INDIANAPOLIS – Getting married at the airport may not be the first location choice for many people. However, one Fort Wayne couple said they couldn’t think of getting married anywhere else.
“Is everyone (meet on the plane)?” Stephani Hamilton said with a chuckle.
In 2019, the destination is New England for both Stephani and Jeff Hamilton. Separately, they boarded Southwest Flight 2218 from Indianapolis to Boston as complete strangers.
Stephani was living in Indiana at the time, while Jeff was in the area visiting his daughters.
“He was on his way back from a weekend visit with his daughters and I was on my way to leave very quickly – I think I was only there on my perhaps 72-hour trip to New England,” Stephani said. speak. This was her first time to New England, but Jeff had grown up there and lived there at the time.
Near the back of the plane, Stephani recalled sitting in the window seat. Jeff added that not only is it not like him to get on a plane late, but that he often sits at the front of the plane. But as fate would have it, one of the only remaining seats Jeff could take on the Southwest flight to Boston was the middle seat next to his future bride.
“She was sitting in the window seat and she was getting her headphones and she was right here – And I asked her, ‘So what did you come to Boston for?’ “Jeff said with a smile.
For the whole flight and shuttle to the rental – the two talked nonstop.
“We’re the super annoying couple that only talked for three hours on the plane, so I’m sure everyone sitting around us liked it, would they please shut up?” Stephani said.
Literally hours after getting off the plane, the two went on their first date.
“We talked throughout dinner. Sit and talk more. Until eventually, one of the servers showed up and said, “We closed an hour ago,” Jeff said.
Stephani added with a smile, “Can you guys go out?” “
Jeff said, “’Is there a way, can you guys go? We don’t want to interrupt. Looks like you guys talked deeply. ‘ We said, ‘Yes, sorry.’ “
Four years later, the Hamiltons officially made their love affair public. In July, the couple exchanged vows at the place that brought them together – Indianapolis International Airport.
Stephani said: “It was right to do it at the airport because it had great symbolic significance for us.
Southwest even made them a wedding cake and upgraded the newlyweds, so they could get on their first plane just two hours later on their honeymoon flight. If you guessed it, the two will return to New England.
Jeff said the TSA pre-inspection has made quick turnaround possible.
WRTV reporter Nikki DeMentri asked the couple, “Is it love at first?”
Jeff responded first: “I said yes, she said no.”
Stephani added, “I would say it was a very good conversation and there was obviously an instant chemistry and connection.”
Both skipped their birthdays in mid-July.
“While we didn’t have one of those really weird meetings at the airport, where we bumped into each other in one place, and then ended up sitting next to each other on the plane, just like in the movies – We still sitting on a plane that’s already at that airport. It just feels right and it all comes together really well and it goes without a single hiccup,” said Stephani.
Without a doubt, love is definitely overflowing at IND. The Hamiltons adds that that’s when you least expect it, you find your soul mate.
They have tattoos that match the flight number from their first flight as a reminder of their love story.
“I didn’t get on the plane to look for anything. Absolutely not, here I am, and I knew before I got off that plane,” Jeff said.
