Two People: Dayna and Joe

What do you get when you mix a snow storm, hot chocolate, and a super fun couple? An adorable engagement session in Youngstown's Crandall Park!! Meet Joe and Dayna. They are a totally cool couple getting married October 22, 2011.

How long have you been together?  

We met about 5 years ago, started dating 4 years ago, and have been engaged 7 months.

How did you meet?  

Joe was on a deployment to Iraq and happened to be home on leave (he was home for 2 weeks), and he was at a bar with some of his friends catching up.  I was home from college for the summer, and was out with some of my friends for my 21st birthday.  My birthday wasn't until midnight, but we somehow convinced the bartender that I was already 21...so I had finished multiple drinks by the time Joe's friend (and best man) came over to our table to say 'hi.'  He began talking with my longest friend from growing up, so the rest of their group eventually came over as well.  Joe and I were talking for a while before I needed to get up for a trip to the bathroom, so I gracefully stood up from by barstool and immediately fell to the ground...except Joe was standing right next to me and was able to break my fall!  After that night, we continued to get together until Joe left to go back to Iraq.  We emailed back and forth for his remaining time in Iraq until he came back to Youngstown that winter.  We got together again over my Christmas break, and went on our first date on Christmas Eve.  Joe invited me to a Browns game, and we had a blast.  I even surprised Joe with how much I actually knew about football, so he knew I was a keeper. =)  And I knew he was a keeper when I learned later how difficult it was for him to contain his usual 'football game behaviors' during that game because I was there.  It might not be the most romantic story but we love to talk about the night we met and how Joe 'swept me off my feet.'

 

How did you get engaged?  

Joe and I got engaged on August 24, 2010.  I was spending that morning getting oriented to my new job and came home excited to have the rest of the day to spend with Joe.  It was a gorgeous day, so he suggested that we go for a walk, which is one of my favorite things to do in the summer!  He drove me out to a large lake, where we had been a few times before.  We walked around a few different places along the lake, and Joe decided to show me a boardwalk that he had found one day while he was fishing.  So we hopped in the car and drove to the opposite side to find the boardwalk.  It was extremely long and curvy and as soon as we got all the way out to the end of the boardwalk, I could see the disappointment on Joe's face when we looked down and the water was barely covering the muddy ground below us.  The boardwalk had taken us out to the middle of a swamp rather than the deep lake that Joe remembered seeing there before.  It was still a beautiful view from there, looking out to the rest of the lake.  We laughed about it for a minute then Joe pulled the ring from his pocket, got down on his knee and asked me to marry him!  Before I even said yes, I immediately blurted out, "But you didn't talk to my dad!"  He assured me that he had talked to my dad, and then asked me if I was going to say yes.  Oops.  Then of course I said yes!

What's been the biggest challenge with planning your wedding?  

I don't think any of the planning has been more challenging than I thought it would be, although making the time to commit to it has been difficult.  It is very easy to get sidetracked to hair styles and shoes when I am supposed to be looking at centerpiece ideas! 

What's the one thing you're most looking forward to on your wedding day? 

We are most looking forward to having all of our friends and family there to celebrate our marriage with us!  We have such amazing people around us all the time, so it will be wonderful to have their support on that day.  The next best thing that we're looking forward to is the cookie table, of course. 

What's the one thing you're most nervous about? 

I have a recurring dream that I forget to wear my dress on the wedding day.  So I guess I am most nervous about that. =)

What's the best advice you can give to a new bride planning her wedding?

Start putting your guest list together early.  You may have an idea of a number in your head, but you might be surprised once you start writing everyone down!

 

At the Youngstown Club in downtown Youngstown.

I just love Dayna's smile!

With their sweetie!

LOVE this image!

Braving the cold with a nice hot chocolate!

I love my headless people.

Sled riding fun!

 

 

List your vendors:
Church: St. Brendan
Venue : Maronite Center
Event planner : Pat Butto, The Party People
Florist: ??
DJ/Band: Red Line
Photographer: Jaci Clark

Transportation:  Affluent Travel by VIP Limousine

Thanks Joe and Dayna! I am SO happy for the both of you and cannot wait until your wedding!!!

Cheers,