Melanie and Alex met at a bar in Old Town Scottsdale playing cornhole. They had both gone out that night with their groups of friends and ended up playing next to one another. They started talking and immediately connected over their studies and the fact that they both loved scuba diving. They started playing cornhole against each other and still to this day, I can't agree who actually won that game!

At the beginning of Mel and Alex’s relationship, they would meet up occasionally and go to dinner but then would go days without talking. They tried to keep things very casual as they both weren't interested in a serious relationship. They both liked similar music and found themselves going to concerts together. One of their best early memories was when Alex said he needed to take a trip to get more airline miles and jokingly asked Mel if she would "fly across the world with him." He may have been joking, but Mel said yes, and less than a week later, they were on a plane to the Philippines.

Even after taking a trip across the world, they both kept telling themselves (and everyone else) that they weren't officially dating, and that it was still just 'casual'. Right at the start of the pandemic, Mel had to move out of her college house while Alex was still technically living at home, even though he spent nearly all of his time with Mel at her place. They aren't sure when exactly they both decided that they were unnecessarily fighting the fact that they actually loved each other and that they were indeed, anything BUT casual. At one point they simply agreed on their relationship anniversary date.

Shortly after moving in, Mel had knee surgery and Alex had to go and help our family. This was a difficult time for them both, but it brought them closer together. Shortly after, they decided to buy their first house and move in with Blue, their dog. Getting their first home together was incredibly fun with Alex always finding new house projects to take on and Mel always decorating. Then they got their second dog Indie and became a family of four! A few months later, they got engaged. Alex had told Mel they were going up North to celebrate a friend's birthday but then surprised her by getting down on one knee. They spent the next few months just soaking up the excitement of being engaged and spending time with one another, going to concerts and shows, taking last-minute trips to see family and friends, going skiing, and making great memories together.

Then, they started to plan their wedding. They originally thought they wanted to have a huge celebration and started by touring venues in Arizona and Lake Como, Italy, but nothing felt right. While at Yacht Week in Croatia, their skipper Philip kept talking about Portugal. While he had lived around the world, living in Portugal was his favorite and he invited them to come and visit him. They both loved it and as Mel and Alex are both spontaneous and eclectic they decided that eloping to Portugal is just perfect for them.

Mel and Alex contacted Somewhere Crazy, knowing they wanted a unique setting for their wedding. After speaking to Cyntia, our expert on elopements in Portugal, they were convinced that they wanted to elope in Sintra - a beautiful castle town just an hour outside of Lisbon. As our elopements come with at least two locations, they loved the idea of saying their vows on the nearby cliffs overlooking the Atlantic Ocean.

As they’re both more evening owls, they wanted an afternoon wedding with a sunset wedding ceremony. The couple decided on the Standard elopement package but customized it with a hair & makeup artist, private transport, and a videographer. Cyntia quickly got to work, crafting their wedding day timeline.

The hair & makeup artist arrived at their accommodation - Penha Longa Resort two hours before the elopement. Then, at 4 pm the rest of the vendors arrived - the photographer, videographer as well as the day-off coordinator. The team got beautiful shots of the couple getting ready and having their “first look”. Then, their private transport took the couple to the Montserrat Palace where they had a private photoshoot with no one around. Afterward, we took the couple to their elopement ceremony spot - Cabo da Roca, where they were met by their celebrant. The beautiful wedding ceremony got tears in everyone’s eyes as the couple shared their first kiss and danced to celebrate their new commitment with the sun setting in the background. Lastly, we transported the couple back to their 5-star hotel where they had a beautiful feast waiting for them to wrap up their day.