Hello there

Adam and Christine met in early 2003, and it wasn't long before they were frequently crossing swords - at a London fencing club.

Christine, who grew up in Broomall, had followed her career path to London about four months before - she's a financial software developer for Bloomberg. Now 30, she has fenced since she was 19. So soon after moving to London, she joined the Haverstock Fencing Club, where Adam, 38, and also a longtime fencer, was already a member.

Just a few days after they met, Adam offered Christine a ride to a forthcoming fencing competition. Competition car pools are common, but Christine knew Adam was interested in her.

She did not fence exceptionally well at the competition, but everything else went much better than she could have hoped. Christine discovered that she and Adam, a fund manager, had tons of fun just being in each other's company. She realized that day how funny and sweet he was. And soon after, he began sending her flowers - lots of flowers.

They became a couple within weeks.

How does forever sound?

In May 2008, Christine and Adam were visiting Philadelphia. At a Phillies game, Adam asked Christine's father for his blessing. Shortly after they returned to London, Adam took Christine on a treasure hunt. It lasted much of the weekend and stretched across Oxford, Cambridge, and Wiltshire.

"It was a Lord of the Rings-inspired treasure hunt," Christine said. "It was a very geeky, but appropriate, proposal."

While following the clues Adam gave her, she started to suspect something. "It was either going to happen then or it was never going to happen," she said. The last clue told Christine she must climb to the top of a prehistoric monument, and there she would find her treasure. Silbury Hill was close to the bed-and-breakfast where they were staying, so that had to be it! It was "really vertical," Christine remembered. At the top, Adam produced a bottle of champagne and a ring.

It was so them

The couple decided to marry in the United States - and to have a bit of fun with the shared history of their homelands.

Their April 18 wedding date marked the anniversary of Paul Revere's ride, when he famously warned that the British were coming. The invitations, created by the groom's brother and a friend of the couple, featured caricatures of the bride and groom, with Adam as a Redcoat and Christine as Paul Revere.

The wedding and reception took place at Villanova's Appleford Mansion. To further the Colonial America/English theme, the couple's 150 guests were served fish and chips, meat and veggie pies, and barbecue pork. Bartenders dressed as Redcoats, and Beefeaters served ale in pewter mugs. The bar area was set up like an English pub and even included games.

Awestruck

Christine became so nervous walking down the aisle with her father that she started doing breathing exercises. But all was calm and right and beautiful when she and Adam exchanged the traditional, old Anglican vows. "And thereunto I plight my troth," they said.

Discretionary spending

A bargain: To create an informal seating space atop a stone ledge, the couple had four long cushions made. It cost $400 for enough cushion space for 30 people.

The splurge: The pub props, including a bar made out of barrels. And lots of flowers and greens.

The getaway

A week in St. Petersburg, Russia. "It was really a fencing trip that happened to be right after our wedding," Christine joked. There was both training and competition. She's hoping for a "real" honeymoon in New Zealand early next year.

Behind the Scenes

Officiant

Rev. Alex Viola of North Carolina, retired and a friend of the family

Venue

Appleford, Villanova