Dream Wedding Giveaway: Janeve and Scott

Scott and I met at a church where I interned at the time. I greeted him as he walked through the door and didn't think too much of it. It wasn't until someone mentioned to me that he lived in China for 3 years did it actually struck something in me. I'm Chinese, and it isn't everyday that you meet a white guy who is knowledged in the ways of Chinese culture. We talked for about 40 minutes next time we saw each other and that’s when it all started.

One Friday, I was at work a my friend picked me up for lunch. After she dropped me off, she handed me an envelope and said I couldn't open it until she texted me. I waited HOURS and finally, she texted me the green light. In it was a piece of paper that read "scottandjaneve@gmail.com" so I tried hacking. I tried emailing it. To no avail. A few minutes later, a co-worker walks in my office and hands me another piece of paper. On it was the password! So I signed in, saw an email from him, and that led to a youtube link. It was Scott informing me that I was about to embark on a crazy scavenger hunt with challenges along the way to find him around Kalamazoo county. Here's the link: 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RneVrBAuF1A&feature=youtu.be

That led me to the mall where I had to tell random strangers there was a "tornado of manure coming there way." Once I passed that level, I was given my next clue which was to go to Express and knock on the dressing room doors saying "I lost the love of my life, can you help me find Scott!" Which led me to friends and my next challenge: Miming to a stranger. Which led me to Barnes and Noble, which led me to Bronson Athletic Club. There, I was led to a locker where I found a backpack and a note that read "Your next destination is in the locker next to you but the combination for that locker is at the bottom of the pool." I open the backpack and there was my bathing suit, goggles, swim cap, and a towel! After all of THAT, I was led back to his house where I was surprised by one of my best friends from California who flew in that morning. Then she led me to a kayak where I finally kayaked to a boat where I found the love of my life waiting for me. He read key scriptures from the Bible, got down on one knee and proposed. The joy that filled my heart could only have been expressed through tears. We rode back to his house on the boat and fireworks went off over the lake. I looked towards his home and found my family, his family and our close friends waiting for a surprise engagement celebration. It couldn't have been more perfect!

You can find out more about who we are and our testimony by visiting http://www.scottandjaneve.wordpress.com/

Dream Wedding Giveaway: Rose and Heath

Our meeting is nothing out of the ordinary as we met through friends.  When we met we both were on the beginning of new paths in our lives and had every intention of staying single.  I was a single mother at the time and had just purchased my first family home and expected it to stay that way for many many years. Heath was a single dad who had just made some major life changes and felt that a relationship would just be too much to handle at that time. Only fate crept in and never let us part.  We were friends for some time, often crossing paths and talking on the phone. I found myself checking my phone every other minute as I did not want to miss a word from him.  I knew he was something special, a good father which was number one in my book and he had so many dreams which is what I needed to add to my life - dreams & possibilities.  After awhile, I quit hearing from him, he was never around and seemed to avoid me at all costs. I was empty, it was like losing a best friend before ever being able to tell them how important they were to you.  Each day got harder. He finally called after almost three weeks. I was angry and upset and I just didn't understand, until he explained to me why he had done that.  He was falling in love and that was the last thing he wanted. At that moment my world seemed to shine as I realized I was in love too.  But there was one thing that worried me. I was sick and little was known to him or anyone how bad it may be.  I couldn't let that stop me, I had found my soul mate.  After dating for 10 months it was nearing my birthday and Heath asked that I wait up for him before going to bed.  As time passed and he wasn't finished with his homework (taking college courses)  I was getting irritated to say the least. Exhaustion being a symptom of whatever was making me ill, not to mention it was nearly 3 am.  At that time Heath came to me and said he wanted to give me my birthday present early, he proceeded to hand me what looked to be a bracelet box. I opened it, it was EMPTY. I was tired and un-amused and he seemed to think it was funny, as I sat and complained about him keeping me up I look over and see him on his knee with a ring box in his hand, he asked me to be his wife! I said NO. I thought it was a joke, I couldn't believe it with so much going on in our life, what was special about today?  It took me a few days to realize how real it all had been, the ring was sized to fit my finger and I knew I could not let him go, but how do I take back my no and say yes, he refused to propose again (and stated I already had my ring).

Shortly after this my health turned for the worse, and that is when this picture comes in.  After many appointments and tests I was sent for a biopsy of my thyroid. Heath took the day off with me and we went to the appointment together as we did will all of the others. We had a little free time and took my boys to the park.  With all the fear that surrounded the past few weeks and that day Heath was able to put a smile on my face. I sat watching him play with my boys at the park (as I did not feel well enough to).  The joy he brought to them was enough to help me get past whatever was coming my way.  He came by me as a way to cheer me up and this was a quick capture of the day.

