Megan and Scott Bickford owe a lot to their parents.

He played baseball at Notre Dame, and she played softball at University of Maryland Baltimore County. “It was difficult being apart so often,” Megan recalled. And when school was out, they couldn’t even count on being together during the summer.

“Scott would get sent away to different parts of the country to play baseball each summer, so we rarely got to see each other,” she said. “But we were able to schedule flights to and from school and different cities on occasion.

“So, a huge thanks to our parents for plane tickets and long-distance phone bills!”

Megan and Scott no longer have to worry about distance keeping them apart. They were married Oct. 18, 2008, at Our Lady Star of the Sea Catholic Church in Solomons Island. As winners of The Southern Maryland Wedding Guide’s cover picture contest, their adorable photograph graces the cover of this magazine. The picture was taken by Darrin Farrell of IMAGES Photography in Lexington Park.

The couple now lives in Wake Forest, N.C., where she works as a child care specialist and he works as a computer software engineer.

They met in a typing class in ninth grade at Northern High School in Owings. “He always teased me about being a slow typer!” Megan remembered.

They grew closer during the soccer and baseball/softball seasons. “I always used to look forward to the bus rides to and from the games,” Megan said. “We ended up going to the homecoming dance together ninth grade, and the rest, as they say, is history!”

Scott proposed Dec. 23, 2007, on the steps of the State House in Annapolis. “We often went on dates in downtown Annapolis, so it was very special to us,” Megan said. “After I said yes, we had a bottle of champagne and a romantic dinner awaiting us at Harry Browne’s in the State Circle.”

Although they originally wanted a spring wedding, the couple decided to marry in October instead to make sure more of their friends and family could attend. “We have a number of friends who play professional baseball,” Megan said. “The only time they could attend was at the end of their season, which is the fall.”

“The most important thing to us was that our family and friends could be there to celebrate our special day with us,” she added. “Scott jokes that we planned our entire wedding around his friends, but everything was perfect, and we have no regrets!”

The ceremony took place at Our Lady Star of the Sea Catholic Church in Solomons Island. Scott’s mom, Denise, made white silk bows with baby’s breath to decorate the pews.

Megan wore a strapless ivory gown with sequin detailing from Today’s Bride. “The gown was flowy, and the pattern was non-symmetrical,” she said. Her sister and maid of honor, Renee Oursler, helped her try on dresses and bought her hair accessories and jewelry from David’s Bridal. Megan’s sister-in-law, Ashley, bought silk hair flowers for all four of them as a shower gift.

Megan’s mom, Sandy Oursler, made her sheer white veil with tiny pearls. Sandy also did all of the flowers for the wedding and reception. Megan carried a long bouquet of white and ivory silk flowers with ivy vines twisted throughout. “My bouquet was beautiful,” she said. “It was my favorite out of all the flower arrangements.”

The maid of honor and two bridesmaids wore wine-colored gowns with sequin detailing on the chest from David’s Bridal. Megan and her attendants all wore flowers in their hair. The attendants carried bouquets of white, ivory and wine-colored silk flowers.

The morning of the wedding, Ashley and Renee helped Megan get ready. Ashley did her hair in spiral curls and pinned her bangs to the side with a flower. Renee did her face with light, natural makeup.

Scott, his best man and two groomsmen wore taupe pin-striped suits from S&K Men’s Warehouse. They wore wine-colored ties. “Scott had a great idea of choosing suits over renting tuxedos so that the guys could keep their suits and wear them again for other special occasions,” Megan said. “The cost was about the same!”

After the ceremony, the couple and their 151 guests celebrated at the J.T. Daugherty Center in Lexington Park. During the cocktail hour, guests snacked on bacon-wrapped scallops, fried oysters, beef tenderloin on crackers, lump crab dip, jumbo barbecue shrimp and stuffed mushrooms. For the main meal, they were treated to filet mignon, crab cakes, steamed vegetables and garlic mashed potatoes.

The tables were decorated by Megan’s mom, Sandy. The centerpieces were clear vases filled with white silk cloth and white flowers and ivy vines. Rose petals were scattered on the tables.

The cake, made by the Daugherty Center, was a vanilla cake with butter cream icing and raspberry mousse. It was topped by two doves and surrounded by white flowers and ivy vines. “It was as delicious as it sounds!” Megan said. “Our one-year anniversary cake might be eaten before it’s supposed to be!”

The Great White Mark provided ceremony and reception music. “He must have done a great job because the dance floor was never empty,” Megan said. “It was actually crowded! That made me so happy!”

Megan and Scott did not hire a wedding planner, but they had someone special to help along the way. “I felt very fortunate that my mother was so involved throughout the entire wedding process,” Megan said. “I look back now and realize I could not have done it without all her help. She was very organized and kept track of all the details and information.”

The couple also had help from Melissa Daugherty at the Daugherty Center. “She was very friendly, organized, and most importantly, professional,” Megan said. “She treated me as if I were one of her own. We absolutely loved her!”

Favors were gourmet coffee pouches, personalized matches and jarred candles.

Out-of-town guests stayed at the Fairfield Inn, which is adjacent to the Daugherty Center. Scott’s mom, Denise, put together welcome baskets of wine, chocolates, cheese and crackers and other assorted snacks.

The night before the wedding, Scott’s parents, Denise and Mark Bickford, gave the rehearsal dinner at Stoney’s King Fishers Restaurant in Solomons.

The couple honeymooned at the all-inclusive Excellence Resort in Playa Mujeres, Mexico. “We could walk to the beach to eat lunch or order room service to our room when we wanted to relax,” Megan said. “At night, the restaurants had a dress code for dinner, to it was a great excuse to get dressed up!

“The resort was beautiful, and we’d definitely do it again!”

Megan advised brides-to-be to enjoy the time with their families while planning and to savor every moment of the wedding day. “Take time to soak everything in,” she said. “Look around at all of your decorations, talk to all of your guests, taste all of the food and dance!

“Most importantly, relax. No matter what happens, you will be no less married at the end of the day!”