Our Lady of Peace

Wedding Day

Wedding

Basking Ridge Country Club

Reception

Our Wedding

It all began with a wink ;) ...a few email exchanges and a phone call to set up our first "date".&nbsp; &nbsp; We met for dinner at&nbsp;7:30 on a Monday night in July at Bensi's on Route 10.&nbsp; The restaurant was quiet. We chatted all the way through dinner until the restaurant was about to close.&nbsp;&nbsp; As we were leaving we decided that we would walk the shopping center and talk more.&nbsp; Eventually we parted knowing that I would be leaving for Arizona on Wednesday for 2 1/2 weeks. &nbsp;

 

Strangely, my flight was canceled and had to be rebooked for Friday.&nbsp; Sent a text to Mark to say what happened and secretly hoping he would bite and ask me out again.&nbsp; And just like that he did! So, on Thursday,&nbsp;we went to the movies and then afterwards we grabbed dinner.&nbsp; Once again conversation came easy and the 6am flight the next morning&nbsp;was getting closer.&nbsp; 

 





While in Arizona we continued to talk on the phone and text.&nbsp; As I returned home, we sneaked in a 3rd date and once again closed the restaurant and continued talking in the parking lot.&nbsp; Now, it was Mark's turn to get ready to leave for vacation for a week. 

 





As Mark vacationed, I was getting ready to go through the process of getting my apartment in Lake Hiawatha.&nbsp; Surprisingly, Mark was planning to come back up in the middle of his vacation from Avalon to go on another date.&nbsp; In the midst of planning our date, my mom had a stroke on the day I signed my lease and hid her symptoms because in her words she didn’t want me to worry because she was excited for the new chapters in my life of moving out and not wanting me to miss my date with Mark, someone she realized was making me happy.&nbsp; My next vacation was canceled and my concerned turned to my mom.&nbsp; Mark was wonderful.&nbsp; He called to check in on my mom and me and to see if we needed anything.&nbsp; He was my rock in a time I was devastated. Through the end of August and the month of September, my mom was beginning to heal, my apartment was taking shape, and my feelings for Mark began to grow.

 





As we continued to date, we started to become inseparable. Everyone around could feel it too. Slowly I started to introduce Mark to my family starting with my brother Joe and his family, then my cousins, Nick and Sharon, and soon my mom met Mark.&nbsp; By early November, I met Mark’s parents.&nbsp; Then few days later Mark met my parents and my cousin, Kelly, at Portobello’s for dinner.&nbsp; Unfortunately, I could not add much to the conversation since I had laryngitis.&nbsp; Believe it or not, all went extremely well. Not even a week later, Mark met more of my family at my uncle’s walk.&nbsp; Thanksgiving came and now we mingled into holiday dinners.&nbsp; I met Mark’s entire family all at once at their Thanksgiving celebration.&nbsp; They were wonderful and made me feel very comfortable.

 





Since all was moving along well, we decided right before Christmas to get our parents together since my dad was leaving for Arizona right after the holidays.&nbsp; We made Mark’s grandma’s special homemade lasagna.&nbsp; We decorated his house in and out.&nbsp; Christmas magic was in the air.&nbsp; Once again, we had a hit on our hands.&nbsp; Our parents enjoyed the evening with us and each other and stayed much later than expected.&nbsp; 

 





Rewind a moment back to September of making a comment of going to Arizona on my Spring break and saying it would be cool if you came. Of course, Mark saying sure, I’ll go!&nbsp; Now, fast forward to April, we took our first vacation together to Arizona.&nbsp; We traveled to Phoenix, Grand Canyon, Sedona, and last to Tucson to visit my brother, Pete and his family for Easter.&nbsp; Each destination held special memories.&nbsp; We enjoyed breathtaking sunsets, amazingly high heights, and Pink Jeep tours.&nbsp; Thinking this was a trip of a lifetime; little did I know more was in store in the very near future.

 





As summer was approaching, my brothers and I were discussing ways to surprise our parent’s for their 50 Wedding Anniversary.&nbsp; We finally decided that since they were in Arizona in the summer, we would surprise them in Sedona.&nbsp; Mark and I flew out a day earlier to squeeze in a quick trip to the Grand Canyon to relive that wonderful memory we shared in April.&nbsp; The next day we drove to Sedona to set up the 50th&nbsp;Anniversary surprise.&nbsp; Joe, Katy, and the kids flew in that day. Pete, Lizette, and Peter drove from Tucson with my parents trailing behind.&nbsp; We successfully surprised them in a gorgeous vacation home&nbsp;we rented for the week.&nbsp; &nbsp;After the many surprises we all had in store for my parents, Mark and I&nbsp;surprised the Corrado clan&nbsp;with&nbsp;our proposal&nbsp;news!&nbsp; 

 





Here is our story of our proposal&hellip;

 





Back to the day before my parent’s surprise, we arrived in Phoenix and drove to Grand Canyon for our Pink Jeep Sunset Tour.&nbsp; We began the tour with people from Europe and driving to different coves for picturing taking and capturing the canyons breathtaking views.&nbsp; It wasn’t uncommon for the tour guide to take pictures of couples and family with the canyon views behind them.&nbsp; On our last stop, Mark stayed behind by the tour guide (Mark likes to talk!).&nbsp; I went ahead taking pictures of the scenic views of the canyon.&nbsp;&nbsp; Next thing I know, the tour guide came over and said he had a perfect spot for pictures since the sun was beginning its descent and brought us not even 5 feet away from the edge!&nbsp; Didn’t I mention I am afraid of heights??? And then my life changed&hellip;.Mark went down on one knee and started talking.&nbsp; And I remember thinking, Oh my God!&nbsp; And then I remember saying aloud, “Yes&hellip;yes and yes!”&nbsp; We then watched the sun fully set as newly engaged couple.&nbsp; I have to give it to Mark for the perfect proposal and not to mention we have pictures and a video of him proposing thanks to our tour guide. This is exactly how I would imagine my perfect proposal.&nbsp; 

 







This is our story, our life, and proud to share it with all of friends and family.&nbsp;

Christine & Mark

Christine & Mark

C&M

Wedding Day

2:00 PM

Wedding

Reception