My fiance Ashley and I met in January of 2009. I was at my best friend Sarah’s apartment. We had a few friends over for drinks and I, to be completely honest, was sort of on the prowl. The apartment next door was also having a party, albeit with about 3 times as many people as our little shindig. We were hanging out on the balcony, waiting for everyone to be ready to head over to the party next door, when I see the most stunning man I had ever laid eyes on. I was working as a model at the time, and no male model had ever made my head turn like this hunk. My jaw hit the floor. He was tall, I could see he had beautiful eyes even from 2 floors up and his aura shone so bright it was impossible to look away. I quickly noticed he was with a girl and assumed he was off limits, so I put it out of my mind that he was an option.
We headed to the party next door, and as I arrive at the top of the staircase, I see him making a beeline for me. I am usually quite confident, but this man’s mere presence had me blushing like a little girl. He introduces himself, smiles the most gorgeous smile I have ever seen, and tells me a joke that spurs me into teary, doubled-over laughter (the first of many). He offered to get me a drink and I hesitated, remembering the girl he arrived with, and he made it very clear that he was simply her friend and designated driver. Score 1 for a responsible man! Even though we had both just arrived at the party, we didn’t do much mingling. Rather, we instantly sat down in a quiet corner and began to get to know each other.
People came over to say hi but they didn’t stand a chance against our chemistry. We talked for hours in that little corner chair of ours, exploring and dissecting on another, finding out our loves, nuances and experiences. We shared an obsessive love for The Beatles, an equally weird sense of humor, and we were downright smitten for each other. At one point he leaned in to tell me a secret (so he says), but I thought he was going to kiss my cheek, so I turned and kissed him on the lips! He certainly didn’t expect that. At the end of the evening, he told me he wanted to take me out on a date, asked me for my phone number, and gave me the BEST hug goodnight. I was surprised at what a gentleman he was. I could hardly wait until the next day for his call. We went out the next night and have been inseparable ever since. Now 5 years later, we have created a beautiful life together, and cannot wait to finally be married and start a family.
Taken in our first few weeks of dating/falling in love – 2009
He made a great test model and assistant at my photoshoots – 2011
Our last New Year’s in Hollywood before we left the busy city for beautiful Oregon – 2012
One of our last days in Los Angeles, soaking up the sun and dreaming of our new life that awaited us – 2012
Still so in love and ecstatic to be finally getting married this year – February 2014