About a month later we found out I had thyroid cancer. I will never forget the feeling of letting down my loved ones. Who would take care of the home and my boys, who would take care of me.  Heath never left my side. He was at every appointment and in the hospital with me sleeping on those uncomfortable chairs. I told him many times he didn't have to stay with me as we had no real ties.  He never left, he never thought about leaving.  After my second surgery in the recovery room with what little voice I had, I went on to tell him he could leave again only to be cut off.  I did not know he had asked the doctor if he could put my rings back on now that surgery was over, with that he put my engagement ring back on my finger and softly said "Will you be my wife?  Til death do us part."  I finally got a second chance to say YES.

Dream Wedding Giveaway: Eddie & Sylvia

We met at a mutual friend’s Ugly Sweater Christmas Party.  Not the craziest of stories… but it is cute for one main reason.  Earlier that evening I also had my annual work Christmas party.  Every year my company goes all out and rents a hall at the Birmingham Country Club.  It’s practically like attending a wedding reception.  And I also always go all out by getting a new dress, getting my hair done and make-up.  Unfortunately, and pathetically, for the last five years I have always been dateless or have only brought a friend. This past December, other friends of mine were going to set me up with this handsome lawyer, and believe it or not, I was actually going to agree to do a blind date!  (Insane, I know.)  The lawyer was also going to attend the Ugly Sweater Party as well.  But of course, he cancelled last minute, and I once again looked fabulous for nothing and went stag.  But – this disappointment did lead me to meeting Eddie Kubicki – who ironically would be the man of my dreams.  And if I would have brought the other guy (who I did end up meeting at my friend’s wedding and he was a total cocky, “think I can get any woman” kind of jerk!), Eddie and I would have never probably been what we are today.  So like I said, it’s not the craziest of stories, but it’s our story.  And my life has been absolutely unforgettable ever since. 

The engagement photo was done by a friend on the night of our engagement.  Money is tight (as I’m sure it is for most) and we decided to cut costs with professional photography for our engagement photos.  But it is in front of the bridges in downtown Grand Rapids – one of the most beautiful places to walk at night.  He simply got down on one knee, right when we were walking, and told me he knew that I was the girl he was meant to be with and asked me to marry him.  He didn’t have a ring then, but that didn't matter.  We had 4 witnesses of our moment (and me saying yes!) and the beautiful ring came shortly after.

Dream Wedding Giveaway: Alex & Melissa

Alex had always been interested in charity work and had participated in various events through high school and college, but found his passion in Habitat for Humanity (H4H).  He liked being able to get out of his dorm room on weekends and work with his hands instead of sitting at a desk studying.  It was an outlet of sorts with a constructive bonus.  He was also enthusiastic about the Alternative Spring Break trips that his college H4H chapter sponsored every year.  Entering his Junior year of college at Illinois Wesleyan University, he was single and ready to mingle and made several good friends through the Habitat.  Late that fall, preparations for the 2007 spring break trip were in full swing and he thought to himself, 'I bet I could meet some really nice ladies on this trip, too!'. 

Melissa was a chemistry major who shared a similar passion for Habitat for Humanity.  She had become the chapter president and led the group for two years.  Between Habitat, her chemistry major, and event planning with her sorority, Alpha Gamma Delta, she had little time to date.  Her mind was on the planning, not on the scenery.  She watched several houses go from foundation to finished with her own hard work and the work of everyone in the chapter.  That fall, her Sophomore year of college, she was a part of the trip planning for the H4H Alternative Spring Break.  A destination of Bay St. Louis, MS, was decided upon by the chapter, the city that marked the landfall of Hurricane Katrina.  Their group would arrive a year and a half after the hurricane ravaged the region.

They both arrived safe and sound.  He had noticed her. She had noticed him.  He thought "she knows how to use a chop saw", she thought "he has stunning wit and charm" (ok, maybe not, but that's what Alex tells himself).  Instead of sleeping to recuperate after each long day of work, they sat up talking religion and politics into the late hours of the night.  By the time they had left at the end of the week, each felt as if they were old friends.  They started dating within a week and never looked back.

OK!  That was the story of how we met.  Almost FIVE years later, Alex began devising a plan...

