Our Love Story
How did you meet?
At a bar – I know it sounds cliché, but true… We have a suspicion that our friends Alix and Dave Neva set this up, but they never really admitted it was a setup. Either way- without them, we would not be where we are today!
Who made the first move?
Hmmm... I am pretty sure Tony made the move...
What first attracted you to each other?
Tony: DAMN- Have you seen her! Freaking gorgeous. However, it was her big blue eyes and fun attitude that hooked me. Right after meeting, this little lady proceeded to tell me that I bought her the wrong drink and pretty much stated she would not drink "that" drink. I knew immediately that she was not a pushover and was very surprised that she might actually be interested in me... I aimed for the sky with her and somehow went over the moon.
Chelsea: well obviously his looks! But after that, it was his heart and how genuine he is… he has the biggest heart and it’s still one of my favorite things about him! We also had a lot in common - we both have golden retrievers, we both lived in the north end, and the rest is history!
What is your favorite memory with each other?
Tony: My favorite memories- Sitting around the table with Chelsea, Conner, and Aleah on a quiet night saying our version of grace - what we are grateful for, followed by the joy when teenagers actually talk to us. I cannot explain how full my heart becomes when I feel all the love of this family. During the Covid lockdown, our family cooked meals together every night, played games together, did puzzles, and watched movies nightly. Those were some of the best memories of my life.
Chelsea: ah! We have so many fun memories it’s hard to decide… but one of my top memories is our first date. We took the dogs for a hike nearby, planning to go on a 3-mile loop and I think we ended up walking 6 miles because we didn’t want it to end! We stopped by a small pond to let the dogs swim and Tony leaned over and kissed me! I instantly got butterflies and knew that I wanted to see him again. We ended the date with pizza and beer… does it get better than that?!
What is your favorite way of spending time together?
Tony: I love our lives. We go on walks every day and just hold hands and talk. We vacation almost every month on a beach somewhere and search for the best happy hour deals.
Chelsea: traveling and finding live music! Whether it’s a trip to McCall or Costa Rica, we seem to find live music everywhere we go and have a lot of fun. But I also really, really LOVE the time we spend at home with our family!
How did you get engaged?
We have been living as a family for quite some time and we wanted to make it official but we didn't have a plan for "when"... Chelsea started to regularly show Tony her "naked ring finger" and would hint/ask how long it would be so bare. Tony never committed to a date, but rather said "when the time is right"... In November 2022, Tony and Chelsea along with Michael and Rocelle Dickens decided to go to Costa Rica to relive their first trip together when they all first started dating. On the last night of the trip, right after the last sunset on the beach, Tony got down on one knee and proposed. Chelsea then made him wait! She covered her mouth and wouldn't talk (however, she was nodding her head excitedly!)... Eventually, the waves started to come up the beach and Tony said- "You can't have the ring if you don't answer" and she screamed out "YES!"... She later said she was just making Tony wait since she had to wait so long for him to propose.
Why did you decide on a destination wedding?
We are blessed with amazing friends. Many of our friends do not know each other, but they are all fantastic people and we have been blessed that they have embraced us and our relationship. A destination wedding allows these different groups of people to meet each other and provides a place and time for new friendships to bloom among our friends. People with huge hearts are attracted to others with similar characteristics and we think you all are the epitome of huge hearts. We can't wait for you to meet and for new friendships to be created. We hope to see you all in March 2024!