A couple years ago a company I owned called The Wedding Connection Inc had the pleasure of providing a lucky couple a free wedding. Over 50 couples submitted their love stories, but only one fortunate couple could win a Magical Western Wedding valued over $20,000.While many of the essays brought us to tears, it was this love story that captured our hearts and the hearts of those who witnessed the matrimony.
Luke and I met in 2003; however, our love story doesn’t flourish until 2013. Our relationship is why little girls still believe in happy endings and fairy tales. In order to depict our love story, a limitless word essay contest would have to exist. He would tell you how angry he was that we lost 10 years of our lives together; I would say that I am so thankful that our relationship did not begin 10 years ago.
That may not seem like the most romantic of beginnings, however, I know in my heart that I would not have been able to appreciate all he is. Had we both not lived a bit more of our lives separately, I don’t believe that we would have the long lost, true love situation that we are fortunate to have today.
He is the rock that gives me support when I feel like I have nothing left; and yet, he is my soft place to fall when I inevitably crumble. In the morning, he gently rubs my back to bring me awake; it is not the soft caress of my skin that alerts me to his touch, it is the electricity that I feel in the depths of my soul that allow me to know he is nearby. He challenges me to be true to myself, and we have always been able to just be ourselves with each other. Knowing the amount of time we “lost” in the beginning may be a reason why we are enamored with each other now.
There is no strife too large to overcome, and ‘love conquers all’ is how we live. There is no one else I could imagine spending the rest of my life with. He is my best friend. A dream I hold dear to my heart is when, one day, we are fortunate enough to retire, fall asleep in each other’s arms, on our large porch swing and take a nap in the afternoon sun. These are the dreams that we have with each other. Nothing complex or out of reach, simply that we are able to spend precious moments together, forever.
We are currently in the very beginning stages of planning our wedding, he ran across this contest and it seems as though it were made just for us! We had our first Valentine’s celebration at The Fort, and fell in love with the romance of the restaurant. So much so, that, for his 40th birthday party, I had his family come in for a surprise visit. Their unveiling took place at, The Fort.
We were initially thinking of having our wedding around Morrison, so that we could somehow include The Fort. Winning this contest just seems fitting for what it has been in our relationship thus far. Even if we don’t win, we will surely be back, I am now addicted to the Bison Filet.
Thank you to all of you who shared your love stories with us. And thank you to the beautiful couple who allowed us to share their story.