My love story

Happy Valentine’s Day!!

About a year ago today, I got engaged to my love, Rick. We tied the knot on a perfect day in October in Vista, CA. I haven’t shared any photos publicly, but what’s a day made for love without a good love story?!

So, for you lovers of love out there, here is MY love story…

Rick and I have a long history. I’ll keep in short, but I will take follow-up questions at the end of this story.

It all started when I was a student of his Mom’s back in 8th grade in Marlton, NJ. Toni would talk about her son Rick who was two years older than me. And, I lived next door to one of his best friends, so we were on a path to meet eventually.

Here I am in Toni’s class picture, I’m at the end of the middle row…

Rick and I met at the Cherokee HS homecoming dance in 1989. The minute I met him I was instantly intrigued. He was super goofy and was in a pack of hyper active boys making non-stop jokes. I knew he was smart and he was clearly silly and that combination got me from minute 1!

We dated a few times throughout my high school years. First when I was a freshman and again when I was a junior. All these years later Rick still has a few cards and letters I wrote him when I was in high school. As embarrassing as 16-year-old letters are, it’s such an amazing time capsule to see how we communicated “back in the day”! (and why don’t I have HIS letters? Why did I throw those out?? Damn it!!)

After college, we had one brief visit when I had just moved to Boston and Rick was visiting for a wedding. But we lost touch. I think we exchanged a few emails when email first became a thing. But cupid wasn’t ready to bring us together just yet. We still had a lot of life to live.

Rick was in the US Marine Corps and was stationed in Oceanside, CA. I was living in Boston.

In 2008 I moved from Boston to Los Angeles just when this new thing called Facebook was taking over the world. Rick and I re-connected on Facebook and I was pleased to learn that we both lived in Southern California. I was in a relationship and so was Rick so it was a while before we actually saw each other in person.

But eventually cupid’s bow was launched and we finally saw each other in the flesh. Our first date was a Black Keys concert in 2012. I took the train from my house in LA to see him in Oceanside. I clearly remember riding the train back to LA and just knowing in my gut that Rick was the guy for me.

After all these years, he was exactly as I remembered him. But he was a grown up. A true man and gentleman. A polished version of 1991 Rick. And I was smitten all over again!!!

We did a long-distance relationship between LA and San Diego for a few years, but the heart strings pulled me to Oceanside to be with Rick.

One beautiful Sunday evening, last February, we went for a surf at the Oceanside Pier and as we paddled out of the water to watch the sun set into the Pacific, Rick proposed. No ring, no grand gesture, no long speech, just a heartfelt proposal inspired by the beauty and simplicity of the moment feeling right. And I said YES, of course!

So friends, this takes me to the part of the story where I talk about our wedding!

We both wanted to get married in California, our adopted home. And October in So Cal is one of the best times to be here, so we picked October 8, 2016 as OUR DAY.

We invited 100 of our closest friends and family and gathered at the Rancho Buena Vista Adobe in Vista, CA. We wrote our own vows and had our friend Neal officiate for us. After the ceremony we partied and danced and had one of the best nights of my life!!

Below are the photos from our wedding, taken by the lovely and talented wedding photographer, Julie Jones.