Hitched

Hitched Local Couples Compete for Block Party Wedding Giveaway

2011 Best of the Coast Ballots are out, but your favorite restaurants, bars, retail shops and salons aren’t the only thing you get to decide during the next month—You also can choose your favorite couple.

The area’s top wedding vendors have come together to offer Pensacola’s first Block Party Wedding Giveaway, which will be held on Gallery Night on Friday, Oct. 21.

One lucky couple will receive a grand prize of a free wedding valued at over $75,000, and all of Pensacola is invited to celebrate alongside the couple as they exchange vows against the backdrop of Garden Street and Palafox. A rock’n after-party and reception will follow on The Deck at The Fish House.

We’ve narrowed the field down to 10, but the winning couple is decided by you—Pensacola voters. Check out their photos and love stories online, and vote for the couple you want to see walk down the aisle on Gallery Night this October.

couples’ photos by {documented} photography

How to Vote: Visit pensacolablockpartywedding.com, and click on “Vote for Winner”.

Voting closes Aug. 7 at midnight.

Winning couple announced Aug. 8.

Services by: {documented} photography (Hara Gabrielle Cook, formerly of Cook Images): Photography Don Alan’s: Tux Fiore: Florals

Heather Fitzgerald: Massages Gaboodles, Inc.: Invitations Great Southern Events (Jackson’s Steakhouse, Atlas

Oyster House, Fish House): Catering and Venue Pretty Girl Fitness: Bridal Boot Camp Sara Gillianne Weddings and Events:

Event Design SKIN: Make-up Style Downtown: Tanning, Waxing Susan Campbell Jewelry: Bridal Jewelry

Vinyl Music Hall: Venue, Music Volume One: Hair Beege Welborn: Wine Glasses

INDEPENDENT NEWS | JUly 28, 2011 | WWW.INWEEKLY.NET |

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Tasha Lamb + Brennan Cooper 28, Manager for a non-profit

28, Student

Dating Since: 2006 Their Love Story: From the first time I saw Tasha I was enamored. I told everyone at work that I had the hots for her just because I knew someone would probably end up telling her. In the meantime, she was busy not liking me. Upon hearing about my hots for her, Tasha was quoted as saying that she would never ever go out with me…ever. Tasha and I had hardly spoken up to this point.

Of course, I found out exactly what she said. I actually didn’t care if she wanted to marry me or not; I just wanted her to think I was fun to be around.

I cracked a few jokes here and there and tried to be extra helpful with her at work. I would talk our managers into letting us close up together just so I could hang out with her more. Sometimes a group of us would go have beers after work. I typically would only go when Tasha was going to be there. If we were riding somewhere together, I would leave the top of my Jeep down because I knew that she would be cold.

Before you go thinking I’m crazy, just remember that I was pretty much in love with her at this point.

I look at it like how a good coach puts his underdog team in position to win the game at the last minute.

I started to realize that I didn’t want to leave her when it was time to go home. I started to wonder if she felt that way too.

Turns out she did. We finally figured out that we were in love with each other. We are now engaged, and I look forward to marrying her. I already know that day is going to be the happiest day of our lives.

We haven’t set a date yet because we don’t know what we are going to be able to do. We’re saving what we can, and we’re going to see where it gets us. We will live happily ever after no matter what happens, but I will be eternally grateful if you guys helped me make my bride-to-be the happiest girl in the world on Oct. 21.

20 | INDEPENDENT NEWS | JUly 28, 2011 | WWW.INWEEKLY.NET

April Rogers + Carl Abbott 26, Dental Hygienist

27, Air Force Officer

Dating Since: 2009 Their Love Story: We fell in love the night we met. It can’t start much better than that. After meeting at a mutual friend’s house at 8 p.m., we sat and talked until 8 a.m. without a pause.

Our mutual appreciation for flying and a strong shared faith led to a romance like no other. A month into the relationship, Carl set up a city-wide scavenger hunt bouncing from one previous date site to another, and finally ending at the most romantic restaurant in town. While at dinner, he asked me where I’d like to go next. I answered, “Ireland!”

