Kate & Tillman in Wilmington, NC

As a little girl, Kate spent summers running through the grounds of her grandparents’ Wilmington estate, Live Oaks, dreaming of a fairy-tale wedding that would someday take place under the huge, old oak trees. Little did she know when she attended her brother’s wedding, in 2000, that her dream was on its way to coming true. Kate begrudgingly participated in the bouquet toss, a practice she refers to as a “torturous tradition.” Naturally, she caught the bouquet. Later that night, she met the bride’s best friend -- James and the man who would become her husband. But Tillman wasn’t the first one in his family to notice her -- his father had singled out Kate during the ceremony and pointed her out. Of course, the two didn’t know at that time that it was true love -- Tillman returned to his home in New York City, but did stay in touch with Dallas-based Kate. The Bride Kate Williams, 32, advertising salesperson The Groom James Tillman Ward III, 31, institutional research salesperson The Date April 23 After four years of long-distance dating, Tillman proposed while the two were jogging in Central Park.