We met at a Halloween party on this Saturday night back in 2013. We found out later that neither one of us really wanted to go out that night but eventually we both grabbed a last minute costume and decided to join our friends. I (Annie) was a sexy lady bug, completely clumsy in my high heels that I never wear. Rich's costume was Norman Bates as Mother. Basically a dude in a wig and a dress, so of course we exchanged numbers!
Our first date was a few days after the party. I met Rich in Long Beach where he was waiting for me at a nice restaurant. I didn't really know what he looked like without the wig on, so I'm glad he recognized me! After dinner we walked across the street to a quaint little pumpkin patch. We walked through the pumpkin patch, fed the farm animals at the petting zoo and played a few carnival games. It was a fun evening even if Rich wasn't dressed like a woman.
Rich and I continued to date until we realized we were more than just a couple casually dating. We wanted to be exclusive and continue to build our relationship. One night, on the boardwalk of Disneyland's California Adventure Park, we agreed to be each others one and only and the L word may have come out too.
Rich got sneaky on me and planned the proposal at his work holiday party. It was a beautiful scene of the harbor lights aboard the Queen Mary. We walked out on the deck and as I turned around for a picture, he was holding the box with a ring inside. He got down on one knee and proposed. I immediately said yes, ushered him to stand as not to draw too much attention (this shouldn't be a surprise to anyone who knows me), cried and gave him a huge kiss and hug.
Rich and I moved in together May of 2020. Right before the pandemic went into full swing. It was us being in a tiny one bedroom condo, working from home and not really being able to go anywhere Is what got me thinking. We had been talking about moving out of state for a while but I started to see how much of a reality it could be. I put my condo on the market, it sold, we bought a new house in a beautiful community in Georgetown Texas. We made the 3 day road trip, making a pit stop to visit my parents before our closing date and have been in our new home since October 14th, 2020. It wasn't a smooth transition, we made a lot of mistakes and we both have learned and grown from them. In the end we realized we make a great team. The humility, hardships, or mishaps that occurred along the way and the hilarious moments, exploring a new town, and meeting new friends made us grow closer together.
We postponed the wedding in 2020 to make the move. When the date that initially brought us together in the beginning rolled around again, we planned a small, casual wedding at the Georgetown Sheraton. The courtyard was perfect as we all gathered around a large oak tree. It went off without a hitch. Our good friend, Marisa, was our Officiant and did a wonderful job keeping the ceremony sentimental and light hearted. The weather couldn't have been more perfect - which is saying a lot if you know how bi-polar Texas weather can be. Afterwards, we came back to our house to celebrate with our friends, family and neighbors. Some came in costume to celebrate Halloween as well as our new marriage. It was fun, casual and relaxed, just the way we wanted it!