It all started in Whiteville, North Carolina. Mallory, who works in healthcare administration, was living and working in the charming, small town, off the coast of the Atlantic Ocean. Conner, born and raised and living in Kansas City, was working as an integration architect for a company that provides healthcare systems with electronic health records (EHR).

The hospital at which Mallory was working was in need of a new EHR, and they selected Conner’s company. As luck would have it, Conner was assigned to the Whiteville hospital. For a number of reasons, including a transition to a new role as a consulting executive, Conner tried to get off of this project. Thankfully, he continued on and led the transition in Whiteville.

At one of the first kick off meetings in late 2017, Conner was onsite with hospital leadership and a third-party consulting firm that Mallory’s hospital was using. As a vice president at the hospital, Mallory was also there. As luck would have it, Mallory and Conner sat across from each other at the meeting. For those that know Mallory this next part won’t be a surprise, but Conner didn’t know Mallory. Conner had his laptop open and on it was a sticker that said “Don’t Panic” with a thumbs up. In a normal EHR go-live situation, there is a lot of stress and panic as the change is massive and it can impact, positively and negatively, patient care. Mallory, who can’t pass up a softball, asked “so, what happens if we panic?” Conner, never having been asked such a sarcastic question at work, was caught off guard! Luckily for Conner, the meeting was beginning and he had to start his presentation.

Conner spent the next year and a half traveling back and forth between KC and Whiteville. But that first meeting was the last time Mallory and Conner talked until the EHR go-live in May, 2019. The go-live did not go off without a few hiccups. That Monday morning, at 5:00 AM, Mallory received a call that there was an issue and to get to the command center quickly. After solving the issue, Conner gave Mallory a high-five, in what many described as a perfect high-five. To this day, they still talk about it. Working through that issue, and many more, in the command center was where Mallory and Conner struck up many conversations and started getting to know one another.

They spent the remainder of the week working at desks across from one another. Conner had made an unusual, but possibly fateful, decision prior to the go-live event. He decided that rather than fly back to KC for the weekend between the two go-live weeks, like he normally would, he would instead spend the weekend in Wilmington. In a twist of events, Mallory was spending that weekend at Carolina Beach, near Wilmington. After realizing they were both going to be in the area, Mallory agreed to play tour guide. Conner was able to put his toes in the sand, step into the Atlantic Ocean, eat donuts at the famous Britt’s Donut Shop, and more. Conner was having so much fun that he passed up an outdoor concert. And for those that know Conner, you know he doesn’t do that lightly!

That following Thursday, Conner’s trip came to an end and he said goodbye to Mallory, with what was thought to be a final high five. Neither had any interest in a long-distance relationship, spanning 1,100 miles, 6 states, and a different time zone. Only, they kept in touch by texting, talking, and eventually using FaceTime.

It was December 30th, not a typical proposal day with Christmas Eve and Christmas Day just passing and New Year’s Eve the next day. Mallory had the thought that Conner would propose during this trip as he told her that they had an appointment at the jeweler the next day to look at rings. They were supposed to be going to dinner and to see lights at the Plaza in Kansas City. As they walked out to the car, Conner said actually we are taking that, and it was a limo. The limo took them, as planned to the Plaza, so nothing unexpected there. While walking over a bridge, Conner stopped for them to take a selfie and then didn’t keep walking (that was what finally tipped Mallory off!) and then he proposed! The entire thing was a surprise. They did have an appointment with the jeweler, but it was to get the ring sized to Mallory’s finger!

Mallory says of Conner, “He is so kind and supportive, very thoughtful, wants to help anyone and everyone, spoils our pets, has a great smile, makes me laugh, laughs at my jokes, works hard, but also reminds me to slow down and enjoy a moment and to not work through all of the great parts of life. Plus, it doesn’t hurt that he kills the bugs and takes out the trash!” And Conner says of Mallory, “I love everything about Mallory. In her imperfections, she is perfect.”

Together they enjoy travel, trying new adventures, sports, playing with their pets, starting (but not finishing) streaming shows, kitchen dance parties, attempting art projects, and intense games of rock, paper, scissors.

Family and friends came together to celebrate a long distance relationship going the distance, reaching the destination of happily ever after.

Having Mallory’s grandma there was what determined the location and theme of the entire wedding! Plus, Conner always talked about a beach wedding, so it worked that her grandma is in Florida, not far from St. Pete. They knew if they were going to make everyone travel, they wanted it to be worth the travel, so they wanted somewhere with a resort feel. The Don CeSar fit that bill perfectly!

They had a casual and fun beach wedding with a bohemian elegance. The idea was to let the nature and view around them be the main focal point, and just find minimal ways to enhance it. Having family and friends from across the country, some they haven’t seen in years, all in one place having a great time was one of the best parts of their wedding!

Lead Photographer | Rebecca Zoumberos
Associate Photographer | Michael Zoumberos

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