Hello there

Phyllis was living in Bridgeton, N.J., and Rick in East Coventry when they were introduced through the dating Web site eHarmony in October 2007. Phyllis, who is now 66, had been married to Chester County Common Pleas Court Judge John E. Stively, who died 13 years ago. Rick, now 68, had been divorced for about two decades.

After more than two months of e-mails and phone conversations, Rick and Phyllis met for a drink in late January 2008 at the Eagle Tavern in Eagle, north of Exton. Wine and conversation led to dinner at the bar, and the next thing they knew, the dining room lights were turned off. "We realized the bartender was waiting for us to go home," Phyllis said. "He let us out the back door."

How does forever sound?

In May 2008, Rick decided to have a party themed around the movie The Bucket List. That was the one where characters played by Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman met in a hospital and made a list of things they wanted to do before they died - things such as jumping out of an airplane.

Fifty people gathered at Rick's place, then wrote and discussed their own bucket lists. Rick was having a fabulous time, and he was feeling inspired. He sneaked down to the lower-level den and pushed two chairs close together, then returned to his guests. At 2 a.m., when everyone had gone home, he and Phyllis sat in the chairs he had assembled.

"I would like you to marry me. Would that be all right?" Rick said.

"Yes, of course," Phyllis said. "But will you remember this in the morning?"

"We'll see about that," he said.

About four hours later, at 6:30 a.m., Rick woke up Phyllis to reaffirm his intent to marry her. Because the Bucket List proposal had not been planned, Rick had no ring to give Phyllis - not then. Several weeks later, he called Phyllis as she was driving home from work. He said he was in the Exton area and asked her to meet him at the Eagle Tavern - the site of their first date.

"When I arrived, I sat next to him at the bar and the bartender came over and asked me what I wanted to drink," Phyllis said. "A minute later the bartender returned with a martini glass with a ring box in it. Rick kissed me and everyone in the bar applauded."

It was so them

"The thought of anyone our age having a big wedding - there were many comments about our doing that," Phyllis said. But she and Rick wanted a church ceremony and fancy clothes and a big party. Eventually, everyone got into the spirit of things. Their 150 guests had a great time.

Phyllis' bridesmaids have all passed age 60. One said to her husband, "You don't think that Phyllis will want us to walk down the aisle at our age?" and her husband replied, "How old do you think the people in the audience will be?"

Phyllis' maid of honor, Irene Brooks (who is chair of the International Waterway Commission, to which she was appointed by President George W. Bush), went with the bride to shop for bridesmaids' dresses. They found them: long, black satin, and strapless. Irene's only request: "We've got to have something to cover up these bingo arms."

Phyllis made shrugs for her maids, and they gave her a lingerie shower.

It was important to Rick and Phyllis to include their family and friends as much as possible. Rick had three best men and a best maid - his son, Christopher Brown; his brother, Bill Brown; his longtime friend, Jim Ludwig; and his daughter, Jennifer Karkoska.

In addition to maid of honor Irene, Phyllis had three bridesmaids - friends Rennie Wood, Nancy Thompson, and Marilyn McCormick. Phyllis was escorted down the aisle by her brother, Edward Waddell.

The ring bearers - Jacob Karkoska, 4, and Chase Brown, 3 - and the flower girl, Halle Brown, 8, all were Rick's grandchildren.

At home