As some lucky people do (https://people.com/home/1-50-people-find-love-airplane/), Catherine and Mike met on a Southwest flight on a winter day leaving Denver. Mike had lost his wife two years earlier and Cate was newly single. Mike had a low boarding number and ended up in the very back of the plane in the middle seat next to Catherine.
Cate was returning to Sacramento on a work trip as Mike was headed to visit a friend in Coeur d’Alene; he chose the long route with a stop in Sac so he could politely arrive right when the friend got off work.
Cate fell in love with Mike the moment she heard his voice. Before the plane even took off, she felt the need to get his contact info, so she snapped a photo out the window of the de-icing truck on the tarmac, surrounded by fluorescent green haze (fascinating to a Californian; not so much to a Coloradan) and offered to text it to him (yes, please; he’d been too shy to ask for her number).
Things were lining up. They’re both introverts and had books in their laps, but they spent the entire flight talking and realizing that they had a ton of things in common. They both enjoyed hiking, gardening, cooking, reading, and stormy weather.
When Cate got off the plane in Sacramento, she’d lost her voice from the nonstop talking but suspected she’d also found her soulmate. She flew back to Colorado for their first date and the rest is history. They’re still flying high and looking forward to married life!
Wedding day: Having both been married previously, they chose the intimacy of a backyard wedding with their close friends, Bruce and Pam. In fact, it was me and just the four of them – with Bruce conducting the ceremony and Pam videoing!
After their ceremony, and during it too, they sipped on delicious wine (ask me how I know…thank you:) and snacked from a charcuterie board for 50…I was able to help them there too. After I left they enjoyed a lovely meal catered for the four of them by World Fare Catering.
Simple can be so good, and it was. I absolutely loved photographing their big day and enjoyed getting to know Cate and Mike and their friends and hosts, Bruce and Pam.
Maybe this is a good argument for Southwest to keep its open seating plan.
Congratulations, Cate and Mike! Wishing you the best!
