3rd winner

Help me decide: THink of the best story. Also- those who don't win will get a discount sooo also take into account those that could afford me without winning :)



Rebecca:

a.) how we met

Rebecca always attended her parents' holiday Christmas party. Each year, she would sit along with all the other families and watch the annual 'talent show' where typically the tipsy amateurs would get up and sing or play an instrument. This year, 2005, a young man, Jesse, stood up there, told everyone it was his first time playing in front a crowd, and proceeded to play Dierks Bentley's Come a Little Closer, ending to a roar of applause and many women sighing. Rebecca's mom nudged her about how cute the guitarist was as Rebecca casually shrugged her agreement. It seemed to end there.

A year later, Rebecca found herself interning at her parent's company during winter session of college. As she was attempting to figure out the transcription machine, she was approached by a familiar face. Jesse helped her set up the machine and they left it at that. A couple hours later, an e-mail from him was in her inbox, asking if she needed anything else. They clandestinely communicated in e-mails back and forth for weeks until Jesse proposed a bet on the World Cup winner. As the unfortunate loser, he asked Rebecca out on their first date.


b.) how the proposal happened

Jesse's niece, Anya, age 6, had a pool party over the summer. With the whole family in town, the birthday party turned out to be a huge celebration. Mid-afternoon, Jesse pulled Rebecca away from the party and into a side yard. His beaming grin alerted Rebecca to an on-coming adventure. With his hands behind his back, Jesse asked Rebecca to pick one and then depending on which hand she picked, that would determine their adventure. The catch was that she HAD to go and she couldn't ask ANY questions. Rebecca picked left hand and received a green Now and Later candy. Without telling her what that meant, Jesse began to head towards his car. He and Rebecca waved good bye to the family at the pool party with Jesse assuring Rebecca they knew about the adventure. Once in the car, Rebecca had a clear idea of where they were headed but once they hit 95S and she realized they were not heading into Philadelphia, she sat back and began to enjoy the surprising ride. Two hours later, she was even MORE curious where they were headed as Jesse would not answer a single question. As they crossed into Virginia, Rebecca figured out their destination which was confirmed by Jesse to be the Shenandoah Mountains. Upon arriving, Jesse drove straight to a camp site and to Rebecca's surprise, pulled out a tent, sleeping bags, and a change of clothes for her from the trunk of the car. After a lightning fast tent pitching, Jesse insisted Rebecca hop back into the car as they zipped out of the camp site and back onto the mountain's Skyline Drive. After determining the perfect outlook, Jesse brought out a blanket onto a short stone wall and Rebecca plopped down to watch a beautiful sunset and listen while Jesse played Ben Harper's Forever on his guitar. As Jesse told her to "turn around for a minute" she turned, expecting a bottle of wine and glasses, as cheesy as she knows Jesse to be, she turned back around to a small ring box and Jesse's smile. Without a word being exchanged, she threw her arms around them. The next morning, they returned home to an engagement party in his sister's back yard, as the entire family was actually in town for their proposal.

c.) why we deserve to win

I asked Jesse what he would say about deserving to win and he responded with a grin "Because we're a knockout couple who adores each other!" which I think encapulates it pretty well. Also, we love your photography and I'm excited to work with someone who's excited to bring out our personality as I saw you did with the beautiful couple on your blog.



Amber:
Mike and I meet almost 3 years ago (Our Anniversary is February 25th). We were both asked to be in our best friends wedding which took place in December 2006- he to be a groomsman for his Best Friend from College, and me to be a bridesmaid for one of my best girlfriends from High School. We have seen each other around before, at bars, or parties, but never really noticed each other because we were both in other relationships, until our friends had an engagement party. During that engagement party, Mike and I talked the whole time. He was a shy guy, and the bride, told me not to be discouraged because I am such an extrovert and would outtalk him! So after a couple talks over the phone, we had our first date on February 25th 2006, and have been inseparable ever since.
Mike and I bought a house together in April 2008, and we both new an engagement was soon to follow.
We got engaged on September 23rd, 2008. We meet up at my best friend’s house, the house I used to live in Manayunk for 3 years.. When I got to her house, Mike was already there and he was upstairs in my old bedroom. When I got up to my old bed room, he was looking out the window. He asked me to take a look at something, so as I am peering my head out the window to take a look, he backed away, and as I turned around he was down on one knee. He said “ This is the place we really made our connection, and the first place we kissed, I wanted the place to a special place that we will always remember, and this place is the place I knew I wanted to spend the rest of my life with you…Will you Marry Me?” As my best friend was down stairs, knowing exactly what was going on, and helped set the whole thing up, heard me screaming “Shut up, Shut up” and laughing…Mike said “ you know you don’t get the ring unless you say yes” so of course I said “YESSSS”!!! It was the greatest night of my life…and needless to say, we meet up down there because we had a softball game for Manayunk Sports and Social right after the engagement. So I had to wear my brand new rock to a softball field! I couldn’t play, so I had to sit the bench so I could gleam at my ring the rest of the night! J

Stephanie:

Okay... here's the story of how Chris and I met and got engaged. It's kind of cheesy but funny now when we tell people. :) I took it from our wedding website, which is why I'm talking about myself in the third person!

How we met: 03/01/2002
Although Christopher and Stephanie were both in the same year at Villanova University, they actually met as freshmen through mutual friends on South Street in Philadelphia, PA (at a piercing shop, no less!). Stephanie was getting a bar put through the cartilage in her ear... and Christopher was, well, awed and smitten by her determination! Before they knew it, they were running into each other everywhere around campus (Stephanie thinks this was more than just coincidental!)... and as they say, the rest is history. Although Stephanie no longer has her ear piercing from that fated night, their love has still continued to grow ever since.

How it happened: 08/09/2007
Stephanie had just finished her first year of graduate school and was looking forward to a relaxing week-long vacation with Christopher in his current town of Hoboken, NJ. Little did she know that Christopher was planning a little something extra special! Christopher and Stephanie traveled into New York City every day that week to sightsee and, most importantly, to find the city's best cupcake! Unbeknownst to Stephanie, Christopher was traveling with the ring in his backpack on each trip, waiting for the perfect moment to propose. On the final day in the city, on one of the rare perfectly clear low humidity days of August, Christopher and Stephanie decided to stroll through Central Park. When they stopped to rest on a bench in their favorite spot, Literary Walk, Christopher not only gave Stephanie the best cupcake in the city (Magnolia Bakery all the way!) but also the best surprise of her life. Amongst the flurry of chocolate icing and vanilla crumbs, he opened a box containing a beautiful diamond ring and asked Stephanie to marry him. In her shocked chocolate-induced frenzy, Stephanie eventually managed to blurt out an enthusiastic "YES!