Becoming The Bryson's

Mark & Sarah’s meet cute, as they say in the movie biz, occurred in the summer of 2017. The path that brought them together was one made of dirt, twigs, and pine needles. It was a hiking trail they were both working on building for the North Country Trail. Although they may have met that summer, no spark was ignited except for their mutual love of the trail. Their paths crossed in the woods many times over the next five years as they continued to maintain trails and exchange small talk—only to have them go back to living their own lives. Fast forward to December of 2022, Mark found himself temporarily unemployed and in search of life's next opportunity. Concurrently, Sarah found herself in the midst of bouncing back from the hardship of a previous romance. Little did they know their paths would soon cross once again. That December, Mark shared an Instagram story about the motorcycle & base jump stunt from 'Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning' featuring Tom Cruise. Sarah, an avid fan of behind-the-scenes documentaries, eagerly replied to the story. Conversation ensued and soon they found themselves planning to meet on a trail once again. However this time, it would be just the two of them and on a new path they had never explored. TRUE LOVE was on the horizon. Come January 3, 2023 - Mark & Sarah ended up enjoying a pleasant winter hike at Cascade Peace Park in Ada. Relishing in each other’s company so much, they decided to continue the evening at Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park. Easy flowing conversation lit a spark between the two. Any sense of relative time got lost living in the moment. Before they knew it, they still found themselves sitting and chatting side-by-side on a bench inside the Tropical Conservatory right up until closing time. Amidst "losing" track of time, they found a connection with one another that will last a lifetime. In Stillwater, OK on March 15, 2024, under an ultramarathon finisher’s arch, at the corner of 7th and S. Husband St., Mark asked Sarah, “May I be your husband?” Excitedly, Sarah said “YES!” It was at that finish line that the path they would choose to walk together began. Mark & Sarah eagerly await the day of their marriage where they will once again stand under an arch, in front of family and friends, and begin their forever life adventure together.