Dede, 29, is a patent examiner. Michael, 30, is a patent attorney. They will live in D.C.
» The Main Event: A semiformal, traditional ceremony in Washington on Dec. 5 with 100 guests in attendance.
» Honeymoon: St. Maarten, where Michael's grandmother has a condo.
» How They Met: They started working at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office on the same day in 2006.
CURTIS BATEMAN WANTED to pop the question to Nancy Perschbacher with flair, so he got them into Breakfast With the Penguins at the Maryland Zoo in Baltimore. (Why not? Their first date was a visit to see baby Tai Shan at the National Zoo.) During the penguin talk, the zookeeper explained that penguins mate for life, and that the zoo puts bands on the penguins to show which penguin is mated to which. The keepers, who were in on Curtis' plan, "asked for volunteers to demonstrate the banding process. I didn't want to volunteer, but Curtis insisted. They put a band on Curtis and then he interrupted them and said he had his own band for me." "Her surprise at seeing me down on one knee was priceless," Curtis said.
Nancy, 28, is a collections manager at the International Spy Museum. Curtis, 26, is a collections manager at the IBEW Museum. They live in Alexandria and will marry Oct. 10, 2010, in Leesburg, Va.
Written by Express contributor Rachel Kaufman
Chris, 25, is an ophthalmology office assistant. Rebecca, 25, is a physical therapy grad student. They live in Falls Church.
» The Main Event: On Oct. 10, 2010, they'll wed in Baltimore in front of 150 or so guests. Their wedding planner's husband will officiate.
» How They Met: In college, when he called a foul on her intramural basketball team. "My team was all athletes, and we were playing a sorority team," she says. "We needed two points to win by default, and he called a technical foul on me!"
AN IMPROMPTU GAME of musical chairs turned into love when Megan Orton and Ben Meyer both went out with friends to watch the 2009 Super Bowl. The two groups sat next to each other, but there weren't enough chairs to go around. "Megan just decided to use my lap as a seat, and the rest is history," Ben says. She just remembers trying to get his number "and insisting it was probably fake."
She called him later that night, which led to a (less crowded) date, which led to Ben's meeting Megan's parents and asking her father for his blessing during the same trip. Then, he asked, "Can I get something off my chest?" and popped the question.
Megan, 26, works for the U.S. Air Force. Ben, 23, is a student. She lives in D.C., he lives in Iowa, and they'll decide where to live after they marry July 24, 2010 — at a place where there will be enough chairs for everyone.
Written by Express contributor Rachel Kaufman
» The Main Event: They'll swap vows Nov. 27 in front of 150 guests, all dressed to the nines in a mansion in Mitchellville, Md. Katrina will walk down the aisle to "For You," by Kenny Lattimore.
» Honeymoon: A seven-day cruise in the Bahamas.
» How They Met: In high school. "I had a secret crush on her," Lemar says. Though he never told her, word got around. Their senior year, she wrote in his yearbook: "I have heard enough stories over the past four years about this crush. Too bad we never got to know each other better. Keep in touch."
Jessi, 31, is an education manager. Paul, 34, is a financial analyst. They live in Arlington.
» The Main Event: On Nov. 20, they'll wed at the D.C. temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. A less private, but still small, ring ceremony will follow on Nov. 21 with brunch for 70 family members and friends.
» Honeymoon: New York City.
» How They Met: Through mutual friends, but he first noticed her when she laughed at an off-color joke.
SHE TELLS PEOPLE that their first encounter was at a wine tasting, but the truth is Jen Schuett and Paul Vaca met at a Georgetown University event known as Security — "a nerdy game similar to Model U.N.," Jen says. "We were both on Team Poland. He likes to explain the details of the event and our team strategy when people ask how we met." Their first date: canvassing for Barack Obama on U Street.
Paul's proposal took an unexpected turn when Jen twisted her ankle 20 minutes before the romantic evening he'd planned was to begin. He switched gears and brought dinner, wine and champagne to Jen's place, "where I found her lying in bed, icing her foot with a bag of peas." And there he popped the question. "It wasn't what I had planned, but she said yes!"
Jen, 25, is a graduate student. Paul, 28, is a foreign service officer. They live in D.C. and will marry Nov. 21.
Written by Express contributor Rachel Kaufman
Paul, 26, is a systems administrator. Virginia, 23, is a recruitment manager. They live in Arlington.
» The Main Event: A Nov. 21 wedding at an old Masonic temple in Baltimore. Their pastor will officiate in front of 150 guests.
» Honeymoon: A Caribbean cruise. "We're excited to go scuba diving in the different islands," Virginia says.
» How They Met: On move-in day at St. Mary's College of Maryland. He was a junior and she was a freshman.
» First Impressions: "I was afraid she wouldn't like me." "I thought he was annoyed by freshman girls following him around."
Stephen, 56, left, is a nonprofit accountant. Ed, 46, is a retail manager and art instructor. They live in D.C.
» The Main Event: They'll marry Nov. 21 in Hartford, Conn., with a small reception that day. A bigger party in D.C. will follow on Dec. 6.
» Honeymoon: None due to time constraints at work, but "the last 20 years have been one anyway!" Ed says.
» How They Met: Ed took out a personal ad in the Washington Blade, which Stephen answered more than 20 years ago.
AMY QUAN FIRST heard about John Cordone from a recruiter at work, who quipped that he was "eye candy." He found his new co-worker "confident and pretty." At first, Amy was reluctant to get involved with a fellow employee. But their friendship grew into love after she moved into a condo two buildings down from his (he "coincidentally" suggested she look in his complex).
John visited Amy's family over a long weekend, when he'd planned to propose. An uncle translated as John asked Amy's grandmother for permission." Grandma Quan was excited and honored that John asked, but she also wanted to see the ring first!" At dinner, "my grandmother kept asking other family members in Chinese (which I don't speak) if John had proposed yet— I had no clue!" Later that night, he popped the question.
John, 35, is a network operations manager. Amy, 32, is an HR consultant. They live in Alexandria and will wed Nov. 7.
Written by Express contributor Rachel Kaufman
Addison Road