Madelaine & Cory
MadelainePegula
&CoryWalsh
August212026
Honesdale , PA
Our Story
How We Met
We met while working at Planet Fitness during our junior year of college. Madelaine had been there for a few years, but for Cory, it was his very first day. Our first interaction was nothing more than a quick introduction on a busy afternoon—but something about Madelaine immediately caught Cory’s attention.
A few days later—on his day off—Cory “just so happened” to stop by while Madelaine was working. He didn’t waste any time making his move. With a mix of playful flirting and sheer determination, he managed to talk Madelaine into giving him her Snapchat before he left. That first night, the messages started and didn’t stop—at least, not from Cory’s end. He responded right away, while Madelaine sometimes took hours to reply (which he insists was torture).
One of the first things we bonded over was Marvel. Madelaine, a true Marvel fan, made sure Cory stayed up to date on all the latest shows. He even binge-watched episodes just so we’d have something to talk about.
It didn’t take long before Cory asked Madelaine on a real date—to see the newest Spider-Man movie. That night, we shared a strawberry margarita. While waiting in line for our drink, Cory’s best friend, Frank, decided to check out the girl Cory was crushing on—he stopped by to say hello, made sure Madelaine got the best friend seal of approval, and then went back to his own movie.
As if that wasn’t enough, Madelaine’s sisters also happened to be seeing Spider-Man again that night—at the exact same showtime. On our way out of the theater, they ran into us and met Cory for the first time. It was unexpected, but it made the night even more special that we both got to meet some of the most important people in each other’s lives.
From that night on, we were pretty much inseparable.
The Proposal
Cory had planned a post-Christmas trip for us and our friends, Frank and Hollis, to visit Quebec City. Bags were packed, passports were ready, and we were all set to leave on the morning of December 27. But then, plans took an unexpected turn.
That morning, Madelaine got a text from Cory—he had been up all night feeling sick. Hoping it would pass, we waited it out, but by midday, it was clear—Cory wasn’t going anywhere. We canceled the trip, and Madelaine spent the whole day taking care of him.
What she didn’t know was that Cory had been planning something much bigger than a vacation. And with Quebec off the table, Frank—who was in on the secret—suggested a backup plan: a little getaway to Bethlehem, PA.
So, on December 29, we packed up and headed to Bethlehem’s Historic District, where Hollis acted as our tour guide. What seemed like a fun day of sightseeing was actually a cleverly disguised mission—Cory was scouting for the perfect spot to propose.
One of the highlights of the day was Moravian University’s massive 45-foot Christmas tree. We admired it in daylight and decided to come back after dark to see it all lit up. That evening, bundled up in the winter chill, we made our way back. After snapping a few photos in front of the glowing tree, Cory turned to Madelaine, got down on one knee, and asked her, “Will you marry me?”
Completely caught off guard, Madelaine took a breath—maybe two—before saying, “Yes!”
As we celebrated, Cory shared an extra special detail: his mom had also been proposed to in Bethlehem years ago. Without even planning it, we had carried on a sweet family tradition in the most magical way.
And just like that, what started as a change of plans turned into the best surprise of all.