Love is a river – it starts small, and gradually, it finds momentum. Eventually, it becomes powerful; it stops being a stream and turns into something great. For Cassandra Wells and Sam Roy, love flowed naturally, like the way a river does when it finds gravity. Each current cut deeper into their strong top soil; each turn brought a new and exciting view of the world. They took to the current together, working side by side through the rapids and the calm spots.

Cassandra and Sam had known each other for many years before they began dating. They were both raised in Turner, both attended Turner-area schools. It wasn’t until April 2007, however, that Sam and Cassandra were set up on a date by their parents. “It was like we were friends all along,” Cassandra said, smiling. “Our love was easy and effortless.”

Their relationship flowed through many twists and turns. Sam finished his degree in forestry from the University of Maine, while Cassandra studied business at the University of Southern Maine’s Lewiston Auburn College. The couple found themselves intrigued by each other’s differences, and in love with their similarities. “It was like we had always been. We’re best friends,” Cassandra remarked. In 2009, Sam and Cassandra welcomed their son, Henry.

On July 5, 2010, Sam, Cassandra, Henry and their dog, Zeus, found themselves boating down the Androscoggin River. They wanted to have a family picnic on a small island, but they had a hard time navigating the current with baby Henry, Zeus and many life preservers. So they found another island, and docked ashore.

While Cassandra unpacked lunch, Sam knelt on the ground in front of her. He had a jewelry box in his hand, and within the box, a lovely blue sapphire engagement ring. Sam put the ring on her finger, and Cassandra said yes. “The ring captures both of us – it’s original, but not orthodox,” Cassandra said.

For these outdoor enthusiasts, it seemed only natural to marry while rafting down the Kennebec River. And so Cassandra and Sam went with the current, hopped into the boat, and started the next journey of their adventure together. Friends came along for the ride: Andy Webb served as the witness, and Tom Coleman guided the raft through the rapids and officiated the ceremony, all while dressed as Elvis.

“We wanted our wedding to be fun and low stress,” Cassandra explained. “We had joked in the past about going to Vegas to be married by Elvis, so we incorporated that idea into our wedding.” Tom was a good sport; he got notarized to perform the ceremony, and lost his Elvis wig in the rapids.

The wedding party parked their raft in Cathedral Point – halfway through the river ride – and Cassandra and Sam were married with the river in the background. Cassandra wore a simple white dress she had bought at the Auburn Mall, and Sam wore a tux he bought online. After exchanging vows, they rafted down to the Appleton pullout, where they had secured a tent site for a small reception featuring Cassandra’s own chop suey heated on a Pullman’s camp stove.

The river of love between Cassandra and Sam gets stronger with each turn. Together, they will take the rapids and reliefs; together, they will follow the current to see where the river goes.

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