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!

Dream Wedding Giveaway: John and Josephine

How We Met:

John was a student at GVSU in 2010 and I graduated from WMU in 2007. I moved to Grand Rapids, MI to attend hair school. It was a July summer night in 2010 where John and his friend spotted me and my friend Shayne. We were walking into The B.O.B and we cruised around and decided to go into Crush. It was there where Greg, John's friend went in for the pursuit of my friend Shayne. While Greg and Shayne were talking John and decided to try to talk to me. At first I told him "I got a man" (however I was lying) We continued to talk and I slowly but surely became intrigued my him. His work ethic and his conversation was genuine. While wrapping up the conversation I decided to tell him the truth that I was single and I gave him my number. John is everything that I wanted in a man and on September 26, 2010 we became a couple. He is so loving and caring who would have thought. Me being from Detroit and John from Chicago that we would meet in a little town called Grand Rapids, MI. I hope you enjoyed out story below you will find the Proposal!

The Proposal!!!

Well... As the person behind this wonderful tale I John White will tell you how it went DOWN!!! On March 14, my wife to be surprised me with concert tickets to see Tyga in Grand Rapids in celebration of my birthday.  At this time I've already had the ring in my possession for 2 weeks and it was getting harder and harder to keep nosy Josephine out of my business.  Each time we would talk about our imminent engagement I would say "Yea it might happen round June or July", but in all actuality I was just postponing so that I could decide on the best way to pop the question.  By the time my birthday came around, I had already decided that I wanted to propose downtown Chicago under The Bean on Saint Patrick's Day, now I just needed someone to be there to capture the special moment. 

While we were at the concert, our friend Craig text-ed Josephine just to see how things were going, and I insisted that she ask them to come to Chicago with us to hang out, but while she was texting them I secretly sent Craig a few texts of my own hinting at what was about to happen. The next day Craig, Tia and myself discussed how everything would happen, and they agreed to make the 5 hour drive from Detroit to Chicago to share this moment with us and make it even more special. 

But also during our talk, I received some humbling encouragement to formally ask Josephine's family for her hand in marriage.  So the day before it all was to go down, and while Josephine was partying with her Sorors in Kalamazoo, MI I drove to Detroit to ask her family for their blessing.  Once everyone had the opportunity to see the ring and give me their blessing I snuck back to Grand Rapids without her ever knowing that I left.

We drove to Chicago the next day, heading straight downtown, where we walked around for a bit until we linked up with Craig and Tia around The Bean.  It was so crowded around the Bean with all the Saint Patrick Day festivities going on downtown that I began to feel a bit nervous. But it was no turning back now so I manned up and continued with my plans.  As discussed we used the fact that Tia had never seen the Bean to set the plan in motion.  The four of us proceeded towards the Bean, walking through hundreds of people already there and attempted to take pictures.  Josephine and I went first.

Here it was... the moment in which I would propose to the Love of my life had finally arrived... I was just about to start my little speech... but then Josephine wasn't ready... she was too into making sure everyone got a picture taken.  When I finally got her standing next to me again, I'm thinking lets try this again... but nope, now she wanted to know why Craig and Tia were so far away from us.  I looked over at them and Tia came and took Josephine's phone and purse that doubles as a suitcase... and then made sure her hair looked presentable. I began to speak again and this time when she tried to look away I pulled her close to me and placed a hand on each side of her face in order to direct her focus to what I was saying. 

She finally realized what I was trying to do when I told her how I asked Craig and Tia to come here to share this special moment with us... when all this time she had thought that they were just coming so we can all party downtown.  I knew that's what she was thinking by the surprised look she had on her face.  Before she could recover and start to speak I got down on one knee, pulled out of my pocket the piece of cloth that I had wrapped the ring in, unraveled it and presented her the ring that she loved so much.

By this time Tia and Craig had already started cheering us on, thus drawing the attention of the crowd, and everyone formed a circle around us.  And with countless people watching I asked Josephine Malinda Swift to be my wife!!!

And she said YES!!!!!

Dream Wedding Giveaway: Amy & Stacy

Stacy and I became friends when I moved to Grand Rapids ~12 years ago. We both admit that we found each other attractive when we met, but we were both involved with other people (and we both agree that we were immature and ridiculous so I am glad we did not get together then!) So, September 2011, a now mature and "sane" Stacy and Amy went out on their first date. I adore her...she makes me laugh till my cheeks hurt and she always makes me feel safe. But we have very different personalities so we have had our fair share of arguments (I want to drop kick her in the head sometimes). But, the minute we began dating I knew she was the person that I wanted to be with as long as I am here on this earth.

Fast forward to our dream vacation: Ireland. We were driving from Waterford towards Kinsale and saw a sign for Mahon Falls--so we stepped off the beaten path and checked it out. It was the single most beautiful place I had ever seen. I had always craved a feeling of "serenity" but had never found it...until I was standing by the waterfall. Stacy had asked me if I was happy and told her that I had never been happier. She then surprised me with a ring and a promise to love me forever. (*cue tears)

Our friends caught the whole thing on camera. The picture of the two of us was after we hiked back to the car. We both were wind blown and cold but I was giddy and thrilled and happy and filled with joy. My parents / society taught me at a very early age that I would never get married. It always made me sad but I just accepted it. Now, for me, this wedding will be a celebration of love, endurance, and perseverance.