He then spent the next year preparing our trip to Ireland and has been trying to make every dream of mine come true since. He has been flying since he was 13 years old, was the youngest man to ever be hired by Northwest Airlines, and he now is in flight training for the Air Force.

He proposed a year and a half after we started dating and did it in the most amazing and fitting way possible. Two days after Christmas he took me on a surprise helicopter tour of the hills and valleys of Branson, Mo. After a beautiful flight and bottle of champagne, he proposed, stating, “The two most important things in my life have always been God and flying. Since meeting you, the most important things in my life are God and you. I wanted to combine all three when I ask…Will you marry me?”

After the mid-air proposal and a very ecstatic “Yes!”, we landed in a secret location where his entire family was waiting with flashing cameras and open arms. My fiancé has spent the last two years trying to make all of my dreams come true, including planning my dream wedding. I would love to win this wedding giveaway so that I could finally give him something amazing in return.

Kelly Blackwell + Nicolas Pauwels

31, Communications Coordinator, UWF

32, Assistant Electrician, Johnson Electric

Dating Since: 2010 Their Love Story: Nic and I met in high school. Almost 15 years had passed since I had last seen him. He sent me a message on Facebook telling me that he was in town visiting for a few weeks (before moving back to California) and would love to grab coffee. We did just that, and neither one of us expected anything more than a friendly reunion. We talked until the store closed, like long lost best friends. By the end of the night, I think we both knew we felt something major transpiring.

We made plans to meet up at the Oyster Festival the following day. I showed up at the beach with my best friend, who happens to be male, and I couldn’t figure out why Nic wasn’t approaching me. I finally realized that he thought I’d brought a date! I got up the nerve to go talk to him, and made it obvious that I wasn’t with a date. We ended up seeing other friends there as well, and hung out collectively for a bit. Towards the end of the night, we decided to head into town and ended up at Sir Richard’s Lounge. Chris, my best friend, ordered us both a drink and said, “Kiss her already.”

The next day was full of cute text messages helping us pass the time at work. The last one said, “I can’t move to California–I’ll either have to kidnap you or change my plans.”

Needless to say, he never left Pensacola and has been by my side every single day since the first day we had coffee. We never dated in high school, we were just friends. I think that we both needed to grow up, live life, make mistakes and be absolutely comfortable in our own skins before finding each other again.

We know for certain who we are as individuals and ultimately who we are together as a couple. We have cherished every single moment since our reunion. He leaves me little notes in my lunch, sends me flowers for no reason, compliments me when I’m not wearing any make up, protects me from the boogie man and is the most amazing man I’ve ever known. I can’t wait to spend the rest of our lives together!

Amanda Waltman + Dustin Noles 27, Mortgage Loan Originator

28, Sales Representative

Dating Since: 2009 Their Love Story: How is it that two lonely beings come together? How is it that two people from across a state just happen to find each other without the help of modern technology? How is it that two star-crossed lovers lock eyes from across a room? Only one word, one answer—Fate.

Call it what you will—destiny, predetermination, divine intervention—yet fate is the grand plan. For Amanda and Dustin, fate had their number. For what was once only eternal friendship was fated to be cultivated and nurtured into something amazingly wonderful...eternal love. Their love was destined. Through many trials and tribulations, rocky roads and broken hearts, their love was fated for each other. With a greater force and a greater plan, they finally realized turning in their souls, it was time to recognize a love that would not be denied. A love fated.

Their seven-year novel is difficult to summarize.

From the day he first laid eyes on Amanda walking her best friend’s dog, Dustin knew their paths where destined to cross at a moment’s notice.

Through mutual friends they were introduced and from there, a friendship ensued. In a society where the “friend zone” is treated as a black hole, once entered, never escaping, Amanda and Dustin fought that unbeatable pull into the darkness and escaped into an enlightened aurora borealis of bliss. It was on that fated night, five years in the making that a giddy “Goose” (Dustin) could not fight his desire for Amanda any longer and asked for her permission for a single kiss.

