Let's Do This Thing

Boy Meets Girl

One fall night in 2017, Alex headed to a friend's party in DC where he first laid eyes on Maddie. She seemed like a girl who couldn't stop smiling or laughing which he instantly adored. Later everyone headed to the infamous Madhatter where after a few drinks and some dancing Alex finally summed up the courage to ask Maddie to dance. As they laughed and started dancing Alex thought Maddie was definitely into him, but then he slipped, dropped Maddie on the ground and landed right on top of her. After helping Maddie up and apologizing profusely, Alex prepared himself to get slapped in the face, instead Maddie busted out laughing thinking it was the funniest thing in the world. Alex then went over to his friends and said "I'm going to marry that girl". As the night went on Alex followed Maddie around like a lost puppy trying to get some attention. Needless to say that night Alex didn’t get any attention.

A few weeks later, Alex found Maddie at a friend's winery tour in WV. As they went vineyard to vineyard Alex tried once more to connect with Maddie. It still wasn't working. With one vineyard left Maddie's little (shoutout Helen) began puking. With no ride home in sight Alex stepped up and took Maddie and Helen back home. Alex spent the rest of the time hanging out with Maddie. After that night Alex knew he wanted to be with her while Maddie knew she found one of her closest friends, thus landing Alex stuck in the friend zone.

Over the next two months, Maddie and Alex became closer than ever. Alex kept trying to claw his way out of the friend zone, but had no such luck. Alex then made a bet with Maddie on the annual Ohio State-Michigan football game since Alex is a die-hard Buckeye fan and Maddie was a Michigan fan by proxy at the time. The loser had to wear the opposing team's jersey for a night out (we all know who won). Therefore, Maddie was forced to wear Alex's OSU jersey for what turned out to be a game changing night. After a full night of laughter and fun Maddie looked at Alex and knew he was the one. A couple weeks later she realized that Alex couldn't stay in the friend zone and finally let Alex take her on a real date that included a ferris wheel ride at the National Harbor in DC.

Over the next year and a half Alex moved all over the country from Virginia to North Carolina, and then out to California. Maddie stayed in Maryland and visited Alex as often as possible. In October of 2018, Alex left on deployment and when he returned in the early summer, Alex and Maddie's families came out to Las Vegas for a special trip. Alex took Maddie to the High Roller Ferris Wheel and at the top of the ferris wheel Alex got down on a knee and asked Maddie to be his wife. She said yes and the rest is history! Go Bucks and Blue Devils!

The Big Day

We're going to have the ceremony and reception all outside and tented at the beautiful Strong Mansion on Sugarloaf Mountain followed by cocktail hour, dinner, and drinks to celebrate the night away. Guests will have access to the whole mansion and the entire gorgeous grounds to get lots of fresh air! Dress comfortably, and come prepared to dance....like a lot.

COVID-19 & Our Wedding

We are SO excited to celebrate our special day with our family and friends that are most important in our lives.  We take everyone's health and safety very seriously. Therefore, we have provided some information about our wedding and COVID-19 safeguards we are taking to ensure everyone's comfort and safety :)

• Strong Mansion and the caterer will closely follow all federal, state and local guidelines in place at the time and are committed to exceeding all requirements.
• The Strong Mansion grounds are very beautiful and spacious so there is plenty of room for all to social distance properly.
• All festivities are outdoors – the wedding ceremony is open air and dinner/dancing are under a large tent.
• There will be a sit-down dinner so you will not need to stand in line for a buffet.
• Bathroom facilities are inside Strong Mansion and will be stocked with wipes and hand sanitizer.
• All servers, bartenders and other vendors will wear masks. Feel free to bring your own mask and wear it throughout the evening, if that is how you will be most comfortable.

Getting There

We understand most of our guests will be traveling far and wide so to make it easier we have outlined the best ways to get here! There will be parking at the venue for anyone who would like to drive to Strong Mansion. However, for those without a car we will offer shuttles from the Gaithersburg Marriott Washingtonian Center to Strong Mansion which is recommended for those who like to party  . The arrival and departure of the shuttles is still being determined so look out for an update. Also keep in mind Uber is not available at the Mansion due to its location on the mountain and cell service can be a little spotty.

By Plane

There are several choices for flying that are all relatively 45 minutes away from our hotel blocks. Guests can fly into Ronald Reagan (DCA) if you want to see DC or even fly into Dulles (IAD) to see Northern VA. If you’re looking for more budget-friendly fares, try Baltimore (BWI) it usually has the cheapest flights. Uber and Lyft are easily accessible from all airports.

By Car

If you have time for a drive, there’s really nothing better than ending a road trip waiting to see family and friends. The Gaithersburg area is conveniently located at the intersection of I-270 (North to South) and I-370 (East to West). Traffic can be heavy so plan accordingly!

Lay Down Your Head

Blocks of rooms have been reserved at the Gaithersburg Marriott Washingtonian Center and Residence Inn Gaithersburg Marriott Washingtonian Center. Several types of rooms will be available, so rates will vary. Mention the Chili-Bergman wedding to receive the wedding group discount.

Registry

As Papa Chili would say the best present is simply your presence. However, if you’d like to spoil us, we’ve picked out some items to help grow our home (we will finally be living together yay!) and start being real adults. We have also included an option to support our honeymoon adventures through the Knot!