Mercedes & Tom’s perfectly low-key love story

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By Janelle Harb

Mercedes and Tom had a whirlwind romance—literally. The two met while working to assess storm damage for a local utility company.

“I noticed he was cute, and I guess I wouldn’t let him go so, then it just kind of escalated from there,” Mercedes laughs.

Five years later, they got engaged at the Cliffs of Moher in Ireland, a dream destination for Mercedes.

“I had no idea what was coming,” she says. “His cousin went to take a picture of us, I turned around and he proposed to me,” recreating a scene from her favorite rom-com, “Leap Year.”

The two had just bought a house and didn’t want a long, drawn-out engagement. “We just wanted to kind of get it on the books and then move to the next chapter,” Mercedes says.

But after visiting over 20 venues, the couple weren’t finding the right fit.

“Sometimes when you go places and the dinner is long and drawn out, you kind of start to lose people,” Tom says. “We kind of wanted an extended happy hour but a little bit more formal than that, and that didn't really exist anywhere.”

Day-of details

However, a solution perfectly in tune with their Irish engagement soon presented itself.

Over the years of St. Patrick’s Day celebrations, Blackthorn Restaurant & Pub in South Buffalo had become a sentimental spot for the couple. “It's always held a fun place in our mind and in our hearts, really,” Mercedes says. “We got engaged in Ireland, so that theme kind of felt right.”

They reached out, and the Blackthorn folks proved incredibly accommodating. “Karen, the owner, made us feel like all of our wants and needs would be taken care of with no extra fuss,” Mercedes says.

Although Blackthorn’s chicken wings are locally renowned, the restaurant was able to provide an elevated level of its beloved pub cuisine for the couple. Their Tuscarora Chicken was a highlight for guests; according to Mercedes; “people would not stop talking about it.”

Due to the low-key vibes of the celebration and tight planning turnaround, the couple wanted to make sure their bridal party was functional as well as fashionable. “We decided on polos for the guys and short dresses for the girls; we just wanted everybody to be comfortable,” Mercedes says.

Homemade floral arrangements dotted the reception, made from a bulk order from Sam’s Club. And with the open seating, deck chairs, firepits and cornhole, there was something for every guest to enjoy.

“They were able to just talk to everybody because we weren't sitting at assigned seats; it was so casual but so great,” Mercedes says. “It was like a big reunion for a lot of people."