From that fated night and that fated kiss, their love has grown into a powerful force, one that God devised as a part of his divine plan. It was written long ago that Amanda and Dustin were to be eternally lasting in the sacred bonds of marriage. For accepting God’s fate was the challenge for Dustin and Amanda to overcome, a daring step out from a prosperous friendship into a preordained love. They challenge you to not be afraid, but to accept your fate, and let God’s plan unveil itself to you. May your fate be with you and a part of you.

Liz Riegle

31, Assistant Nurse Manager, West Florida Hospital

+ James Beck

30, Server, Mellow Mushroom Pensacola

Dating Since: 2001 Their Love Story: James and I met almost 10 years ago while we were both in the theatre department at University of West Florida. I was working on my roommate’s senior thesis, and James had been roped into playing Rocky in “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” only two weeks before opening. I was rounding up audience members to participate in the senior thesis when I came across James practicing with other cast members in the Mainstage Theatre and invited him to sit in on the show. While sitting in the light booth calling the show, I leaned over to my roommate and said, “I’m gonna get that guy.” My roommate just shook her head.

A week later on opening night of “Rocky”, I was at the show and couldn’t help but notice James painted gold and in a tiny gold Speedo running around on stage. At the end of the show I was talking with members of the cast and realized they didn’t have a place for an opening night party. I graciously, and with other intentions, offered my apartment for the cast party, making sure that James would be there. He showed up at the party, and we talked all night. He hasn’t left my side since that night.

We watch “Rocky Horror” every October to remember how we met, because without that little show we never would have crossed paths. Three years ago we were both cast in PLT’s rendition of “The Rocky Horror Picture Show”. At the curtain call after taking our bows, James was introduced and came to the front of the stage. With all our friends, family and a large group of strangers present in the audience, he got down on one knee and proposed.

He had planned the whole thing, and I was, of course, totally surprised. Since our whole relationship has been part of live theatre and in front of an audience, it only makes sense that our wedding should be, too.

Heidi Hensley + Juston Takacs

26, Counselor III, Children’s Home Society

26, Food and Beverage Supervisor, Margaritaville Hotel

Dating Since: 2010 Their Love Story: We met in the most elementary of ways: on the school bus in third grade. And for the next five years we were inseparable. We lived in the same neighborhood in Smyrna, Tenn. and spent all of our free time together until Juston moved to Pensacola after seventh grade. Juston and I had our first kiss the day before he moved to Pensacola in 1998. We had our second kiss the next time we saw each other—12 years later in the Nashville airport.

The first glimpse of him caused me to stop breathing. His eyes were brighter than I remembered. Immediately we kissed, my heart racing. I wondered, “Is this the same Juston? Is it possible to find your true love in third grade?”

My head full of disbelief; my heart full of hope. He looked the same, but 12 years of life had changed us. Over the past few months we had spoken every day on the phone and were beginning to wonder if these long conversations and electrifying emotions were real. They were. He only stayed two days, but we knew this was it: Love. Even though he lived in Miami and I lived in Nashville, we visited each other often, and within three months Juston moved to Nashville while I finished school.

One weekend in March while visiting Pensacola we went kayaking in Sabine when we decided to move here. I was nervous about moving far from home without being engaged. When I told my family, they didn’t share my concern. Later I found out Juston had asked for my parents’ blessings two weeks prior. Juston proposed to me at sunset in May outside of his grandmother’s house while overlooking the water. In that moment, my heart fluttered at this realization: my best friend was now to be my husband.

