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August 24, 2019
Calgary, Canada

Michael & Joelene

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Joelene Ch'ng

and

Michael Despres

August 24, 2019

Calgary, Canada

Our Story

If there's one thing that can be said about Joelene and Michael, it's that neither are afraid of an adventure. It was this very search of adventure that brought these two together. Joelene had a comfortable life in Melbourne. She had established a successful career, bought a house, and had the support of an amazing group of friends. But she grew restless and wanted to see more of the world (because travelling the entire continent of Australia and Asia wasn't enough). She set out to London for the chance to explore Europe (and has since travelled to over forty countries)! Michael was halfway through law school when he decided to spend a summer interning at a law firm in London. In that time, he fell in love with the city, and jumped at the opportunity to start his legal career there after graduation. He was expecting adventure, culture, and a lot of hard work. To his delight, he also found his future wife! Michael and Joelene attended the same church congregation in London, although did not meet until months later. One Sunday afternoon, Michael hosted a friend's birthday, and luckily for him, Joelene had decided to tag along with a friend. His dry sense of humour caught her attention just enough to give him a fighting chance when he later asked her out. They shared their first kiss in the beautiful Regent's Park with a saxophonist playing in the background during sunset (which later inspired Michael's proposal plans). Michael asked Joelene to be his girlfriend shortly after, and they have shared their love of music, film, and travelling ever since.

The Proposal

The couple moved to New York City, where Michael had big plans for his marriage proposal. One early rainy morning before work, he scouted the enormous Central Park to try and find the perfect spot to pop the question. On Christmas Eve, they spent the day exploring the city and had lunch at the famous Loeb Boathouse. They wandered around Central Park, where Joelene began to grow suspicious, while Michael continued to stall to remain in the park. Michael eventually lead her to a pier overlooking the water with the city in the background, until a saxophonist (who was running half an hour late, which is why Michael was stalling) started to play Joelene's favourite music. Michael got down on one knee and asked Joelene if she would be his wife. She immediately started to cry whilst nodding her head. Their sense of adventure has taken them to numerous countries, and they're excited for many more adventures to come. They are thrilled to have you join them in celebrating their next big adventure!

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