ULTIMATE WEDDING CONTEST

Proposal Date
November 9, 2009

Love Story
I was a freshman and it was my first day of high school. I stood anxiously waiting as my new teacher, Mrs. Lee, read off our names alphabetically from her seating chart. I looked around the classroom and began to fidget with my cherry necklace. I had grown an obsession with cherries since the 7th grade which was rather evident in my cherry earrings, book bag, hair clip, and cherry stickers all on my binder.

I didn’t have to stand very long because my last name started with a “B” so naturally I would be near the top of her list. I sat down and I decided to pull out my cherry-decorated pen and doodle.

As I began to draw cherries, I heard it: “Cherry, Is Akeem Cherry here?” I looked at Akeem in amazement as Mrs. Lee pointed him to the seat next to me. I had never known Cherry to be a last name and I wasted no time in expressing my enthusiasm. That class, along with many that would follow, I looked forward to talking with Akeem. It’s funny to think about the excitement I had towards him on that first day of high school, without even knowing he would be the man I’d fall in love with.

Proposal Story
One day during our third year of college, I got call from one of my advisors, saying he had extra tickets to see the musical “Dream Girls” downtown. I was extremely excited because I love musicals. I told Akeem. He seemed very surprised to hear the news, and promised to take me.

Before the show, Akeem suggested we walk toward Washington and Dearborn and enjoy the scenery. There, we saw a newscaster interviewing a man in front of the CBS news station. Akeem said he wanted to try talking to them so he could be interviewed as well, and I decided to stay behind. The reporter waved me over saying she wanted to ask me a few questions. I was very nervous as I tried thinking of my response while spelling out my name as she had requested.

Just then the jumbo television screen behind me lit up in pink, with the words, “Listen up princess. This is for you!” A slide show of pictures and video clips of Akeem and me appeared for all of downtown to see. Each picture had a different caption of things we had experienced since high school. My heart was beating rapidly in my chest as the last slide popped on the screen. It was a picture of us from when we tried running for prom prince and princess. The caption read, “Basically what I am trying to say is…turn around.”  I read those words and turned around to see my knight in shining armor on one knee with a beautiful princess cut diamond in his hands.

“Will you marry me?” he asked. I jumped up and down screaming, “Oh yes, oh yes, oh yes!” Just then I saw our families appear with cheers and banners of congratulations. Now every time I walk down Washington and Dearborn I look at the CBS news station and screen, and I remember the day my happily ever after began.