From California to Casco Bay: The Wedding That Started Our Maine Adventure

September 19th will always hold a special place in my heart. It’s the day my wife and I said “I do” in what we now know is one of the most beautiful places on Earth. At the time, we had only just arrived. Four months earlier, we packed up our life in San Francisco and moved to Maine. We were already engaged, ready for change, and drawn to the idea of building something new — somewhere new. We didn’t know then that Maine wouldn’t just be a chapter; it would become home for the next 25 years and counting.

Our wedding was, for many of our California friends, a destination event — and what a destination it was. We were married in Portland, then celebrated under a tent on Great Diamond Island, surrounded by sparkling water, swaying trees, and people we loved. We chartered a Casco Bay Lines ferry to shuttle our guests out to the island. The weather was flawless: 75 degrees, sunny, with a breeze just strong enough to remind us we were truly on the coast of Maine.

Everything about that day felt enchanted — the laughter, the food, the music, the joy. The party stretched on for hours, the dancing outlasted the daylight. Eventually, we caught the last boat back to Portland and checked into the Regency Hotel — still wearing our tux and gown. We were too full of joy (and maybe a bit too tired) to change.

The next morning, we walked into breakfast still dressed in our wedding clothes. Strangers congratulated us. Friends told us later it was the best wedding they’d ever attended. It felt like the perfect beginning — not just to our marriage, but to our life in Maine.

We came here for a fresh start. What we found was a place to put down roots, raise a family, and build a life overflowing with memories — starting with that magical September day on Great Diamond Island.