Teka Thomas
@ Tattoo
Q:How do you keep your life clean?
A:"Low alcohol intake. I never smoke and I've never done drugs."
YOU KNOW HOW how sometimes you just know something's up? Well, when Jenna Ross heard, after a romantic day, a poolside chat and a favorite bottle of wine, that Jeff Smith was going inside to get "a surprise," she thought she knew what was what. "She actually patted me down," Jeff says, looking for the ring. No such luck.
Instead, he brought out a huge wrapped present — a jewelry box. She just stared at it. "I told her that since she had a lot of jewelry, she should have a nice jewelry box. I also wanted to give her the first piece to put in it." When she opened the box, the ring was inside. The rest is history. The couple will wed July 18 at Jenna's parent's house, where the proposal took place, with 150 guests.
Jenna, 30, is an elementary school teacher. Jeff, 36, is a manager at a hardware store. They live in Bethesda.
Written by Express contributor Rachel Kaufman
Alexis, 27, is a director at a nonprofit. Aaron, 28, is a middle-school teacher. They live in DC.
» The Main Event: July 4 at a Mississippi synagogue, the one Alexis grew up attending. They expect 200 guests.
» How They Met: Online. When they first got together in person, despite waiting for her in unseasonably cold weather, Aaron was "in awe."
» First Impressions: "I thought he was cute and I liked his black leather jacket."
» First Date: Looking for a sushi restaurant in Dupont Circle that had a wait time of less than 90 minutes. They got lucky on their third try, at Uni.
» How He Proposed: He surprised her by cooking a nice dinner first. "We actually ate dinner at the table, instead of watching TV," he says.
» Most Hated Clothing Item: "He has this black T-shirt that must be really comfortable, but it has a stain on it and I wish it would, poof, be gone."
» When She Knew: After their first date. "I was watching him talk but wasn’t really listening and I just thought it."
» Celebrating Heritage: Their Reform ceremony incorporates family members' talits, or prayer shawls.
Written by Express contributor Rachel Kaufman
Andrew, 26, works for a Navy contractor. Lisa, 26, is a publicist and event planner. They live in Alexandria.
» The Main Event: "My mother calls it the schizophrenic wedding, because it is a bizarre mix of formal and quirky casual," Lisa says. They'll welcome 150 guests to the Catholic ceremony July 3.
» How They Met: At a Mardi Gras frat party in college. "I told him that I was going to have those beads by the end of the night … and I did."
» First Impressions: "She was cute, but she was a brat."
» First Date: A couple nights after they met, he drove two hours to visit her at her college, and they hung out in her dorm and watched "The Lion King."
» How He Proposed: After a romantic dinner, he took her home — where their two huskies were wearing handmade T-shirts that read "Will you" and "marry me." "When she figured out what the shirts said, she gasped and turned around where I was waiting on one knee."
» Stupidest Fight: Whether they could "claim" sections of their couch. "It was almost an exact replica of a scene on 'Friends,'" she says.
» When She Knew: The first time they said "I love you."
» Making It Unique: The huskies that helped out with the proposal will accompany the couple down the aisle.
» With Unlimited Funds: Andrew thinks "maybe instead of a limo, we'd have a helicopter for the bridal party?"
Written by Express contributor Rachel Kaufman
Michael, 31, is a logistics manager. Stephanie, 28, is a program associate. They live in Arlington.
» The Main Event: Stephanie's father, an ordained minister, will officiate the couple's July 18 union with 125 guests in attendance. The reception is at a Concord country club.
» Honeymoon: Belize or Costa Rica.
» How They Met: On the job when they both worked for the same company in San Diego.
» First Impressions: "I remember the same cute guy walking through my department." When he finally talked to her, his first impression was, "Oh man, I am way out of my league."
» First Date: "I took her to one of my favorite restaurants in San Diego, P.F. Changs." They sat outside and talked for hours.
» How He Proposed: He hid a poem (and the proposal) inside a hollow Christmas ornament.
» Their Song: "I'm Yours" by Jason Mraz. "It embodies our laid-back style," says Michael, "but also gets our message of love across."
» Stupidest Fight: Whether they should buy ham or Canadian bacon for their Hawaiian pizza.
Written by Express contributor Rachel Kaufman
Liz Nugent comes from a Georgetown family. She's the 11th in her family to graduate from Georgetown University, so it's fitting that she and fellow Hoya Heath Walden, who met on Georgetown's swim team, will wed in Georgetown's Dahlgren Chapel. Their first date was at a Georgetown restaurant, their rehearsal dinner is at Agraria, another G-town hot spot ("My mother's been planning it," Heath says). And the favors: Georgetown Cupcakes.
Heath proposed in 2007, when Liz was studying Arabic in Egypt. "I couldn't believe he had planned everything from the U.S.," she says. He'd even asked her parents for permission, and her dad had asked whether he'd make her happy. He also asked whether Heath would send their kids to Georgetown.
Liz, 24, is a grad student at Georgetown. Heath, 25, is a medical student — at Georgetown. They live in Arlington.
Written by Express contributor Rachel Kaufman
Jeff, 27, is an operations manager. Natalie, 23, is a sales associate. They live on Capitol Hill.
» The Main Event: A traditional ceremony on June 27 with 200 guests.
» Honeymoon: Grand Cayman.
» How They Met: Jeff was a senior in high school when she was a freshman. They met at band camp. "We didn't date until later, because she had a boyfriend before the end of the week! But I knew he wasn't going to be much competition."
