How We Met – by the groom
Dana and I met in 2008 at West Virginia University. Her sorority (Delta Gamma) and my fraternity (Phi Kappa Psi) used to have a lot of joint parties so we were introduced through mutual friends. We weren’t really more than acquaintances at first but since we both lived in New Jersey and I had a car, she asked me for a ride home for Winter Break. Six hours together in a car – we really got to know each other. She talked my ear off! From that day on, not a day has passed without communication between the two of us. We would text everyday at first which eventually evolved into going on dates and becoming officially “boyfriend and girlfriend.
how they asked – by the bride
Dom had me completely surprised. We have been together for over 6 years sooo I was hoping he would pop the question soon but he had me surprised that day. We were on a 10 day trip throughout Europe. London was our first stop. He proposed on the second day in the Italian gardens section of Hyde park. The park was unique and important to us…we are both come from very Italian families. The signal to Hector was when Dom asked me to take a selfie.The surprises didn’t end there…when we returned home I walked into a surprise engagement party. Everything was perfect.
how they asked – by the groom
Five or six years later, I knew it was time to propose… I just had no idea how or when, or where I would find the money for a ring. Due to some strict saving plans over the following year or so coupled with her desire to go to Europe, the ideal proposal was kind of already laid out for me. I knew from previous friends’ engagements that she loved that there was a photographer present, so I hit Google and read some reviews to finally end up booking on Flytographer. The planning was perfect… I had a Skype meeting with Hector to map out the proposal plan.
Because we were staying with my friend Alex (who is the Best Man at the wedding), a student at Regents University, I was able to come up with a plan for Dana and me to be on our own in London. Alex “had to work on a group project near Hyde Park” so we were going to go check out the park while he did that. The three of us were then to go to dinner at a nice restaurant Alex’s mother recommended – which is how I got her to dress nicely that day. So the plan was in place. While on the tube though, Dana stubbed her toe – blood everywhere! I had the ring in the box in my inner coat pocket and she was about to go in there looking for a napkin! Somehow I stopped her without any suspicion, exclaiming that I didn’t have any napkins. Finally, after what seemed like the longest train ride ever, we hopped off at the predetermined stop to meet Hector. We walked to the Italian Gardens in Hyde Park, Hector trailing as a “random photographer snapping pictures of nature.” We made it to the spot in front of the fountain and it was time to signal Hector that I was about to hop on a knee. The signal was a selfie – which turned out horrible because all I was thinking was, “DON’T MESS UP.”
Of course I messed up. I had an entire speech ready… went over it a thousand times in my head. After the selfie, I had no idea what to say! Somehow I managed to blurt out a couple sentences. Hector told me to make sure I was angled a certain way, which I went over in my head a thousand times as well. Completely forgot about it when I got down on a knee. It turned out alright though… and Dana was completely surprised, almost not believing that it was real at first. Alex showed up with some champagne and we spent the next hour with Hector as he took some amazing pictures! Hector and Flytographer helped make the surprise proposal absolutely perfect.
We went on from London to Paris then to Amsterdam and of course started planning the wedding as soon as we got home. June 4, 2016!
