Megan hired Mark to play at her first wedding. Then, at 25-years-old, she fell for the 48-year-old DJ. Despite others' judgments of the couple's 23-year age gap, the lovebirds are now married. This is their story.
Almost Married
Megan Willis had been dating her serious boyfriend - whose name has been kept anonymous - for around 3 years when the loverbirds got engaged. At the time, the young woman probably felt it was one of the most meaningful moments of her life.
The pair lived in New York and had been building a life together for quite some time. Like most engaged couples, they were excited at the prospect of making their love official in a splendid wedding ceremony. But little did they know the twist of fate that awaited them.
Where It All Began
Megan soon left New York to visit family in Maryland. She was very close to her sister, Kristen, and the ladies quickly got to work on planning the big day. But this visit also led Willis to meet someone who, although she didn't know it yet, would become a very important person in her life.
"Basically, our story starts with my sister and a restaurant called The Crazy Tuna Bar & Grill back home in Maryland," Megan explained. "My sister went to this bar a lot, and when I came home to visit from Saratoga Springs, New York, she took me to the Crazy Tuna."
Meeting a New Friend
Kristen was a regular at the bar and grill, so the Maryland resident had a few people she wanted her sister to meet. But no one predicted what would come from one of these encounters. "She introduced me to DJ Mark Stone and his brother who was part owner of the Crazy Tuna," Megan said.
And that was far from the last time Willis hung out with the successful DJ. "Every time I came home to visit, we would go to the Crazy Tuna, and most of the time, Mark was there," Megan shared. "He was such a people person, so much fun, and we loved to goof off with him."
Wedding Planning
Of course, Megan's visits to Maryland were filled with more than just fun nights at The Crazy Tuna Bar & Grill. The bride-to-be was in full planning mode. She and her family were busy preparing every detail of Willis's wedding, and the monumental day was quickly approaching.
With the help of Kristen and other family members and friends, Megan and her fiancée found the right venue, chose delicious food, bought tuxedos and dresses, and planned for hair and makeup. But one thing was missing: the music. So, "My sister hired Mark to DJ my wedding," Willis said.
The Perfect Day
Finally, the major moment arrived: it was the day of the wedding. Megan was ecstatic and dreamed of spending the rest of her life with the man she loved. The couple's friends and family were beyond happy for the lovebirds as they took the next step in their relationship.
After the bride and groom officially became husband and wife, the celebrations continued at an unforgettable party. Megan looked stunning in her dress, and guests mesmerized as the couple danced to DJ Mark Stone's catchy tunes. Looking back now, this moment might seem unreal to some.
She Felt Neglected
While Megan was excited to live life as a married woman and build a home with her husband, it wasn't long before things took a turn for the worse. Life as newlyweds wasn't what Willis had imagined and, a year into the marriage, she felt unhappy with the relationship.
Megan essentially felt neglected by her partner. "He didn't want to spend time with me, didn't want to go out and explore," she shared. "He counted hanging out as me watching tv and him playing his game with headphones on in the same room." Evidently, that wasn't Willis's ideal picture of bonding.
Going Home
Needing some time away from her significant other to reflect on what happened since the wedding, Megan made the trip from Maryland to Saratoga Springs. Willis hoped that seeing family would bring some much-needed clarity during these difficult times.
Visiting Saratoga Springs was like a mental vacation away from her disappointing union. Married life turned out to be far from what Megan expected, and discussing it with Kristen would surely be comforting. But as destiny would have it, someone else stepped up to help.
She Turned To Mark
During her Maryland visit, Megan and Kristen did their usual sibling activities, including, of course, some time at The Crazy Tuna. Willis was excited for a sisters' night out at the local bar, with the comfort of being in a familiar place and seeing old friends.
But she likely didn't expect to get into a deep conversation with her wedding DJ. "About a year [after the wedding] I'm home visiting, and we go to the Crazy Tuna, Mark is there, and we talk about my marriage and how I'm not happy in it," Megan said.
He Also Had Trouble in Paradise
Megan was in her mid-20s at the time and found Mark, who was nearing the age of 50, to be a good source of experience and advice. After all, he had been married to the same woman for nearly three decades. The friends conversed for hours as Willis vented and opened up to Stone.
As it turned out, Mark was having relationship troubles of his own. Megan soon learned that she and the wedding DJ had much more in common than either of them had previously realized. The more they talked, the more the pair bonded over their marital issues.
They Spoke Everyday
That wasn't the last time Willis and Stone discussed their respective problems. In fact, they began talking every day even once Megan was back in New York. "After that night, that conversation continued because Mark was having some similar issues in his marriage of 27 years," Megan explained. "So we started chatting daily."
