How We Met: We met in one our first classes of college. It was sociology 101 and it was a class of about 100 students and I didn’t really know anyone. I was somewhat kind of a shy person so it didn’t really help. As I was sitting there waiting for class to start, I remember having this feeling to just turn around and when I did, the most beautiful girl in the world was walking into class. She was someone that I could just not stop thinking about but for weeks I never had the courage to start a conversation. Finally I woke up one day and told myself If I don’t talk to her today, I’m never going to so after class I built up the courage to do so. As class ended I paced myself so that when she walked out we would some how coincidentally be right next to each other which worked. I walked by her for a minute or so thinking of what to say. Until I came up with, “it’s really hot today!” I know not smooth at all and her reply was, “if you wanted to walk with me and talk you could have just said so!” I was in love….
how they asked: On November 21, 2014 my three best friends asked me to go to dinner with them at a sushi restaurant on Main Street in Huntington Beach CA. We got to the restaurant and upon checking in we were told that there would be a 45 minute wait. As we were waiting one of my friends suggested we walked down to the beach to take a walk by the water I Hesitated because I was wearing my new booties and it was kinda chilly. I remember thinking “what the hell are we going to do out by the water at this time of night!?!” But I finally agreed because I didn’t want to be the only party pooper! As we were approaching the sand I could see lights leading up to one of the lifeguard towers. I could see a small crowd of people but couldn’t see faces of course.
As we walked up I saw an arrow and a long aisle made of candles leading up to the lifeguard tower. I remember telling my friends “aww this is so romantic” and one of my friends replied saying “go” and of course I say no thinking why the hell would I do that? So she says “no, go, it’s for you”. I instantly felt my heart flutter. My stomach tightened up and I knew in that moment that Kevin had something to do with this! I walked down the aisle and climbed up the lifeguard tower and there he was.
Standing there looking so handsome and very formal with a nice tie I had picked out while shopping just a few days before. I looked out into the crowd and I could see our friends and our immediate family! Kevin told me he loved me and a bunch of other stuff that I can’t remember I just know it made me break out in tears. Then he says “with that being said…” And his best friend approaches us with a small box and gives it to Kevin, he gets down on one knee and says “Lorielle Manzo will you marry me?”.
Without hesitating I said yes and we shared our first kiss as an engaged couple!
