Every Couple's Love Story

I recently had someone say to me-every couple has a love story." It made me reminiscent of the love stories I have heard throughout my years as a Wedding Planner. There are stories that made me laugh, cry, and even shock me at times, but always in a good way. Most importantly, however, I am thankful for the invaluable relationships I've developed along the way. After learning about how my parents met, I find myself fascinated by learning of how other couples have met as well.

I was a young girl when my mother first told me of how she and my father met it went something like this: "Oh, he asked me to go to some ball game he was playing in and I said, yes, provided he ask my dad first - and he did, and the rest is pretty much history." Several years later at a family gathering, I heard the detailed story of how my parents met. I was astonished that my Mother had left so much out of the story.

It was in 1946, when my father had completed his term in the United States Army, serving in World War II. He moved to Chicago with an army buddy on a whim, and tried out for the Chicago White Sox. He played short-stop and second base in AAA League Baseball for the White Sox while working part-time. My Mother and her two sisters lived with their father, as their parents had divorced when they were young girls. My father and his friend rented an apartment from my grandfather and this is when my parents had their first glimpse of each other.

At first sight my mother said her memory of my Father was that of a breathtakingly handsome Latino man who looked much like Errol Flynn. She remembers he was always surrounded by wooing girls and dressed meticulously. Being a 'proper girl', it was highly unlikely she would consider pursuing such a good-looking young man. Several weeks went by and he had made no attempts to communicate with her. She concluded that while she was interested, he was not.

Months later, unexpectedly, my father asked my mother to come watch him play a baseball game. She said yes, but he needed to get her father's permission. Her father, a very strict Italian man only gave permission for her to be the chaperone to her older sister. Seeing the opportunity to spend time with my mother, my father agreed to take out her sister, my aunt. Dates with my aunt became shorter, while the covert dating with my mother became more frequent as my parents fell in love with each other.

An interesting twist to the story is that my father spoke very little English, almost none at the time he moved to Chicago, hence the months it took for him to ask my mother on a date. My mother spoke no Spanish, but they obviously managed to communicate. This showed me that love transcends language. Is this the end of their story? Not a chance, it was the beginning. As the youngest of eight children, I saw the latter years of their love story; the deep commitment of years gone by, having raised a family, spoiling grandchildren and drinking coffee at 4 am together with kindhearted conversation at the kitchen table. My parents had an amazing love story that lasted 38 years until my father passed on, the kind that we all long for. Your heart beats faster when you see them enter a room and you know this is truly your soul mate, the person you can grow old with.

In retrospect, the timing of my learning how they met was might nperfect. Had I heard the real story as a child, I would not have been able to understand the depth of it. What I have learned is when we enter the final stages of our lives, what matters the most, is whether we have loved others and are willing to give and receive unconditional love.

This is our quest to you: Whether you're married, single or in between, send us your love story. WeddingDay and I will choose the top three stories and publish them in the 2008 Edition—I can't wait to start reading, so send them in!