"Talking with Mark really led me to the realization that I shouldn't have to beg my husband for attention," she continued. "Mark was just a friend, yet every day he took time to check in on me. We both really enjoyed our chats no matter how silly, or serious they were."
Making a Change
While speaking with Mark brought temporary relief, Megan was still unhappy with the situation at home. "My ex was addicted to a video game that basically became his life, and I was basically non-existent," she said. Stone did his best to help Willis navigate these issues.
But ultimately, Megan felt the marriage was beyond repair. The once excited newlywed decided it was time to separate from her husband. "I realized that I shouldn't have to feel non-existent or beg for someone's attention, so I filed for divorce," Willis explained.
Her Pillar of Support
"When me and my ex would get into an argument, Mark was there to calm me down and just remind me it all would be okay," Megan shared. "His support through it all really meant a lot to me." Stone continued to support Willis even once she filed for divorce.
"Going through something like a divorce, you really need to have someone there to support you and to vent to, and that's exactly what Mark was for me, and I'm forever thankful for that," Megan said. Every phone call, text message, and chat with Stone helped her move forward with her life.
Serious Accusations
Megan's soon-to-be ex-husband became suspicious and argued that the 25-year-old was only filing for divorce because she had met someone else. But Willis denied these accusations and emphasized that the relationship came to an end because of his actions, not hers.
"My marriage ended because I was not fully happy and not getting what I needed out of it," Megan clarified. Sure, Mark helped her every step of the way, but the duo was strictly friends. At the time, the wedding DJ was still married to his wife of nearly 30 years.
The Tables Turned
Megan's tumultuous relationship officially came to an end in January of 2018. She was finally divorced and ready for a new chapter in her life, which included a move from New York to North Carolina. But Mark was still in his troubled marriage and needed Willis's help.
The tables had turned, and now it was time for Megan to help her friend just as Mark had done for her. "At this time, he needed the support like he gave me, and I made sure I was there for him in that way," Willis said. But shortly after becoming single, the 25-year-old realized something.
She Fell for Her Married Friend
After moving to North Carolina, Megan had a lot of time to reflect on everything that had happened over the last year or so since the wedding - including the person she relied on the most during these times. Willis realized her feelings for Mark went beyond friendship.
"I think I realized I'd fallen for him first," Megan admitted. "Though it was while Mark was still married but separated from his wife, it wasn't something I felt I could act on. I kept it to myself." She wondered what would happen if Stone divorced his partner.
He Was Emotionally Unavailable
About eight months after Megan moved to North Carolina, the moment of truth arrived as Mark divorced his now ex-wife. Willis had kept her true feelings hidden, yet she couldn't help but hope that she and Stone would become more than best friends. Sadly, he was emotionally unavailable.
"I was in a bad place when my ex left me because I didn't want it, and it took me a while to realize it was over," Mark revealed. "Me getting over my ex was the biggest issue... It took a lot out of me mentally to accept the end of a 30-year relationship."
Mark Healed His Wounds
But fortunately for Megan, her love for Mark didn't go unrequited forever. As Stone accepted the end of a decades-long relationship, he opened his heart up to Willis. "Megan's support through it all quickly turned into feelings that have grown stronger every day," the DJ said.
"Once I realized my marriage was over, I opened my eyes to the love I felt for Megan," he continued. The whole situation likely felt surreal to the best friends turned long-distance lovers. To give their romance a fair shot, Mark joined Willis in North Carolina.
She Doubted the Relationship
While Megan had realized her feelings for Mark sometime before, she wasn't free of doubts about whether their relationship could work. After all, Stone was 23 years older than Willis. The young woman wondered if they could be together with such a significant age gap.
"At first, I had the 'Oh god are you falling for him?' thought, and after that, it was, 'Can this even work?' and then, 'Will people think I'm some gold digger?'" Megan admitted. Nevertheless, she wanted to give the relationship a fair shot, so she and Stone reunited in North Carolina.
"All Negative Thoughts Went Away"
The couple had spent much of their friendship on opposite ends of the country, but that didn't matter. At the end of the day, there was no doubt they had already gone through a lot together. And uniting face-to-face was just what Megan needed to be sure about the relationship despite their age difference.
"Being together, all negative thoughts went away," she said. "I'm an older soul, and he's a young soul, so it's almost like we meet in the middle... It's perfect." Mark felt the same way and described his new girlfriend as a "person who filled your heart and soul with everything that defines love."
Mark's Children Worried
Megan and Mark fell hard for each other. Despite their relationship troubles with former partners, the lovebugs were optimistic that they'd both found the one this time. But Stone had children with his ex-wife of nearly 30 years, and his kids had their doubts about this new relationship.
Mark has a son who was 21-years-old at the time and a daughter who was 19. The love-stricken man knew his kids and even siblings worried about his connection with Megan. "[They] had reservations about me even getting into a new relationship, much less the age gap," Stone said.