It had to be big, spectacular, and special.  He didn't want to put her on the spot, but he wanted the world to know that he was going to marry Melissa Myers.  He took a quote from Anchorman (Melissa rolled her eyes when she heard the inspiration) that said "I just wanted to shout it from on top of a mountain, but I didn't have a mountain. I had a newsroom and a camera."  Well, Alex wanted a mountain and found the perfect excuse.  Melissa's school was organizing a ski trip, an opportunity Melissa would not pass up!  He made plans for several other trip attendees to go up the mountain while he took Melissa to lunch.  They were to take with them temporary spray paint (with the unwavering approval of the ski patrol, no illegal graffiti-ing was perpetrated) and put a huge sign in the snow under one of the ski lifts that read "Melissa, Will You Marry Me?" in bright orange.  Melissa was none the wiser when they split for lunch as the group had been separated most of the day. 

He took her up the ski lift, heart absolutely racing, and waited for her to see the sign.  Her initial reaction was to bemoan some graffiti artists (before she had gotten close enough to read it), then to question whether this message was meant for her, and finally to utter shock!  Alex looked at her and professed his undying love, and she accepted his proposal 200 feet in the air strapped securely to a chair lift.  To her horror, he immediately began taking out the ring. She told him that now was not a good time to take out the ring.  He brushed off her concern and pulled the ring out with gloved hand.  The fumble happened in slow motion, she watched as it slipped from his gloved fingers, fell to the chair emitting a loud 'tink', and then falling 200 feet to the snow below.  She stared in horror at the snow, looked at Alex, who looked equally as horrified, and had her fears confirmed.  Alex couldn't take her horrified look, he immediately confessed that it was, in fact, a fake ring that he had purposely fumbled.  He waited until they got off the ski lift, properly bent upon one ski boot, and gave her the real ring.  They skied down a good deal later (she needed some time to recover) and accidentally came upon the dropped ring amidst the vast field of snow!  Melissa became a mini-celebrity for the rest of the week, as this sign was under the main ski lift for the mountain and no new snow fell until the weekend.

Dream Wedding Giveaway: Shelby & Joe

We met at a club in East Lansing the summer after I graduated high school. I saw him there a couple times before I actually decided to talk to him. We kept smiling at each other from across the room and I walked over to him and asked him to dance with me. Of course he said yes ;) and we have been together ever since. We live together, both go to Grand Valley, and have 3 kitties together :D

We got engaged the day before his birthday, which was exactly a week before our 3 year anniversary. We were hanging out in Holland on the beach with his parents when it started thunder. We walked up the stairs to the deck overlooking the beach and I was wiping sand off my feet when he reached into his bag and pulled out the box. He opened it and asked me if I would make this the best birthday ever by agreeing to marry him. I waited a few seconds for him to actually kneel down, then said yes! I was speechless because I know I'm supposed to marry my best friend and now it's actually happening!! My ring is perfectly simple and the perfect size for my little hand. He had the diamond from my mom's old engagement ring from my dad into a diamond band. I love it!

Dream Wedding Giveaway: Tabatha & Elvis

I met my fiance Elvis in High School, where we had a class together.  I never knew until years later that he had a crush on me as I did on him.  He used to tease me about being so uptight.  I never wanted to help him or anyone cheat in class, I would even throw away notes to prevent them from cheating.  He would just smirk and shake his head.  He loved doing anything to make me smile.  He would throw the notes towards me to catch my attention, it would always make me flinch.  I told him while smiling, "you need to stop making me flinch, one day my husband will reach in to give me a hug and I will think he is trying to throw something at me!" 

We remained friends throughout High School.  After we graduated, I moved away to go to College.  Elvis stayed near home to go to school.  He had heard I was single.  He sent me a message asking if I was free for a date.  I of course couldn't say no! 

We eventually started dating, we ended up moving back to the Grand Rapids area.  We even bought a house.  We were saving up for an engagement ring, when we had a little suprise.  Our son Leo was born 3 years after our first date.  He is the best thing that has happened to us.

My two boys gave me an amazing suprise, when Leo helped his dad ask me to marry him.  I have never witnessed a more romatic and thoughful moment. 

I would have never thought at age fifteen when I was talking about my future husband to Elvis, I would be lucky enough for it to be him.

Dream Wedding Giveaway: Nicole & John

My fiance and I met via MySpace. Can't say it was love at first sight. We are both divorced so we took our time. After five and a half years we finally decided it was time to take the next step. 

Dream Wedding Giveaway: Gary & Kirby

Gary Grahs and I met at a Halloween party circa 2006. Mutual friends had invited us and Halloween is my most treasured holiday. I love to dress up!  During the party, I happened to find Indiana Jones to be quite handsome and charming! And frankly, who can resist Wilma Flintstone? I mean really - she was a hottie, right? :-) Our history was written the moment we met.

