Weddings: Elizabeth Walton and Noah Fox

In 2011, Elizabeth's friend Wally asked her to switch Manayunk Sport and Social League allegiances and join his two-hand touch-football team. That meant some of her former league opponents were now teammates, and Noah was one of them.

The team played softball together, too. And through the practice sessions, games, and social outings afterward, Noah and Elizabeth became field friends, then Facebook friends.

"I invited Liz to play Words With Friends. There is a messenger built within the game, and we would leave little comments about words people played," Noah said.

When she played ziti, he wrote, "Mmmmmmmmmm . . . ziti!"

"His comments would always make me laugh," Elizabeth said.

One night, Noah's comment was a question: "May I please have your phone number?"

"It's too late," she said. "Text me, or something." "OK," Noah said. "But I still need your phone number."

Elizabeth fell asleep, but he had her digits. The next week, they had their first date.

Back then, she lived in Havertown and he in Collingswood, but as Noah was visiting his mom in Stockton, N.J., that night, they met at Chalfont's Blue Dog Tavern.

They talked about her love of snowboarding and his of skiing, the importance of family, their mutual fondness for sushi, and their lives so far.

Elizabeth, who is now 29, grew up in Havertown. At then-Gwynned Mercy College, she majored in education and played field hockey, which is how she knows their Manayunk team captain, Wally - he was her trainer. She recently accepted a teaching position at Overbrook School for the Blind.

Noah, now 31, grew up in Stockton. He studied communications at Ithaca College, then landed his first job in the Philadelphia 76ers sales and marketing office. He is now a videographer for Magna Legal Services in Center City.

Whatever the topic, they loved discussing it together.

Two weeks later, the new couple visited Doylestown's Peace Valley Park. "We ended up walking the entire park, over six miles, and we caught a beautiful sunset," Noah said. "I kept feeling more and more, over the course of the walk, that I was falling for this amazing girl. It's when I first fell in love with her."

Elizabeth agrees with Noah that the comfort they felt with each other and their shared values - particularly the family focus - are what made them fall in love. But also, she adds, "he can cook good food, and I can't cook." Her favorite: creamed chipped beef.

In December 2014, Elizabeth's dad, George Jr., was scheduled for heart surgery. The family gathered a few days before to throw him a good-luck dinner. Noah planned to arrive about 45 minutes ahead of Elizabeth so he could ask her dad about an important step he hoped to take. But Elizabeth got out of work early.

Just as Noah was pulling up to her parents' house, she called to say she was on her way.

"Delay her!" Noah pleaded with her brother Scott. "Ask her to stop and get something."

Elizabeth found it a little strange that bread was such an emergency, but she stopped for some. Noah got the blessing of the man he hoped would be his father-in-law.

George Jr.'s surgery was a success.

Three days later, on Dec. 21, the couple had plans to see Noah's Grammy Evelyn in Gwynedd and then visit Elizabeth's dad in the hospital. Noah suggested they first take a quick walk at Peace Valley.

At the dock from where they had watched the sunset on that special, early date, Noah said, "You know I love you so much. I don't want to spend my life with anyone else but you." He then knelt and asked whether she'd marry him.

"Yes, of course!" Elizabeth said. Noah picked her up and spun around in a circle. Then she saw people coming out of the woods. "Who are those people?" was her first response before recognizing her friend Nicole; his friend Dan; Dan's then-very-pregnant wife, Colie; and Noah's sister Emily - all of whom were there at Noah's request to take pictures. Elizabeth screamed, "I'm engaged!"

The couple shared the news in person with Noah's grandma; his mom, Sydney; and sisters Emily, Sara, and Key.

At the hospital, they celebrated with Elizabeth's dad; her mom, Mai; and brothers Scott and George III.

The couple were wed at Annunciation Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary by the Rev. Francis Groarke, the priest who sponsored Elizabeth's mom when she immigrated from Vietnam in the mid-1970s and who has been a family friend ever since. Noah's late father, Richard, was honored in the program.

Wally's son was one of the ring bearers. Eight other children, all of them Elizabeth's former kindergarten students, preceded her down the aisle carrying a sign that read, "Here comes our teacher, the bride." When they reached the front of the church, Father Francis asked them to take a bow.

The reception for 145 was held at Merion Tribute House.

Guests played games, including an outdoor, oversize, Jengalike one made by the groom, and beanbag toss. A caricaturist drew the guests, and the food was "heaven," Elizabeth said. "Noah picked it all out." The groom's selections included duck egg rolls, short ribs, and butternut-squash ravioli.

For the cake-cutting, Elizabeth wore a traditional Vietnamese wedding ensemble, the ao dai, and crown, khan dong.

Elizabeth had bought herself a condo in Aston right before the couple got engaged. "I finally let him move in," she said, "after the wedding."

Elizabeth is not a crier. Not even during the proposal, parts of which were erased from her memory by sheer excitement, did she cry. At the altar on their wedding day, Noah turned to her. "I love you," he said. "I'm so happy!" Elizabeth said. "I love you, too, and we're here!" With that, she started crying so hard Noah gave her his pocket square to dry her eyes. None of the bridesmaids could believe it.

At the end of the reception, the couple stood on the terrace and watched their guests line the outdoor stairs holding huge sparklers. "We went down the stairs through a tunnel of bright light, and everyone was cheering," Noah said. "It was an amazing feeling, and I was thinking, 'This is one of the best moments of my life.' "

A bargain: The bride and groom made many things, including the favors. They collected wine bottles for a year, cut them with a tile saw, and poured in molten candle wax and a wick, then placed a copy of their engagement picture on front.

The splurge: They hired a graphic designer who created everything from the save-the-dates and invitations to the wedding logo and thank-you stickers.

Eight days in Disney World.

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Officiant: The Rev. Francis Groarke of St. Thomas the Apostle, Glen Mills.

Venues: Ceremony - Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Havertown. Reception - Merion Tribute House, Merion Station.

Catering: Sage Catering, Berwyn.

Photography: Matt Gruber Photography, Havertown.

Flowers: Sara Fox, sister of the groom, arranged flowers purchased at Cut Flower Exchange of Pennsylvania, Conshohocken.

Dress: DaVinci, purchased at

My Daughter's Wedding Shop, Philadelphia.

Music: DJ Justin from Synergetic Sound & Lighting, Bensalem.

Do you have the date? Email us - at least six weeks before your ceremony - why we should feature your love story: weddings@phillynews.com. Unfortunately, we can't respond individually to all submissions. If your story is chosen, you will be contacted.

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