They Came Around
Mark loved his children, and knowing they disapproved of Megan certainly didn't feel good. But after some time, Stone's son and daughter both came around. The kids supported the relationship - age difference and all - once they realized how much joy Willis brought their dad.
"When they saw me finding happiness again, they all concurred that as long as I was happy, nothing else mattered," Mark shared. The rest of the family followed suit. Both Stone and Willis's friends and families accepted the couple and were happy to see them bring one another so much joy.
Others Didn't Approve
But as loved ones embraced Mark and Megan's connection and 23-year age gap, others did not. The lovebirds sometimes overheard strangers talking about them out in public. In the beginning, it was strange to hear random people gossiping about their relationship, as they recalled.
Going on dates to restaurants or the movies opened the couple's eyes to the stigma they faced because of how much older Stone was than Willis. "Most people whisper something like, 'Do you think she's with him?'" Megan revealed. Could they withstand the judgements?
Brushing Off the Haters
Willis and Stone said they quickly learned not to give other people's negative opinions any thought. "We really don't care what other people think. We're happy, and our relationship works, and that's all that matters to us," Megan explained. In fact, the haters became their motivators.
The couple began making their relationship clear for those who speculated whether they were romantically involved. "When we hear stuff like that [people wondering if we're together], we just kiss or do something that makes sure it's obvious to let them know, and then we laugh about it," Willis said.
A Beautiful Engagement
More than two years after Megan's divorce, she and Mark got engaged. "So this happened," Willis wrote on social media along with a picture of the gorgeous ring. After a day of celebrations, the fiancée was back on Instagram with a sweet Bible verse dedicated to Stone.
"Love is patient, love is kind," she wrote. "It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs." The couple made another life-changing decision shortly after the proposal.
Making Moves
After discovering their love for one another in North Carolina, the couple decided it was time to move on. "It's been fun, and you [North Carolina] will always have a special place in our hearts, but it's time to say goodbye," they said of the decision to leave the southeast.
"The best adventures are the ones you just go for, taking you to places you could never see unless you decided to say 'Screw it!'" the duo added. So in the midst of planning their wedding, Megan and Mark road-tripped across the country to their new home in Utah.
They Tied the Knot
About a month after the cross-country move, in December 2020, Megan and Mark tied the knot. After being each other's main support systems as their previous marriages crumbled, it was in some ways a full circle moment when the lovebirds wed. They were now Mr. and Mrs. Stone.
The newlyweds looked happy as can be on their big day. Megan wore a beautiful flower crown and a modern wedding dress that included a pink tulle. A couple of days after the union, the happy wife took a big leap of faith to join her husband on a new adventure.
Joining the Mormon Church
Not long before the wedding, Megan had taken to Instagram to share some news: she was "Stepping out of [her] comfort zone" and exploring the Mormon faith, as Mark was raised Mormon and recently reconnected with his roots. Mrs. Stone admitted that going to church felt "awkward" to her, as she had never been a religious person.
"I'm a very logical thinker, and there were just so many things I didn't understand about those who were spiritual," Megan explained. But, always a dedicated wife, Megan wanted to join her husband on this journey, and she got baptized into the Mormon church. Would they take yet another big step in their relationship next?
Will They Have Children?
The big question on some people's minds might be whether Megan and Mark want to have children together. He has kids from his previous marriage, but do the newlyweds want to add more to their family? The answer is yes. "We hope to have children," Mrs. Stone said.
"Mark needs a vasectomy reversal to do so," she continued. "He got his vasectomy done 21 years ago, so we hope that having a kid will still be an option for us... We already have names picked out, Rhett Michael for a boy and Taylie Mae for a girl." Until then, they have another kind of family
Their Furry Kiddos
Clearly, the two lovebirds have big plans for their future and names picked out for their children. Could they get any more adorable? And they might not have kiddos running around the house just yet, but the Stones are already a family of four with their furry babies.
Mark and Megan are raising two pups together: Nala and Harper. And their house used to be filled with even more wagging tails, as the couple shared a third dog, Frankie, who sadly passed in 2020. When they're not busy with their furry angels, the Stones are occupied breaking the stigmas faced by couples with large age gaps.
Social Media Stars
Megan and Mark run an Instagram page together called @wearemarkandmegan. The two social media stars post intimate peaks into their relationship and show their love to the world. "We don't care what anyone thinks anymore," Mrs. Stone said, referring to the whispering of judgmental strangers.
They vow never to be embarrassed by their age difference. "Never feel ashamed for who you love," Megan said. "I hope people see our age gap and the love that we have for each other and for an age gap relationship to be less 'odd' and remove the stigma that if a female is with an older male that she's with him for money."