Gary was going through a divorce but still full of life and willing to try another hand at love. In a few short months we were dating exclusively and slowly started to weave our lives together.

It's been almost 6 years now since we first met and I can't image myself without him. I was never the "wedding dreaming bride-to-be" type and honestly could have cared less if I ever tied the knot. Until there was Gary - I hadn't ever even considered being a bride. But through ups and downs in our lives we've supported each other and enjoyed all the good times. He's hilarious, and he's romantic, and he's my very best friend.

Gary asked my parents' permission over a dinner of fumbled words and a lot of laughs. He and I each fit into each others lives so well that it was practically a no-brainer that we should make it official and permanent. With their blessing, he set out to find my perfect ring. While I might have ever thought about being a bride, I do LOVE jewelry and had made comments about my perfect ring if I ever had to wear one. So, Gary secretly took my 2 closest friends out to dinner and went ring shopping one night. They found a ring that they all fell in love with saying it was so "Kirby". A couple weeks later he went back to buy it...

Ring in tow, we took a trip to Traverse City just last month. We had planned the trip with my parents a couple months prior and Gary decided that it was going to be the weekend he'd ask me to marry him. On Friday during our wine tour, I kept making comments about how this was "The Best. Day. Ever!" because we weren't working, we were on vacation and I was with my very favorite people. He took a special moment at Black Star Farms to drop down on one knee and ask me. He had attached the ring to my wine glass and we took a walk on the farm. I hadn't even noticed the clinking of it while I sipped from glass and chatted with him and a cute horse on the property. I'm not a very emotional person and I was glad to have my Ray Bans on because he didn't see the tears in my eyes when I actually realized what was happening. It was so romantic and it was perfect for it to be just he and I in that moment. My parents waited patiently up by the Inn and even sent Gary a text that said "Need help?" He didn't need any help at all - because I said "of course" instead of just "yes".

We are in the early stages of planning our wedding now but we LOVE the Gilmore Collection restaurants around town. Gary was very romantic me when we arrived back in Grand Rapids after our weekend in Traverse City, too. He planned for our 3 favorite couples to be at Blue Water Grill for a surprise engagement dinner. It was such a fun way to celebrate with our best friends, who all happen to be married, and it was a total surprise to me! I adore Gary and we are very much looking forward to our wedding day and growing old together.

We actually haven't had our engagement photos taken yet since we just got engaged - but attached is one of my favorite pictures of us. I used to dance for the Rage Dance Team and I took ballroom dance lessons for a couple years. Gary and I love to dance together and this picture was shot at his best friends' wedding by the photographer.  Smiling, holding each other close, and a quick look to the camera while we danced the night away. I love it.

"Life is too short to dance with ugly men..."

Dream Wedding Giveaway: Megan & Jeff

Jeff and I met in the 8th grade, and attended high school together.  He fondly recalls sitting behind me in Physics class and jokes that he should have asked me out then, but we spent those years as friends.  We lost touch during college and both got married to other people.  Time passed, we both began families and then found ourselves single again.  Jeff reached out to me via FaceBook and asked me out for dinner.  We had our first date late last year, rekindled an old friendship, quickly fell in love, and never looked back.  Our common interests, similar background and upbringing, love of family, and goofy senses of humor paved the way for a wonderful relationship.

Jeff and I discussed marriage at length, shopped for rings, and eventually decided on a December engagement.  We planned a trip to Traverse City to visit an aunt, and last Friday afternoon, we headed North.  We decided to stop at Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive on the way, as Jeff had never been there.  As we got closer, Jeff started acting a bit odd, driving erratically, grumbling about 'Having to race the rotation of the Earth in order to catch the sunset'.  I assured him that we could hit the trail the next day, but he insisted we get up there Friday night.  Needless to say, we made it.  We climbed to the top of the very cold, wind-swept dune to see a brilliant autumn sunset breaking through the clouds.  It was there that Jeff surprised me with a proposal on one knee and a gorgeous ring in hand.  I've never been happier and the timing was perfect.

Jeff is truly my best friend, I cannot imagine my life without him.  We've formed a wonderful family together with my children and his, as well as our extended families.  I can't wait to make it 'official', hopefully in June of next year.

