Love: Ann-Michele Corbi & Noah Potvin

Ann-Michele was already working as a dance/movement therapist at Philadelphia's Girard Medical Center when Noah, a music therapist, started his internship there in early 2007. They didn't get to know each other until about six months later, after Noah was hired.

Before long, they realized they were lingering at work at night, holding off on eating lunch, or otherwise altering their schedules in hopes of seeing the other. One Saturday, when Ann-Michele had to work, Noah found an excuse to come in. They had lunch that day. That evening, Ann-Michele sent Noah an e-mail, asking what was going on. They confessed their mutual feelings, then mutually decided to squelch them for professional reasons. Their work was supposed to be about the mental-health patients they were helping, not each other.

Three days later, at the end of August, the two went out for what was supposed to be a platonic celebration of Ann-Michele's birthday. Hands touched. There was a kiss. And then another vow to just be friends.

Whenever Noah and Ann-Michele worked around each other, they tried to avoid making eye contact in an attempt to keep secret the feelings they were trying to deny. But after a few months of struggling, Noah and Ann-Michele realized staying apart was impossible. Ann-Michele had a talk with their boss, who understood completely, and changed the couple's assignments so they never worked together.

Ann-Michele, 36, now works for Pennsylvania Mentor in the Northeast. Noah, 27, works for Underwood Memorial Hospital in Woodbury, and for Horizon House and Temple Episcopal Hospital, both in Philadelphia.

In October 2008, the couple attended the wedding of good friends. The event got Noah thinking about him and Ann-Michele committing to each other.

"It was a little anxiety-producing," he said. "Then I stepped back, and I realized that all of my anxiety was about how I would propose, not about Ann-Michele and I being married."

Ann-Michele's best friend's sister, Heather, is a jewelry designer. In January 2009, Noah asked her to design an engagement ring built around the Tree of Life concept. He wanted to incorporate two sapphires from a ring his father had given to his mother and a "conflict-free" diamond. Heather said it would probably take her until mid-to-late April. Noah was happy to have that time to plan.

Heather called March 3 to say she was in town for a jewelry show and - great news! - the ring was done early.

Noah didn't have a plan, but he had the girl and the ring. Four days later, on a Saturday, he returned to their Washington Square West home from a half day of work, raring to go for a walk. Ann-Michele loved the idea, but she had spent the day cleaning, and there was more she wanted to do. Plus, she needed to shower.

"Four hours later, the ring is burning a hole in my pocket. And I'm losing my hair at an even-more rapid rate," Noah said. Understand that Noah has been known to make Ann-Michele open her birthday presents early, because he can't wait to give them to her.

Finally, they were walking, then sitting on a bench at Washington Square Park. "I was wicked nervous at this point," Noah said. "I turned to her and said, 'You know that I love you, right?' "

"Yessss -" said Ann-Michele. Now it was her turn to be nervous. That intro made her think a bomb was about to drop. Was he going to join the circus? Was he moving to Australia?

Noah pulled out the ring, and put it in her hand. "Well," he said. "This is a little reminder of that."

Noah's father is Catholic, and he was raised in his mother's Jewish faith. Ann-Michele's maternal grandparents immigrated from Romania, and while she was raised in the Presbyterian church, Romanian Orthodox traditions and holidays are her cultural touchstones. Wanting to include what they loved most from all of these traditions, Noah and Ann-Michele joined the First Unitarian Church in Philadelphia.

The Rev. Nate Walker of First Unitarian led the ceremony. Noah's uncle Ira read the Seven Blessings in Hebrew, and then his grandfather, Harold, translated them into English. The couple's ketubah - the Jewish marriage contract - had a multifaith text. The couple chose to make the signing of it part of their ceremony.

The ceremony also included the Romanian Orthodox tradition of crowning the bride and groom, called cununie. Usually, the priest places the crowns on the bride's and groom's heads. But at this wedding, the couple crowned each other with wreaths of flowers.

The couple also did what in Romanian Orthodox tradition is called the Dance of Isaiah. They put their right hands together, and the pastor wrapped them with ribbons. Usually, the bride and groom would then circle a table of religious icons three times. Ann-Michele and Noah circled around the chuppah, the wedding canopy that symbolizes their home together.

When the couple kissed for the first time as husband and wife, Star Wars music - the part heard after the Death Star is blown up - began to play. They left the church by passing beneath an arch of light-sabers formed by the bridal party.

Ann-Michele, Noah, and their 100 guests celebrated at a reception at the Abington Art Center in Jenkintown.

The couple's first dance was to "I'm Yours" by Jason Mraz. "I will never forget it for the rest of my life," Ann-Michele said. "We were just laughing and being playful. It was so much fun."

A bargain: The couple kept the flowers to a minimum. They chose a candlelit ceremony, which their church provided for a small fee, so few flowers were needed at the church. Ann-Michele ordered dried lavender wreaths online, and paired them with hurricane candleholders and votives for inexpensive centerpieces.

The splurge: Noah wanted a photographer who would "capture little moments I wasn't even aware I was in," he said. They chose Rebecca Barger based on her photojournalism approach, and then selected the biggest package she offered, which was about double her base package.

A week on Turtle Island in Fiji, where the movie Blue Lagoon was filmed.

Officiant
The Rev. Nathan C. Walker, First Unitarian Church of Philadelphia, Philadelphia

Venues
Ceremony: First Unitarian Church; Reception: Abington Art Center, Jenkintown

Catering
Jeffery A. Miller Catering, Philadelphia

Photography
Rebecca Barger Photography, Jenkintown

Music
Marc Fisher, Marc Fisher Entertainment, Blue Bell

Dress
David's Bridal, Maple Shade, N.J.

Invitations
Shalom (Harmony Edition) Tree of Life recycled paper invitations from Forever Fiances, San Diego

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This week it's up to you to choose Faye's custom-made wedding dress designed by Janice Martin. The winning dress will be worn by Faye at her May 23 wedding at the Independence Seaport Museum. Go to philly.com/mattandfaye to see sketches of the dresses, vote for your favorite design, and check out behind-the-scenes footage of Faye's visit to Janice Martin Couture.

Next week's vote: The flowers.EndText