I Do, I Do: Love Chronicle of ACKtastic Couples
First Comes Love,
Then Comes Marriage...
by Kristen Kellogg
We all know that catch phrase we used to sing in grade school when one of our friends had a crush on that special someone. Traditions DO seem to be changing, but there are many couples who still go the traditional fairytale route. They fall in love, they get married, and then the I Do's evolve into a family. And that's just what this beautiful couple have done here on Nantucket.
Meet Heather North McGraw and Jed McGraw:
I met Heather and Jed when I was, of course, behind the bar. Their tight group of friends are a presence you can't help but notice, always enjoying life to the fullest. They're that group you want to be with when your out and about.
What started as double date, going along with each of their best friends, Julie and Cam, blossomed into a life long love. "In the summer of 2002, I was a waitress at the tavern, Jed was a beach ranger out on Nantucket. We met his second night on the island and we've been together ever since," she tells me over Daffodil brunch at the Boarding House.
Heather planned her first working summer in 1999 to be filled with familiar faces of friends, but as plans sometimes do, these plans changed. "I was suppose to come out with a group of five girlfriends from college and one by one they all bailed, and I came out by myself for my first summer."
This independent woman not only proved she could take on an adventure alone and enjoyed that first working Nantucket summer, but her self-determining spirit also eventually led her to her first business venture.
After moving to DC, Heather was a teacher and on the nights and weekends she helped care for the family of Senator John Edwards. She traveled on both presidential campaigns, and she and Jed lived with the Edwards for three years in DC and three more in North Carolina. Traveling as a live-in nanny, Heather learned the in's and out's of using services to find a sitter on her nights off.
"In 2005, I found myself frustrated by the fact that I could not secure a GREAT babysitter without all the time consuming phone calls," says Heather.
And so NannyTucket was born. This service acts as sort of "matchmaker" to bring together nannies and families. Jed helps Heather with all of the "behind-the-scenes" legal and state requirments, while working full time at Oracle as a sales manager and pursuing his MBA at Babson College.
This summer island couple knows a good balance in their on- and off-island lives. "I kick my feet up in the winter and we cozy up and watch a lot of movies." And as for the summer, "It's work hard, play hard. There's nothing in-between," says Heather of finding their happy medium. And Jed has found his beach bliss on the water in what he calls his daily 'Nantucket Trifecta': catching a fish, surfing, and kitesurfing.
"Ladies beach can be packed so we will go out to Coatue and it feels like a completely different island," she says. Lazy days are spent taking out their little Boston Whaler over to a secluded beach with some Fresh sandwiches. Heather hangs out with their chocolate lab, Madaquecham, "Maddy" watching Jed sting up his kite and then surf the waves.
What has been like a child to them for the past five years, Heather's business venture, is all grown up; now they're ready for a child of their own. After seven blissful years of marriage, Jed and Heather are expecting their first child this fall.
"He has been my life, travel, and business partner, my biggest cheerleader and companion. Now we will take on a new life experience that will show me a side of him I am yet to see," Heather says of becoming parents.
The duo have traveled together all over the world including Canada, Hawaii, Ireland, Italy, South Pacific, Bahamas, England, France and their most recent trip to celebrate Heather's birthday in Verbier, Switzerland with their fabulous friends.
In addition to traveling during their leisure time, they also find time to give back to a community they hold dear in their hearts. Heather spent a winter volunteering at an orphange for HIV postitive children in Africa, Here on the island, they donate NannyTucket Services and stay involved as much as possible. A favorite cause is the Race for Open Space, a 5k from the Westmoor to Madaket, benefiting the land conservation. "We would love to be involved in even more, but there aren't enough hours in a day," she says laughing.
Heather also describes Nantucket as a special place for their family, sort of a "Meeting-ground." As a couple, their secret to success is balancing their time between just the two of them, and enjoying the time they have with their fun loving friends.
They love their slice of the Nantucket pie that so many of us call our summer seasonal home. For the two of them, it truly is about life, love and happily ever-after.
Visit NantucketWeddings.com - Your Guide to the Complete Island Wedding.
Are you a dynamic duo or want to nominate an ACKtastic couple?
Email Kristen at kellogg.kristen@gmail.com
Kristen Kellogg graduated from San Jose State University in 2006 with a Bachelors degree in Communication Studies. When not on Nantucket, she travels the world filming and writing about her adventures. A life-changing experience, she most recently spent time in Bali, Indonesia doing PR work for Bali Eco Stay. You can find Kristen behind the bar at Corazon Del Mar, practicing yoga, or doing anything outdoors on the island.
