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Love: SARAH MOORE & JON NEHLSEN

November 13, 2010, in Philadelphia

Sarah Moore and Jon Nehlsen were married November 13, 2010 in Philadelphia. (DollFace Studio)
Sarah Moore and Jon Nehlsen were married November 13, 2010 in Philadelphia. (DollFace Studio)Read more

Hello there

Even though he was just 4 years old, Jon remembers the day when his best childhood friend, T.C., got twin baby sisters: Sarah and Danielle.

The Moores and the Nehlsens lived a dozen houses apart in the same Royersford development, and by the time Sarah was a teenager, she was nursing a crush on her big brother's friend. Jon was cute. But what really got Sarah was listening to him talk about traveling the world and running his own business one day. "I wanted to be a girl version of him," Sarah said.

In 1995, when Sarah was about 15, Jon's mom could not use her tickets to see the Philadelphia Orchestra and suggested that Jon take Sarah.

It was her first real trip to Philadelphia. They got dressed up and ate at an Italian restaurant, where Sarah was afraid to chew because she didn't want to get anything stuck in her teeth. "Not only did I fall in love with the orchestra that night, I think I fell in love with him," she said.

But to Jon, Sarah remained his buddy's kid sister. Still, he predicted that this kid would grow up to be a smart and beautiful woman. And when Sarah and a friend stopped by Villanova to visit him and his roommate, Ryan, they would talk about her future as a "real stunner."

Jon wouldn't know the accuracy of his predictions until a dozen years later.

In late 2006, Sarah had graduated from Shippensburg University and moved to Seattle to be a Microsoft program manager. Over a Christmas visit, her family passed Villanova on the way home from an outing, and it made Sarah wonder about Jon. She asked T.C. about him, and got Jon's e-mail address.

After texting his old roommate that he had heard from the stunner herself, Jon answered Sarah. Then came more e-mails. And instant messages. And phone calls. Every day.

A year earlier, Jon had become a principal at the MCFA real estate and energy-services consulting firm in Haddonfield. He had traveled the world, but somehow, he'd never seen Seattle. Sarah invited him to visit her, and, two weeks after the first e-mail, in January 2007, he did.

For Jon, the visit confirmed what he had already been feeling in the conversations.

Sarah was more cautious. She wanted to make sure she wasn't just experiencing an echo of an old crush. By the end of their first day in Seattle, she realized present-day Sarah was falling for present-day Jon.

For the next 15 months, Sarah and Jon crisscrossed the country. Sometimes, Sarah would go that distance just for an overnight trip.

When Jon enrolled in a master's program at the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School in April 2008, school plus his full-time job meant he couldn't make the trips anymore. And they were getting expensive for Sarah. She moved to Philadelphia and began working for a friend's photography business.

In May, the couple learned Sarah was pregnant.

How does forever sound?

Life was a little hectic with work and school and daughter Pascale. Jon finished his degree, and on May 1, 2010, he and Sarah attended the graduates' formal dance at the Academy of Natural Sciences. She bought a fancy dress and got her hair done. He rented a suite at the Four Seasons. Sarah was finishing her pre-dance preparations when Jon called to her. "Honey, come in here. I've got something that will complement your outfit."

Sarah found him kneeling, with a diamond ring in an outstretched hand. She stopped in her tracks. "What do you mean? What do you mean?" she kept asking. But she knew. She burst into tears, and said yes.

It was so them

The couple, who live in Washington Square West, married at the hotel where they got engaged. "We definitely wanted an intimate ceremony," Sarah said, so they kept the guest list to 36. Invitees received invitations from Pascale Nehlsen, who requested their presence at the marriage of her parents.

During the ceremony, Sarah, now 31, and Jon, 35, placed their hands on their daughter's head as officiant Linda Noonan gave a family blessing.

This didn't happen at rehearsal

Pascale, now 2, was the flower girl. She was going to walk the aisle with the two bridesmaids, tossing flower petals from a little basket. But before the ceremony started, she fell fast asleep in her daddy's arms.

When it was time for Jon to head to the front of the room, he couldn't bear to wake her. Pascale woke up on her own - sort of. She held the basket while Jon, still carrying her, tossed the flower petals.

Awestruck

At their officiant's suggestion, Sarah and Jon set aside time just for themselves before the reception.

"After the high emotion of the ceremony and the tears, we walked back down the aisle and settled in this room with champagne," Sarah said. We realized "we really did do this, and are going to do this. Now we're married." They savored the time so much that they stretched the allotted 10 minutes to 20, Jon said.

Discretionary spending

A bargain: Sarah's best friend - the one she worked for post-Seattle, pre-mommyhood - is Darah Groce, one of the owners of DollFace Studios in Philadelphia. Darah was a bridesmaid, so her business partner snapped the photos. "It was a tremendous wedding gift," Sarah said.

The splurge: Jon's friend Darren DeSumma is an owner of Ernesto Custom Clothier in Philadelphia. "I got a brand-new tux, made just for me," he said.

The getaway

The couple was planning to take a trip in the near future, but Greece and Turkey or Italy will have to wait. Two weeks after the wedding, they found out Pascale is going to be a big sister.

Love:

BEHIND THE SCENES

Officiant

 Linda Noonan of Journeys of the Heart, Jenkintown

Venue

 Four Seasons Hotel,

Philadelphia

Catering

 Four Seasons

Photography

 DollFace Studio, Darah Groce and Siobhan Edmonds, Philadelphia

Music

 Classical guitarist Dave Baker, Lafayette Hill

Dress

 Bijou Bridal, Ardmore

Groom's Attire

 Custom tuxedo by Ernesto Custom Clothier, Philadelphia

Flowers

 Tanti Lina at Papertini, Philadelphia

Invitations

 By the bride

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Love:

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