Two High School Sweethearts Marry After 17 Inseparable Years Together

Meagan Hochdorffer
& Anthony Santavicca
May 13, 2017

Meagan and Anthony’s love story began at the dawn of the millennium: New Year’s Eve, 1999, when the two high school sophomores shared their first kiss. They became close friends on a class trip to Italy in the spring of 2000 and, by summer, the football player (nicknamed Rudy after the 1990s film, though his wife says that she and his parents call him by his given name) and the cheerleader were dating. Through college and beyond, the couple maintained a long-distance relationship, finally moving in together in 2010.

On December 10, 2015, Anthony popped the question. Under the guise of opening Christmas presents a bit early, he presented  Meagan with a ring — her grandmother’s, which he’d secured from her parents — proclaiming, “All I want is you.”

Meagan and Anthony went with whimsical, colorful, festive touches throughout their nuptials, from Anthony’s Chuck Taylors to the comic-book theme to the flop-flops supplied for guests’ “dancin’ feet.”

They’d originally hoped to marry on New Year’s Eve but chose a date in May to enjoy the spring weather and celebrate Anthony’s birthday. Anthony, a beer salesman, was invited to look at La Factoria at Charles Point by clients who owned the new food-and-entertainment complex overlooking the Hudson River. It was the only venue the couple looked at, having fallen in love with the amazing view.

On their wedding day, “It rained from the moment we woke up ’til the moment we went to sleep,” Meagan recalls, “but it didn’t cause one hiccup.” The wedding had a whimsical, down-to-earth vibe, from the playful comic-book theme to Anthony’s Chuck Taylors. “He’s a sneaker guy,” Meagan says. “That’s just him.”

Family and friends figured prominently in the wedding: Anthony’s cousin officiated, their high school friend Mike served as photographer, and Mike’s sister-in-law was the florist. High school sweethearts who marry are not a rarity, but very few are inseparable for 17 years before tying the knot. Says Meagan: “You never expect to find your soulmate at fifteen.”

The Details: 

Venue & Catering: The Factoria at Charles Point Marina, Peekskill; 914.788.4555; www.factoriacp.com
Photography: Michael Chillemi of Studio 1 Photography, Harrison; 914.497.3168; www.studio1photoandfilm.com
Florist: Lauren Chillemi of Bedford Village Flower Shoppe, Bedford; 914.234.7180; www.bedfordvillageflowershoppe.com
Entertainment: Next Generation Entertainment, Harrison; 914.245.0990; www.nextgenerationny.com
Cake: Tarrytown Pastry Chef, Tarrytown; 914.631.6556
Dress: Majesty Bridal Boutique, Danbury, CT; 203.730.1784; www.majestybrides.com
Bridal Hair: Jennifer Neza of Hair Liberation, Jefferson Valley; 914.962.7977;
Makeup: Merve Borca Makeup Artist, Yorktown Heights; 914.523.9371; www.merveborca.com