Denise and Mike met one fateful night in Vegas seven years ago. Their story defies the rule: what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas. She was there with a bunch of girlfriends to blow off steam and he was there went to celebrate his friends’ MCAT completion. They flirted during that first encounter and met up the next evening to watch the fountain show at the Bellagio. They exchanged numbers and that was that.
Until Mike called. She lived in Boston and he was outside of Philly. These phone calls started happening every night and thus began a long distance relationship that lasted for two years. Friends referred to him as ‘Vegas Mike’. One trip that involved a miserable Chicago layover helped them make the decision that this nonsense needed to end. Eventually ‘Vegas Mike’ became ‘Mike’.
I met them a few days before their wedding for their engagement session at Race Street Pier. It was a chilly day and there were a million things going on but it was important to actually hang out with them before the big day.
Denise had known that a proposal was in the works. Mike had unintentionally set up romantic moments a million times over with no sign of a ring. Valentine’s Day would have been cliché. He popped the question the next day as Denise was watching Survivor. She said that there was this moment when she just didn’t know if she should pause the show or just leave it on.
I know that this is such a tease but you’ll just have to wait a few more weeks for their wedding pictures at the Pyramid Club! So soon!
Take my hand, take my whole life too
For I can’t help falling in love with you
~ Elvis Presley, “Can’t Help Falling in Love”