INDEPENDENT NEWS | JUly 28, 2011 | WWW.INWEEKLY.NET |

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Allison VanGrowski + Miles White

28, Licensed Massage Therapist, Yoga Instructor

34, Licensed Massage Therapist

Dating Since: 2010 Their Love Story: I was on a working vacation in Costa Rica, and on the penultimate night, this stunning little fox walked up to me, bold as brass, and paid me a compliment so outrageous, I was lost for words. Later, when I finally managed to get her alone to talk, I summoned all my charm and told her she looked like a little elf! Yep, that’s what came out of my mouth! I’ve no idea how or why it worked, but in the two days we had left to get to know each other, I felt something so strong that I was convinced to shorten my long-dreamt-of vacation in Paradise to fly to some backwater Pepsicola town I’d never heard of to meet her family and former Marine father…oh Joy! I’ll let her finish my story (as usual)…

When Miles showed a photo of me climbing a tree and said very sincerely, and strangely complimentary, “Awww look; ya loook lyke a lil’ elf “…I knew this was his strange way of saying he liked me, but I had to take that to the limit...”I tell you you’re the most gorgeous guy I’ve ever seen, and you come back with that?! Geezums, you Aussie guys sure know how to make a girl’s knees knock!”

Everyone saw and witnessed our love develop from that point. We spent our last two days we had together getting to know each other and shared our hopes, dreams, spiritual beliefs, visions and morals... all of which were strangely similar, despite the differences in our upbringings and cultural backgrounds...

It was like looking in a mirror and seeing ourselves, but as the opposite gender. True. Twin Flames.

When he got to Florida, Miles was drilled, grilled, chewed, assessed and ultimately approved, accepted, welcomed and loved by all my family and friends, especially my 8-year-old-son, who’s hit guys I’ve dated before.

Miles surprise-proposed three months later on my birthday. His family being properly English, I thanked my grandma for taking me to violin, piano, etiquette classes and having tea time since I can remember. It was like hillbilly Hollywood meets the Royal Family.

The last year has been a roller coaster ride with him living in Australia and us dealing with massive emotions, separation and a plethora of financial and logistical complexities, that any sane couple would have bailed long ago. Despite the torturous months of separation, tears, heartache, long-haul flights, phone bills and the many obstacles we face, it’s really been a fairy tale. We’ve managed to stay strong, our love has grown from it all, and we still cherish every second we have together.

22 | INDEPENDENT NEWS | JULY 28, 2011 | WWW.INWEEKLY.NET

Nicole Slay

31, marketer and recruiter, financial services company

Erica Laxson + Travis Huffman

25, Manager, David’s Bridal Pensacola

25, Educational Doctoral Fellowship Student, University of West Florida

Dating Since: 2005 Their Love Story: Travis and I met in 2004 during move-in day at Martin Hall on the University of West Florida campus. As the semester proceeded, I would occasionally chat with Travis in the hallways, or he would catch my eye outside the Martin Hall dorms while I sat wrapped in ice (because I played softball at UWF).

Throughout the year, we continued to develop a casual friendship that consisted of these brief encounters.

After our first year at UWF, we each ventured our separate ways for the summer. Shortly after our departure from school, we began to message each other on Facebook. We eventually began to call one another and converse for what quickly evolved into hours on end. We realized that we shared many things in common and could easily entertain one another even from such a great distance.

When we returned to campus for the 2005 fall semester, Travis invited me to the UWF fitness center for our “first date” (if you know Travis this is standard operating procedure). The chemistry did not seem as strong in person as it had been over the phone all summer long, and our “date” did not develop into anything further. We simply continued on our separate ways and realized that timing wasn’t right for a relationship between the two of us.

After a few failed attempts at love from both sides I was randomly “Facebooked” on my 21st birthday by Travis in 2007 while on my summer vacation. We immediately picked up right where we left off years ago and decided that we would give it another shot. Upon our arrival back to school in 2007, Travis took me on our first “real” date in August. The classic “dinner-and-a-movie” format won out this time over the previous gym offerings.

On Sept. 5, 2007 after our lunch at Jerry’s Drive-In, I asked Travis if I should tell my grandmother we were courting. His response to the old-fashioned inquiry was a definite yes! Three years, 10 months, and some odd days later, we have been happily together ever since.

+ Chad Parker

34, Owner, Parker Pools

Dating Since: 1998 Their Love Story: We met 13 years ago while working at my neighbor’s pool store and had our first date within the first few days of meeting. We went to Peg Leg Pete’s for dinner to meet some of my friends, who ended up being a no show. But that worked out just fine for Chad and I. After dinner, our first kiss was in my 4Runner in the parking lot. It was a warm March night and I was wearing a sundress and sandals and remember having butterflies in my stomach.

