the O’s will be playing the final games of the regular season in Tampa this weekend.

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