How We Met
Giovanni and I met back in 2006, I was a teen at the time. We lived in adjacent neighborhoods, and he soon became my first real boyfriend. Like all things at that age, our young love was short-lived. We both went on to have other long term serious relationships and lost touch. Even back then, he made an impact on my life. I remember thinking to myself a few years later, whatever happened to him?
Randomly I was on Facebook in 2016, and started sending a fundraising blast on messenger to all my “friends.” Gio was not my friend on Facebook, but since we had prior conversations on messenger he got a message from me! Call it fate, but we reconnected exactly 10 years after we met. We decided to go on a “date,” and it felt like the good old days! We laughed, we flirted, we played hard to get. Before you know it, we got serious and wanted to see where this could take us.
They say the key to a woman’s heart is through laughter. Gio captures that essence perfectly! He is the sweetest, funniest, most thoughtful individual. He will bend over backward to make sure I’m happy! On our first year dating anniversary social media post, I made a joke and thanked him for being “my biggest fan.”
How They Asked
A week before the engagement, my best friends told me they wanted to have a picnic at Central Park with our boyfriends. I feel so bad because from the beginning I was giving them a hard time about it… LOL. One of our friends is expecting, and they said they wanted to take pictures at the park. Despite my hesitation, I agreed.
The day we were supposed to go to the park, we started heading out late in the afternoon. I was again complaining about going to Central Park and wanted to go eat instead. My friend Soojie wouldn’t budge, and said: “Why do you want to change the plans?” I reluctantly got a sandwich to ease my hunger.
Once we got to the park our other friend Saranda, who was supposedly going to take pictures wasn’t there. I was so confused about why she was running so late! We hung out, had some snacks, and then it was time to go meet Saranda. It was an evening at this point, and I was so disappointed we didn’t take the photos after all. I put on makeup, did my hair, even painted my own nails, (no time for a salon appointment!)
We start walking, walking, and they took me down an off beaten path. I was trailing behind saying, “Soojie where are you going, we’re going to get lost! The critters come out at night!” HA HA HA. Before you know it, we stumble upon a lit-up gazebo and my heart drops. THIS IS IT!!!! I chucked the bag with half a sandwich, once I saw our photographer friend. Gio got on one knee and asked me, “Will you marry me, Valentina?” I was so stunned and shocked, all I could say was ummm YESSS! Once I looked up I saw our parents and close friends. The waterworks came.
My parents are both deaf, and my father is also elderly. It meant the world to me to have them there to witness this special moment. I couldn’t believe Gio pulled this off! (It is sooo hard to surprise me..) The proposal was so cute and special, but what really topped it all off was the AMAZING video his friend put together. I’ve literally watched it 500x since he sent it to us, and it’s just so unbelievably romantic.
I’ll never forget this moment for the rest of my life!!!! x
