The Hawaii Wedding of Michael and Gina

And it all started with...

"HOW ARE THOSE SHOES?" ...Gina emailed to Michael
Don't you love great love stories?

Okay, I'm going to put myself out a limb here, but I have to confess something. I enjoy romantic comedies, chick flicks, and teeny-bopper feel good movies. I know it may sound rather fruity, especially to all my friends out there, but what can I say? With that being said, I think learning of how wedding couples met and fell in love keeps my job interesting and fun.

So in steps my couple of the hour, Michael and Gina. A couple whose story began at the shoe store, of all places. Yes, you read that correctly, the shoe store. Now I'm not sure what you're thinking, but I never thought of a shoe store as a place to meet women. That is of course, until now.

I'll let Gina take it from here:

"Michael and I met in 2002 at Bass Shoe Store in Upstate NY. I was working there part time while going to college. He came in and asked for some help picking out some dress shoes. After picking out some shoes for him, he preceded to keep my attention by asking for help picking out a golf outfit. All in all, I probably spent an hour with him…that is what I call customer service. As I was checking him out at the counter, he was filling out the “how are we doing” card. Upon completion of the sale, he handed me the card and left. I looked at the card and saw that he put his name, email, and phone number. I did not quite know what to do with this, I was not looking for a relationship at that time. Two weeks later, I was sitting at home and decided to email him. The email was a simple “How are the shoes”. He responded immediately and we set a date night for the upcoming Saturday.

Our first date was not what you would expect. Michael took me to a Barber Shop Cortet, where his best friend’s father was playing at a local high school. It was weird, but fun. From then on, we just continued to hang out…not getting really serious until 2004.

Michael and I had built a relationship that many envy over the years. I can easily say we are the best of friends. Many would ask us, why we were not yet married, being together for 8 years…to some it was not normal to not make that next step. Our response simply was, why change a good thing…our relationship just worked. That was hard for some to understand.

Then eight years later we decided to change the rules and he proposed!

We were engaged on 18 July 2009. My job has me traveling a lot and I was sent to Alaska for 6 weeks. Upon my return, Michael set up a sunset picnic at our favorite spot at the Ko’Olina, the Hidden Cove. This is where he proposed. I was not expecting this, so it was a wonderful surprise. "

Hey that looks like fun

"We set a wedding date for June 2010. In December 2009, I was asked to relocate to San Antonio, TX from Hawaii. It was an opportunity I could not pass up. So, we thought we would have to post-pone the wedding, which we actually did. We were set to leave the island on 14 February 2010. Late January, Michael and I were talking about what we have yet to do before we leave the island. That was when we decided to just get married. We contacted Steve and set the new date for 6 February 2010…it was the best decision we ever made. There are so many people that dream of having their wedding in Hawaii…we had the opportunity to do so and we took it.

--Gina--"

The storm clouds moved in right around sunset, but the shot was still great

One thing I forgot to ask is where on the beach did Michael propose?

Gina blinked in the original picture. A quick computer touch-up solved everything.

Comment about Michael's watch...very nice.

And they lived happily ever after...

Okay, this blog of course, is not over. I can't finish this blog without putting my two cents in about Michael and Gina. Isn't their love story cool? I mean, the odds of finding love are extremely low to begin with. But in a shoe store? This is one to remember. I have to say though that Michael was pretty smooth in slipping his phone number to Gina.

One more comment here before I go. I wish both of Michael and Gina my very best as they both take on new opportunities away from the islands. Gina is a military contractor and Michael will be coaching football at a new school....exciting to say the least. Stay cool you two, but more so, never forget to keep dating each other so you can keep that love you found at the shoe store...alive.



Steve Young
The Hawaii Wedding Guru
http://www.dreamweddingshawaii.com