» First Impressions: He was into heavy metal, so her first thought was, "Who is this scary-looking guy who is talking to me?"
» First Date: On a band trip to Disney World, they spent 22 hours together on the bus, and she "totally" fell for him. They spent the next three days together.
» How He Proposed: In Vegas in front of the Bellagio fountains. "Natalie had no idea why we were running full steam to get to the show in time. I was so scared, I actually dropped the ring! It almost went in the fountains!"
» Stupidest Fight: If she leaves an empty toilet paper roll, "I run into the living room and throw it at her!"
» Pet Names: "I call her Natters or Snuggs, short for Snugglebear. We pretty much make our friends want to vomit."
Written by Express contributor Rachel Kaufman
Elizabeth, 32, is a State Department special agent. Tim, 29, is a Department of Energy management analyst. They live in D.C.
» The Main Event: A "casually elegant" event with 120 guests on June 19.
» Honeymoon: Thailand. "High on our 'must-do' list is an elephant tour of the jungle," Elizabeth says.
» How They Met: At the American Embassy in Montevideo, Uruguay, where he was stationed as a Marine and she was interning.
» First Impressions: "Her first night there, we went to dinner," Tim says. "We spent several hours talking. The next day, I was in uniform and she didn't even recognize me. … So much for first impressions." "In my defense," Elizabeth says, "I was tired and jet-lagged."
» First Date: He came to visit her in San Diego. But the course of true love never did run smooth: When he had his first fish taco, "I proceeded to become deathly ill. I was immobilized in bed for two days while a guest in her house. Very romantic!"
» How He Proposed: On the National Mall over a picnic brunch.
» Pet Names: He calls her "Chivita," a play on "chivito," the national sandwich of Uruguay.
» When She Knew: He visited her in Conakry, Guinea. "To say that Conakry isn't exactly a dream vacation is a HUGE understatement," Elizabeth says.
» Celebrating Heritage: In the Mexican tradition, a lasso will be placed in a figure eight around the couple after they exchange vows, symbolizing unity.
Written by Express contributor Rachel Kaufman
Emilia, 24, is a grad student. Jake, 24, is a program officer at a nonprofit. They live in Chevy Chase.
» The Main Event: A beach wedding on July 18 with just a few friends; the reception's a week later in Washington state, with 50 guests.
» Honeymoon: Peru.
» How They Met: In a high school lit class. "I realized I did not like anyone I was sitting by," she says. "I moved across the room to the only other empty seat, behind the guy who was always reading, ignoring the teacher and somehow getting A's. I was intrigued, to say the least."
» First Impressions: "She was a constant irritation! All I wanted to do was escape from that horrible class by ignoring everything around me, but she just would not let me."
» First Date: Dinner and a walk around a nearby lake.
» How He Proposed: When the weather went sour on a trip to the beach, they spent the day shopping, "and eventually ended up in jewelry stores," he says. "Everything just kind of fell into place from there."
» Stupidest Fight: "We got into a shouting match over which was more efficient for eating rice: chopsticks or spoons," Emilia says.
» The Dress: Tea-length. "And bare feet. It will be very simple and perfect for dipping my toes in the ocean."
Written by Express contributor Rachel Kaufman
Brian, 29, is an aerospace engineer. Kathleen, 29, is a foreign affairs specialist. They live in Arlington.
» The Main Event: On June 20, a full Mass with 150 guests at a church in Northwest D.C.
» Honeymoon: A 10-day trip through Thailand and Cambodia.
» How They Met: As freshmen at the University of Southern California, where she noticed a Detroit Red Wings drawing on a whiteboard outside a dorm room. "I popped my head in to see who the fan was." The fan was Brian's roommate, but Brian was "much cuter."
» First Date: He asked her to accompany him to a fraternity event. "I didn't realize it was a 'date,'" she said. "I didn't want to ruin the friendship, but he totally won me over."
» How He Proposed: At the Tidal Basin after margaritas at Ceiba. "Once we got to the Tidal Basin, she got a little distracted by a baby duck. I was finally able to convince her to leave the duck." That's when he popped the question.
» Wedding Jitters: She says: "That I'll get something on the dress before Brian gets to see it." He says: "Definitely a zombie attack."
» Making It Unique: "We're not having a silly unity candle," Brian says.
Written by Rachel Kaufman for Express
Nurys, 37, owns a staffing firm. Doug, 35, works with Nurys as vice president of sales and marketing. They live in Arlington and Chicago.
» The Main Event: A formal event at the Ritz-Carlton in Chicago with 90 guests, Doug's father (a former pastor) officiating, and violinists playing "Ave Maria" and "Take My Breath Away."
» How They Met: At a fundraiser gala, where he flirted with her even though he thought she'd come with someone else. When they next met a few months later, "I made sure to show her I could also behave like an adult," he says.
» First Impressions: "I thought he was obnoxious but that he would be a great salesperson for the company that I had just launched."
» First Date: Depending on who you ask, either a museum visit in Chicago or dinner four days later.
» How He Proposed: She surprised him with a trip to Paris for his birthday, and he surprised her by proposing in front of the Sacre Coeur church, one of her favorite places.
» When She Knew: When she walked 40 miles as part of a two-day walkathon and "he took care of my blisters, the pain, everything. He created a triage room in my spare bedroom."
» Their Song: Doug confesses to liking "What a Wonderful World" by Louis Armstrong.
» With Unlimited Funds: She says: "Maybe hire the Gipsy Kings to play live and a tequila ice luge!"
Written by Rachel Kaufman for Express
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