We fell in love hard and fast that summer. We spent the spring and summer working, going to school, and bouncing back and forth between Destin, Pensacola and Biloxi visiting and meeting each other’s family and friends. We bonded over beaches, boats, bikinis and board shorts.

Thirteen years later, a few cross-country moves, lots of packing and tears, missed calls and emails, I moved back for good over 10 years ago and we are planning on getting hitched finally. I love this man with all my heart, even at times when I want to strangle him…which any female on earth would share the same feeling if you had to wait over 13 years to get a ring!

I can’t wait for the day that I start my walk down the aisle toward Chad. My favorite part of any wedding is when the groom is looking down the aisle waiting for his bride, and the first smile and sometimes tears when he sees his bride for the first time. What will make my walk down the aisle even more special is that my Dad will be walking me down the aisle.

I, like most girls, have dreamed of this day growing up. It was always something I took for granted until March 23, 2010. My Dad was involved in a motorcycle accident and is truly blessed and extremely lucky to be alive. It was originally believed dad would lose one if not both of his legs, but he is a fighter, and he has struggled through the pain and therapy and is now able to walk short distances with the help of his cane. So now I will walk down the aisle with the first man that I fell in love with, my Dad. Chad and I have had ups and downs like every couple. But I know that together we will start the journey with lots of love and see where the journey takes us. As long as it is together, I know our future will be everything I want and more. Love is where the journey begins and ends.

Annalise Ritter

26, Volunteer Coordinator, Fiesta of Five Flags; Day of events and catering, Nancy’s Haute Affairs

+ Chris Davis

28, Disability Examiner, Florida Department of Health

Dating Since: 2008 Their Love Story: “Love Story” by Taylor Swift came out right around the time we met. I couldn’t hear it enough, even playing it at work as a graduate student teaching classes at FSU. There was a stronger, more powerful meaning behind it, after all.

Although we met six months prior through my big sister in the sorority, I struck up a conversation via a social media outlet about his favorite football team. It was casual at first–I wasn’t looking for love, I had my final exams coming up, and my father had just passed away–but it quickly grew into more than being just friends. I had barely graduated, but I knew I was going to move to Pensacola for him. I moved here with a car full of clothes and shoes–I never looked back.

She confessed her love for him at a wedding in April. There was love in the air and far too much wine in her glass. Chris is so reserved that the “love-word-vomit” took him by surprise, as he said nothing in return. She just smiled and said, “I know you love me too!” With a shy smile from him she continued on, “I see the way you look at me when I make you laugh. You love me!”

Even though it’s a moment that some people dread–not having a reciprocating answer when

the L-Bomb is dropped, Annalise didn’t mind at all.

Later that May, he finally made the decision he was ready to say it back.

As things continued to get more serious, all she wanted was a picture-perfect proposal at Disney World. When he said, “book a trip,” her heart and mind raced. A trip to Disney World was planned for November 2010. Much to her dismay, there was not a ring presented to her under the fireworks at Cinderella’s castle.

Instead of Cinderella’s castle, it was a pavilion overlooking the water in Apalachicola after a casual dinner at That Place Off 98. It was a true fairy tale.

Like any true love story, there are always good and bad times. I had a preventative surgery in March 2010, and I don’t think I would have been able to go through it without him. When I was told recently that I need another preventative surgery, he rushed home from work to be by my side.

Due to the surgeries, we are thinking about going through with a courthouse wedding to save money. The irony is that I help plan and coordinate weddings for a local caterer. I have had the chance to attend so many Pensacola weddings that it would be devastating to not be able to have our own love story end with a “happily ever after” wedding day. There is nothing more I want than to see his ever-reassuring shy smile at the end of the aisle.

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www.AsmarLawFirm.com 1306 E. Cervantes St. 850.432.3864

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Before you decide, ask us to send you free written information about our qualifications and experience.

INDEPENDENT NEWS | JULY 28, 2011 | WWW.INWEEKLY.NET |

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