When Drew Baker and Maddie McNamara learned a massive blizzard was barreling down on the region, threatening to disrupt their carefully planned wedding day in Boston, they were in a bit of denial. They held onto hope the forecast would change, but the projected snow totals and wind gusts grew more daunting by the day.
On Monday, the young couple awoke to snow furiously swirling outside their window at the Newbury Hotel. Hardly able to seebeyond a few feet, Baker and McNamara, who grew up together in Sudbury, could only laugh.
They were initially disappointed,but soon realized “this would make for a truly unique and unforgettable story,” Baker, 27, who works in data analytics and lives in Boston with McNamara, 27, an attorney, said by email.
They would get married during a historic winter storm, the Blizzard of ’26.Just them, in a hushedcity blanketed in snow.
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Drew Baker, left, and Maddie McNamara, right and celebrated on their wedding day.The Grahams Photography/@thegrahamsphoto
Baker and McNamara had their first brush with love in eighth grade, dating for a little while. They remained good friends through high school and rekindled their romance after both moved to Boston in 2021, Baker recalled.
A little over a year ago, Baker proposed to McNamara in the Seaport, on a pier near a spot they used to go to dinner while looking out at the water.
“We love everything about one another,” he said.
They originally arranged to hold their ceremony at the Boston Public Library on Monday, a small and intimate gathering with their immediate families by their side. When it became clear the weather wasn’t going to cooperate, stress set in and the coupletried to come up with backup options, Baker said.
“All of which also fell through,” he said. “Which led us to what we did.”
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The couple never considered postponing their wedding. They were committed to the date and didn’t want to wait another moment to start their married life together, Baker said.
They booked a longer stay at the hotel and celebrated with their families over dinner at 1928 Beacon Hillon Sunday evening. Their loved ones headed home before the storm arrived.
The next morning, as the storm raged, the couple read their vows to each other from the comfort of their suite. They got ready together, with McNamara stepping out to put on her long, white gown and returning to share a quiet, emotional moment with her betrothed.
Drew Baker, left, and Maddie McNamara, right and celebrated on their wedding day.The Grahams Photography/@thegrahamsphoto
When it came time for the ceremony that evening, the couple was joined in the hotel room by their wedding photographer, their officiant, and the officiant’s fiancée, Baker said. Their families tuned in on FaceTime.
“It was such a surreal moment to talk to them [after] and still have them there virtually, despite all of the snow,” he said. “They were all so supportive and knew this would make for such a funny story to look back on.”
Newly married, the couple braved the storm to take pictures around the city,leaving their winter gear back at the hotel.
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They smiled together on an empty Newbury Street, made snow angels and threw snowballs in the Public Garden, and jumped into the growing piles of snow on Commonwealth Avenue.In a world apart, like a snow globe made just for them, they embraced and kissed.
“It was so special to spend that moment together as the snow came down,” Baker said.
At the end of April, they will travel to Japan for their honeymoon.
“We will always look back on this day thankful that we have each other,” he added. “We know that no matter what happens, we will be there for each other and always make the most out of any situation.”
Maddie McNamara, left, and Drew Baker, right, celebrated on their wedding day.The Grahams Photography/@thegrahamsphoto
Shannon Larson can be reached at shannon.larson@globe.com. Follow her @shannonlarson98.
A man was flown to a Boston hospital after being hit by a vehicle Wednesday evening in Norwood, Massachusetts, and the driver has been arrested.
Norwood police responded shortly after 7:30 p.m. to the intersection of Washington Street and St. John Avenue.
The victim was found seriously injured. Fire crews treated him at the scene before he was taken by ambulance to a landing zone to be airlifted by medical helicopter.
Police said the woman driving the vehicle was taken into custody. She is facing charges including operating under the influence of liquor.
BOSTON (WHDH) – The You Got This center, run by Children’s Services of Roxbury, helps young adults coping with homelessness, mental health needs, and addiction.
The drop-in center also provides a space to create community.
One of the programs they center offers, freestyle Fridays, held on the first Friday of every month, gives members a chance to test out their rap skills.
Members said programs like these have taught them to be more confident.
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“It’s a comforting area,” Deryq Samson-Brown said. “I’ve never felt like an outcast; I don’t think anybody has really felt like an outcast. It’s like a real accepting place.”
Samson-Brown said the center has inpsired him to pursue a career giving back to youth.
(Copyright (c) 2026 Sunbeam Television. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)
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The half fried chicken served with black bean hummus and cauliflower cashew pilaf at Chickadee Restaurant in the Seaport.Matthew J. Lee/Globe staff
An Instagram post that announced their closure on Tuesday evening did not point to any reason for the closure, and requests for comment were not immediately returned.
“Eight years ago, we opened our doors at the Innovation and Design Building with a simple hope: to bring you honest, delicious food and a warm place to share it,” read the post. “What we found instead was a community – regulars who became friends, first dates that turned into anniversaries, celebrations, quiet lunches, and everything in between. You made this restaurant so much more than a place to eat.”
Globe Food Critic Devra First awarded Chickadee 3.5 stars in October 2018, where she wrote how some meals “are magic, everything cooked perfectly, making you swoon.”
At the time, it was also considered one of the earliest restaurants to have opened in the still-industrial far reaches of the Seaport, which was home to ship-repair facilities and cutting-edge design firms, seafood wholesalers, and biotech companies. In terms of location, some said it was ahead of its time.
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DaSilva, a three-time James Beard Best Chef: Northeast semifinalist, has led some of the top restaurants across the Greater Boston area. Aside from Barbara Lynch’s flagship No. 9 Park, he opened Spoke Wine Bar in Somerville in 2013. During his time at Spoke, he received a number of accolades and was named one of Zagat’s “30 Under 30” for Boston and earned the title “Rising Star Chef” from StarChefs.
Kilpatrick, who also left Lynch’s group in 2014, worked for the team behind O Ya to help open restaurants in New York. According to his LinkedIn, he started a new job as a regional operations manager for Lark, a boutique hotel management company, in April.
Alexa Gagosz can be reached at alexa.gagosz@globe.com. Follow her @alexagagosz and on Instagram @AlexaGagosz.