April Fool’s Day 2017 was no joke! The Santa Clara University Young Alumni Soiree was in full swing when Mike noticed a stunning girl across the bar. He claims that Emily was “checking him out” as well, but to this day that’s still up for debate. Mike walked over to Emily and struck up a conversation. Emily’s friends kept asking her to dance, but she turned them down because she was too immersed in conversation with Mike. Emily not wanting to dance..? Something was up! Before they knew it, the bar was closing and it was time to leave. They couldn’t wait to see each again, so Mike invited Emily to attend mass at the Santa Clara Mission the very next day. Three years later, they will become husband and wife at the same location. Mission Santa Clara will always be their special place.

I wanted to propose to Emily in the Rose Garden, but needed a way to get her there. So, I asked her out to dinner at a restaurant that was conveniently located one block away. The plan was simple. I would drive her to dinner, make a small detour along the way, and propose to her in the park. A classic bait-and-switch. Emily and I were on our way to the restaurant when I said, “We’re a bit early for dinner. Why don’t we make a quick stop by the Rose Garden and look at some houses?” Emily and I have always loved looking at the houses close to this park. I must have been pretty confident in asking Emily to marry me because I invited our families to watch the proposal from afar. The pressure was on. We pulled up to the Rose Garden and walked hand-in-hand as I led her to a trellis surrounded by roses. When I stopped walking, she said, “Why’d you stop? Aren’t we going to go look at the houses?” The jig was up and I got down on one knee. I was so nervous that I didn’t even notice that the engagement ring box was upside down. Emily was in shock for a moment, but she responded with happy tears and a smile on her face. She said yes!