About the couple

Bride: Amanda Richardson

Groom: Derek Pitman

How they met: “We first met as playmates at McDonald’s when Derek was four and I was three. Our mothers were friends and took us on weekly play dates,” explains Amanda. “This was when Derek’s mother, Florence got the idea that I could pick any one of her sons to marry. We didn’t reconnect again until Derek and I were in their twenties. We had been attending the same church for a while and finally took notice of each other because we would both arrive early every week. From there we began to build a friendship.”

Engagement story: “It was Christmas Eve, my favourite day of the year. We had just parked the car, and were about to go inside for the service,” Amanda recalls. “That’s when Derek came around to my side of the car, opened the door for me and handed me a children’s book, ‘I Love You Through and Through’.” This wasn’t just any book. It was meaningful to us for a few reasons. We had first come across this book on one of our first dates together and fell in love with its story. As well, children’s literature is my much-loved favourite, having studied it in university. So, Derek told me to read the book before we got out of the car. So there I sat, reading through the pages until on the last page, there was a sticky note that read, ‘Will you marry me?’ When I looked up, Derek was on his knee, holding out a ring, while the snow softy fell around him. I was so excited that when I said yes, I flailed my arms around, knocking the ring box out of Derek’s hand. He picked it up and put the ring on my finger.”