Our Story
Our Story
We met in high school...
My favorite question to be asked is, “How did you two meet?” It was our freshman year of high school. I managed to make it from September 2007 to May 2008 without speaking to many people, or making many friends. I was known to be the quiet girl who wore bows in her hair. I was so desperate to find my niche and feel accepted, like so many do at that age. So as I walked down the hallway on my birthday in May with a big tray of cupcakes in hand, I was pretty surprised by what came out of my mouth when Eric approached me. He briskly walked up to me, in that way those guys who already have themselves figured out would, and asked if he could have one of my cupcakes. “What’s my name?” I responded. Eric looked at me dumbfounded and shook his head. He couldn’t answer, and so therefore he couldn’t have one of my cupcakes. “Plain and simple,” I thought as I turned and walked away. For someone so shy to others, and so willing to please and make everyone happy as I was, that was probably my biggest moment standing up for myself as a person at the time rather than just trying to fit in. I can honestly say that this man still pushes me to stand up for myself, be my own person, and shine as bright as possible each day as he did on that very first day we spoke. Our real love story didn’t officially begin until October 2009 of our junior year, but this is the story I think of when I'm asked how it all began for me- how I fell in love with the guy voted “Best All Around” from my high school graduating class.
Shout out to Paramus Catholic High School Class of 2011!
All photography provided by Harrick Photography.
He Proposed
He Proposed
It happened on the beach...
Eric and I have been honored to have 11 very important people in our lives over the past 7 ½ years together. Some have been with us from the very beginning, and others we were lucky enough to add on along the way. They've seen us grow and change more so than anyone else over these years, and so Eric felt it only right to make them the proposal itself… but before I go on any further about that, we have to go back to the start.
About 7 years ago, Eric and his two sisters took photos on the beach as a surprise gift to their parents. These pictures hang on the wall in their parents’ house, and serve as a constant conversation for us all. There have been multiple debates about re-taking the pictures now that “the circle” has added a son-in-law, granddaughter, and myself. So when the group chat chimed with a text from Eric’s sister that we were going to re-take the pictures Memorial Day weekend, I didn’t even second-guess it. And that’s how Eric got me to the beach on May 27, 2017.
As we stepped onto the beach, Eric took me by the hand and told me we were going for a walk. With our toes in the sand and our shoes in our hands, we walked towards a large group of people in the distance. “Are we taking pictures with those people over there?” I joked. “Yes, actually,” Eric replied. Once their faces registered, I lost it. Standing in front of me were 7 "stations," each with a canvas photo of Eric and I sitting on an easel. Each photo was from each year that we've been together, starting from 2010 and going through to now. At each station there were 1 or 2 of those very special people standing there. Eric walked me over to the first station and told me I was going to "walk through" every year of our life together, and he would see me on the other end. As I walked through each station, the person/people standing there read a speech about that point of my and Eric's life together, and their relationship with us. I ugly sobbed, laughed hysterically, and hugged them each so close. When I reached the final station, Eric was the final special person left. He took me by the hand, got down on one knee, and asked me those 4 special words.
After leaving the beach, Eric and I walked into a tiny Italian restaurant where all of our family and friends were waiting anxiously. There were many toasts, many tears, and even another proposal (shout out to the boys for proposing to Eric with a Ring Pop). From there we moved onto another location and the celebrations continued through the night.