Dream Wedding Giveaway: Doug & Christine

Christine and I met online at Match.com. Her bio looked very interesting so I contacted her and she accepted a dinner invitation on Labor Day 2011.  I did not know it at the time but we had met about a year earlier when I took my late wife to the office she was the office manager for. She had scheduled our appointment and had greeted us when we arrived. We sat down for dinner and I asked her if we had met before and she told me about her place of employment.  Then I remembered who she was.  She realized who I was after she got to thinking about my bio before we met.

After a year of dating I asked her to marry me on our 1 year anniversary of meeting.  I could not wait to give her the ring so after breakfast I gave her a card that said "Will you marry me?" Then gave her the ring. She immediately said yes.  The wring is the traditional Sapphire stone of love which is also her birthstone.

Dream Wedding Giveaway: Tara & Zach

Zach and I got engaged the first week of April 2012. We were in Florida  (my first time there) and one night right at sunset he proposed to me on the beach! We actually first met in elementary school and went to school together from kindergarten to senior year.

Dream Wedding Giveaway Couple: Christina and Brian

In 2010, with each escorting out-of-town friends to Lollapalooza Music Festival, Brian and Christina met on Chicago's public transit system, the "EL.” Waiting on the Western Blue Line platform, Christina approached a handsome stranger, also clearly heading to Lolla, to ask for directions. Mutually charmed, they chatted for the duration of the ride to Grant Park. Only when walking into Lolla did Brian finally gather enough courage to ask Christina for her number. The following week he called Christina who was volunteering at a children's theatre camp.  Amid the noise, he did his best to make her laugh and formally asked her out for the following weekend. In any case, it was worth the wait.

Engagement:  In September, 2012, Christina and Brian returned to that same, now hallowed "EL" platform to take the train to Chicago's Loop (or so said Brian). There, with trains speeding by, Brian surprised Christina, first, with a large painting (done by a friend Joe Miller) that included the full text of a poem by Chicagoan, Li-Young Lee. Upon request, Brian read that loveliest of love poems "Living with Her", and then, as is proper, descended to one knee to propose. A still bigger surprise for the new bride-to-be came when they bounced down from the El to find families and friends greeting them with ebullient cheers.  Brian had plotted the gathering and also, in still another surprise, they all rode northward to Chicago’s famous Ravinia, an outdoor music venue, for an epic Hall and Oates concert. And all danced the night away under the stars.

Christina, a Grand Rapids native, would love to have Gilmore catered a wedding in her home town! She spent years waiting tables at the Bite, a Glimore restaurant, and still claims Rose's as her favorite spot to eat in GR!   Her family, friends, and relatives still all live in area. 

Dream Wedding Giveaway: Megan & Daniel

How We Met:

We met on Facebook. No, I am not joking! :)

It was the beginning of my sophomore year at Davenport and I was in an awful relationship, if you can even consider it a relationship. The guy I was "dating" and I were on a "break" and I was so miserable. So, I sat down on my bed with my laptop and did a random Facebook search of all people who had listed that they went to Davenport. I figured that there had to be better guys at DU. So after creeping on what felt like hundreds of profiles, I decided to add three guys I thought were cute. Dan was one of those three.

After my intense creeping session, I strangely felt better and didn't think another thing about the guys I had asked to be my friend. I know, I'm pretty lame. Dan was the only one of the three guys to "call me out" on the random friend request. He sent me a Facebook message asking if we knew each other and I thought, "Ohhh crap, I'm caught!" I tried my best to make it sound like I was not the world's biggest creep, but wound up failing miserably. That conversation led to more Facebook conversations and then to hours of phone conversations and within a couple of days, Dan had asked me to hang out. I happily agreed. The first day we met I had to go break up with my current boyfriend first and later that night Dan and I met at his Dad's house. We went to Meijer, got apple cider (it was October 2008) and went back and watched a movie. The night was perfect. Five days later, Halloween 2011, Dan asked me to officially be his girlfriend while I was painting his nails for the bride he was going to be that year for Halloween. All a bit ironic now!

Proposal: 

My favorite place in the entire world to visit is a private lake house located in Harbor Springs, MI. On the last day of the week long family vacation, Dan asked me to take a walk on the beach after eating a delicious beach-cooked meal. As the sun was setting, I made a comment about how beautiful the sunset was, Dan stopped walking, let go of my hand, turned toward the water and agreed. He turned back toward me and said, "It also looks like the perfect sunset for us to start a new life together". Dan got down on one knee, pulled the ring out of his pocket, and asked me to marry him. I was utterly shocked and said yes! It could not have been more special. :) The picture I attached is a live action shot of the engagement taken from a family member hiding in the trees!