Love: Alison Bello & Matthew Lyle

Alison spent a Saturday in September 2010 hanging out with about a dozen people at Cavanaugh's River Deck, an outing organized by her friend and coworker Karolyn. With a new hockey season on the horizon, Alison gushed about her favorite team's chances. "As a Flyers fan," she said, "you always have to be hopeful."

A few high-top tables away, Karolyn's cousin Matt overheard the hockey talk. Who was this woman talking so optimistically about his Flyers?

Drawn partly by the topic and partly by Alison, Matt switched tables. They eventually discussed everything from their unusual eating habits - he eats only certain plain and nonspicy foods; she can't stand it when foods touch - to their bonds with their family dogs. Alison was still mourning Lily, who had died 18 months before.

"She was very easy to talk to, very cool," said Matt, who is now 26.

By the end of the night, Alison, who then worked in the office of Voorhees print music distributor Charles Dumont & Sons, and Matt, a pharmacist at Olde Philly Pharmacy in Bridesburg, exchanged numbers, dropping the puck on a new relationship.

Their first solo date came a few days later. Alison, who is now 23, picked Connie Mac's in Pennsauken. "My older sister was a bartender there at the time," she said, "so I knew I'd be comfortable" on a first date.

The conversation flowed again - despite the curious stares of Alison's sister.

From those early days, "it was different," Alison said.

"It was a pretty instant connection," Matt agreed. "I thought, 'This could be her. She could be the one.' "

"We were pretty much inseparable," said Alison.

Soon after, the two went to their first Flyers game together. "It was Sept. 29. I have all our ticket stubs," Alison said.

They wound up on the Kiss Cam and happily obliged.

In June 2012, Alison planned a long weekend in and near Toronto, anchored on a Phillies series with the Blue Jays, a visit to Matt's aunt in suburban Rochester, N.Y., and a trip to Niagara Falls. Alison invited Matt's little sister, Kathleen, who was then 15.

"We had a terrible time in Toronto," Alison said. The Phils blew the series, the trio had hotel issues, and there wasn't much interesting to do in Toronto that weekend, she said.

"We should just go home," Alison told Matt.

There was no way Matt was going to let that happen.

"If we don't go to Niagara Falls," he said, "you'll regret it."

Alison had to agree the falls were beautiful, even on that humid, misty Monday.

"We were just walking around the falls, looking at it from different places, and people were taking pictures," Matt said.

He handed the camera to his sister and kissed Alison on the cheek. "I hope this makes up for this weekend," he said, then got down on one knee and asked Alison to marry him.

A few lousy baseball games suddenly didn't matter at all.

The couple, who now live in Parkwood with dogs Asham, Luna, and Finnegan, planned to marry at the Wells Fargo Center, home of the Flyers, in Matt's pharmacy's suite.

But then came the lockout over contract negotiations.

Alison was determined to find a just-as-cool Plan B.

"He plays ice hockey in a men's league. He's been playing since he was 5. I thought it would be a really awesome idea to have him on his ice skates when we got married."

The folks at Flyers Skate Zone in Northeast Philadelphia made it easy, Alison said.

With their guests seated in the stands, Matt skated out in his tux, did a lap around the rink, and took his spot at center ice to wait for Alison.

The groomsmen all wore skates, too. Alison and the bridesmaids did not, so they walked out on an aisle runner.

Officiant Diane Smith-Hoban of Journeys of the Heart spoke of similarities between hockey and marriage:

"In hockey or in marriage, you cheer your teammate on, each encouraging the other to reach their potential. In this way, the team is sure to succeed," she said.

"Both the sport and the marriage require showing up, being present, and giving it your best, even when you'd rather be off the ice."

The 160 guests waved their Flyers-orange rally towels in the air.

Instead of a guest book, guests signed a Flyers jersey customized with Mr. and Mrs. Lyle instead of a player's name.

The table numbers were those of current and former Flyers players.

Alison kept it together during the ceremony. But when she and her new husband arrived early at the reception space, she got a little choked up. "I cried when I saw our cake," she said. It had been crafted by Doylestown's Confection Perfection Dessert Co. to look like hockey's famous championship trophy. "We had our very own Stanley Cup."

Alison couldn't believe all their plans were now real, and that she and Matt were married.

Matt felt the same way. "It all came true," he said.

A bargain: Alison bought paper-flower bouquets from Etsy. She had priced fresh flowers at more than $1,000. Instead, she got her bridal bouquet, a toss bouquet, and five bridesmaid bouquets for $400. "And," Matt said, "we can keep them forever."

The splurge: Alison wanted the corset back of her dress to be tied with Flyers Orange instead of ivory. It cost an extra $200.

Five days at Disney World.

Officiant

Diane Smith-Hoban,

Journeys of the Heart, www.journeysoftheheart.org

Venues

Ceremony: Flyers Skate Zone, Philadelphia; Reception: Maggio's Restaurant, Southampton

Food

Maggio's

Music

Richie Abrams, Cutting Edge Entertainment, Huntingdon Valley

Photography

Chris Hayes Photography, www.chrishayesphotography.com

Dress

David's Bridal

Flowers

Katie Antonson, www.etsy.com/shop/lillesyster

Day-of coordinator

Bette McPeak, Maggio's banquet manager