Maia Buttrick Comeau and Rich Hernan Olaya, who met through a matchmaking service in July 2022, recently celebrated their wedding in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, blending rural charm and urban ties in their life together. Their relationship, marked by long-distance visits and shared interests, culminated in a ceremony held on July 25 at St. John’s Episcopal Church, a place with personal significance for Comeau.
Comeau, 49, who grew up in Carlisle after moving there at age nine, operates a nine-acre farm where she cultivates vegetables and cares for rescue animals. With a background in psychology from Penn State University and nearly two decades in Washington working at a think tank, she founded Comeau & Company, a public affairs consultancy. Olaya, 56, originally from Bogotá, Colombia, reunited with his parents in New Jersey at age seven after spending his early years with relatives in Colombia. He is a Philadelphia resident and founder of the architectural firm O Z Collaborative, holding a degree in architecture from Drexel University.
Their connection began through the Three Day Rule Matchmaking service, leading to a first date in Philadelphia, where Olaya lives. Despite the two-hour distance from Comeau’s farm in Carlisle, they found the arrangement initially suited their differing dating rhythms. Olaya, more accustomed to local dating, and Comeau, more inclined toward solitude, gradually increased their visit duration, forging a strong bond over time. Olaya embraced farm life, enjoying the hands-on work it involved. “It was easy for me to jump into that role, to break out my Carhartt jacket and mud boots,” he said.
Initially, neither anticipated marriage. Olaya, previously divorced in 2013, was hesitant about remarriage, while Comeau was not actively seeking a romantic relationship. However, Olaya’s feelings evolved as their relationship deepened. They discussed formal commitment during a cycling trip along Ireland’s West Coast in July 2025, moments of reflection inspiring their decision. The engagement followed in October 2025 during a family vacation in Santa Teresa, Costa Rica, where Olaya proposed with a vintage white gold ring in the presence of their mothers and Olaya’s two sons, Matheo and Manny.
The wedding day blended their urban and rural worlds. After the Episcopal ceremony, held by Rev. Melissa Wilcox, the couple hosted 300 guests on Comeau’s farm. Animals including horses, donkeys, goats, sheep, chickens and a peacock were secured during dinner and then allowed to roam freely under the setting sun, creating a bucolic atmosphere. For many attendees, the encounter with farm animals was a novel experience, symbolizing the couple’s shared lifestyle balance between city and countryside. The couple plans to maintain a life split between Philadelphia and the Carlisle farm.