IN THE AGE OF TECHNOLOGY

With each advance in technology and communication comes the broadening of romantic opportunity. In three different decades, these neighborhood couples’ matches were made possible by modern invention.

STORY BY CHRISTINA HUGHES BABB — PHOTOS BY DANNY FULGENCIO

In2010 the online votes of thousands of friends, relatives and fans won Lake Highlands High School alum Erin Aldrich and Andrew Shean a Four Seasons Ultimate Wedding worth $100,000.

It all began in 2007. Myspace was a thing. Erin, a two-sport Olympian (high jump and volleyball) was living in Italy, playing for the U.S. Women’s National Volleyball team. Andrew was teaching college and dabbling in business in Southern California, where he also played competitive beach volleyball. Seeking art for a website he was helping to build, he came across erinaldrich.com, replete with attractive images of the lanky beauty — on the court wearing ultra-short spandex, soaring gracefully over a high jump, poolside in a string bikini. It was enough to prompt Andrew to send a Myspace message. And a second. “I just really thought you were beautiful …” wrote Andrew, in a follow-up message offering contrition for the first. “I really apologize for the email yesterday …” it began.

After perusing Andrew’s Myspace profile which showed a good-looking, tall former college quarterback and pro volleyball player who was, like her, a practicing Christian — Erin replied, launching a five-month-long exclusively online relationship.

When Erin moved to San Diego to train for the Summer Olympics, she and Andrew were able to meet for the first time in person.

“This was before online dating was so common, so I was a little nervous,” Erin says.

Andrew says he was uncertain, too.

Erin retorts, “I find it hilarious that he says he was unsure. He was the one who reached out to me. He knew I was who I said I was,” she says with a giggle.

Neither was disappointed, though the two could not have been more different from each other, they say.

Erin had spent time living in Italy, so she arrived “decked out in these expensive designer clothes,” Andrew recalls.

“Yes, I was fresh from the fashion capital of the world,” Erin continues, “but he was wearing ripped jeans, flip-flops and a ‘Drop Knowledge Not Bombs’ T-shirt.”

They mutually and more than once use the phrase “anal-retentive” to describe Erin and the word “shiftless” for Andrew.

Still, on that first date, the two sat in his car talking until 4 a.m.

The courtship ebbed and flowed and included a brief breakup before an eventual proposal in July 2010.

Immediately they began planning the nuptials. While shopping at NorthPark Center, Erin spotted a call for contestants in a $100,000 wedding contest.

“Being the competitive person that I am, I decided to enter. And win,” Erin says.

Three entrants were chosen based on an essay. Finalists made television appearances on WFAA before a public Internet vote determined the winners.

Erin and Andrew thought up creative ways to garner votes — “We created a Facebook page and, for example, had friends and family use the computers at the Apple store, since you could only vote once per computer …” Erin says.

A blog post on advocatemag.com also publicized their efforts and gained votes.

They handily dominated the contest and married in 2011 in Fort Worth.

“It was such an unbelievable experience,” Erin says. “We had a wild time. It was just over-the-top extravagant.”

They took some time after the wedding to enjoy life, travel and play volleyball, but now things are getting really real — the baby is due this spring.