By AML Publisher
Photos courtesy of Joe Craig Photography

The groom-to-be Ryan Lockard
Ryan proposed to Rhian during dawn on the beaches of Ocean City, NJ in June of 2007.

Rhian White and Ryan Lockard first locked eyes in June of 2006 at a mutual friend’s house party. They were seated next to each other on a couch and, during a casual ‘get-to- know-you’ conversation, discovered they were both fans of a new series about dinosaurs on the Discovery Channel. Later that night at a local bar, Rhian, 26 and a native of Willow Grove and Ryan, 27 who hails from Hatfield, started talking and laughing about their shared interests in physics, philosophy and history. The next time Ryan saw the certified life coach and freelance writer out (the brunette bombshell bares a striking resemblance to actress Catherine Zeta Jones), he asked Rhian for her number…and, as they say, the rest is history.

I’ve known Ryan Lockard my entire life, he is the second oldest son of my uncle John, my father’s younger brother. When I heard through the family grapevine that Ryan, a quality assurance analyst, had a new and very serious girlfriend, I suspected another Lockard wedding would shortly be in the works. Ryan and Rhian, (pronounced REE’-n), are a dynamic, fun-loving couple that both have close, large families. So, it came as no surprise they chose the biggest party night of the year, New Year’s Eve, as the ultimate celebration of their love. And, they could not have chosen a more breathtaking backdrop.
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By AML Staff Writer
Photos Courtesy of Kevin E. McPherson

Downtown Wayne dips its little toe into the big ‘pond’ of First Fridays

First Fridays in Wayne Begin October 3rd
Anthony Wayne Theater

Wayne seems like a natural fit for the wave of First Fridays that have sprung up in the last few years in the Philadelphia suburban region. And that is exactly what a group of Main Line business owners, some of the most active members of the Wayne Business Association, were thinking when they decided to organize the inaugural First Friday this October 3rd. “First Fridays just came out of the fact that the downtown merchants here in Wayne, especially the newer merchants, were getting together to think of new ideas to bring more local support of our small businesses and bring the community together,’ First Friday cofounder Liz Ayerle of Wayne Boutique Fresh Ayer said. “Wayne has such a great nucleus. There is such a neat flow and vibe up and down Lancaster and North Wayne Avenue. So, we got together and thought, ‘Why not take advantage of this and make one great night of shopping and dining where we can make ourselves available for the public?’ It’s convenient for those who work late and don’t always have a chance to browse our stores and we are going to make it fun for everyone and do it in our own signature way,’’ Ayerle enthused. The Wayne merchants had been inspired by some other local and successful First Fridays, which act as a night time block party in essence, include First Fridays in Phoenixville and First Friday Main Line (www.firstfridaymainline.com) which is a an arts and cultural night organized by 30 businesses in Bryn Mawr, Haverford and Ardmore
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Weekends are certainly the time we treasure with family and friends but finding the financial resources in this day and age to plan full blown getaways can be difficult. So, a daycation (a day trip that doesn’t exceed a full tank of gas and is a reasonable distance from your home) is a great, affordable, satisfying alternative and a travel concept steadily gaining in popularity. Since the Main Line and surrounding suburbs are so rich with activity, events and interesting people and places, I’m excited to begin what I believe will be a valuable resource for our readers, Main Line Daycations!

So, this is the first in AroundMainLine.com’s special travel series, and I hope you find it useful, interesting and educating. For those of you new to the Main Line area, welcome, and we hope that you will find some inspirational ideas here for exploring and experiencing this great area. Our travel section you should be of great help navigating around this area you now call home, welcome! And for ML vets such as myself, I hope to remind you of some great, affordable afternoon options that fill your weekends with fun and rich memories without breaking the bank—and I’m sure you’ll see some new ideas too!
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