David & Adrian: That Smiling Face
All photos (unless indicated) by: Courtney Garbow Photography
We love when our readers share their love stories so perfectly, that all we need to do is press publish! Please enjoy David and Adrian's story, slightly edited for brevity and flow.
"We actually met on Tinder," David began. "I had changed my Tinder location to Naples, FL as I had just accepted a principal's position nearby. Having never left my home state of North Carolina, this was going to be a big move." Little did he know exactly how big!
Photo: David
"After a week in Florida, I flew back to North Carolina and woke up to see that Adrian had swiped right on me. He only shared two pictures and an empty profile, which made think the profile was fake, but I swiped right just to see." Turns out Adrian had just set up his Tinder account, wasn't quite used to the app's functionality, and didn't yet want to take the time to fill out the profile. "Though Adrian had hundreds of guys who had swiped right on him, I was the first and I stood out to him because of a picture of me with my dogs."
Adrian messaged David to say he was overwhelmed by being on Tinder, but gave him his phone number instead, in case David wanted to text Adrian. David asked Adrian to FaceTime, which made him nervous, but "the moment we saw each other, it just clicked. We started this long-distance/virtual relationship over text and FaceTime."
Photo: Adrian & David.
And their first date was a two-day, U-Haul drive from North Carolina to Florida when Adrian came to help David move. " I knew from the moment I saw him for the first time at the airport that I loved him. After all, we had been talking for a while but when I saw him walking toward me in the parking lot, I knew he was the one. When we got back to my house from the airport, we were laying on the couch and he looked at me and said, "I think I love you." To which I said, "You think?" Then he said, "No, I know I love you." To which I replied, "Good, because I love you too."
David proposed to Adrian on Sept 5, 2020, which was his parent's 50th wedding anniversary and the day before his birthday. "Adrian wanted to take me away to the Florida Keys for my birthday weekend. Little did he know, I had this whole engagement planned out. I had the manager of the resort where we were staying in on it, I had hired a photographer, and got his ring. But our first day at the resort wasn't very pleasant. The AC was out in most of the rooms, we didn't get our room cleaned and Adrian wasn't happy at all. So he called management on the second day we were there (our engagement day) and asked for a full refund and to say that we were going to another resort." David had to scramble to make up an excuse to get Adrian back to the spot he was meant to propose. He asked if they could go back to the first resort for dinner given it was "hard to get in there." Adrian, despite asking why they'd go back, especially because he thought the management hated him, agreed only because it was David's birthday.
Once at the resort and restaurant, David had to Adrian's suspicions about the hard-to-book-restaurant that was actually empty; stepping away from the table to FaceTime with David's parents for their 50thAnniversary; texting to make sure the photographer was in place; and shooing away a young family that had set itself up in the gazebo where David was about to pop the question! "As we were leaving, I walked over to the gazebo and he just followed. I grabbed and faced him at which point he saw the photographer and said, 'babe, let's get out of the way, she's trying to take pictures of this place.' I told him: 'No babe, she's here for us.' Then I told him that 'this may be my birthday weekend but [you're] the best gift I have ever gotten,' and I got down on my knee and proposed and of course he said yes!"
When it came to planning their wedding, the two landed on the Naples Beach Resort and Golf Club. As David pointed out: "We picked that place because the venue was so beautiful and I have always wanted a beach wedding. Planning ours was surprisingly easy, because we are both really laid back. We worked really closely with our planner, and especially our photographer, who is now a really good friend of ours." David and Adrian went on to advise that having the photographer get to know you well is key.
The two tied the knot on March 27th this year. "Our ceremony was full of love. It was the most beautiful ceremony. To me, it couldn't have been more perfect." Their best friend officiated as the two exchanged vows they wrote. "They were both funny and big tear-jerkers, because we have both had long journeys to get to our wedding day. Saying our vows was my favorite part because they were personal. Then of course, when she pronounced us as husbands, and we sealed it." David continued: "For me coming from a very conservative family and growing up in church, I only had two people from my family come. But to see all the people who love and accept us for who we are come support us on our big day meant the world to us." Best yet: "Our guests told us that ours was one of the most beautiful weddings they have ever been to."
David and Adrian rounded out their big day with a reception that was food-and-fun-filled! Despite David recently having had several surgeries, the couple still managed to tear up the dancefloor which was where they received a great piece of advice from their DJ. "He told us to stop for a minute and look around and take it all in, see the people who are there, look at their faces, and remember that moment."
"Ever since our wedding, people say we can't stop smiling," David said. How could one when all it takes is one smiling face to find a love of a lifetime.
To hear David and Adrian story directly from them, watch their winning YouTube video below.
Ceremony & Reception Venue: Naples Beach Resort and Golf Club
Photographer: Courtney Garbow
Videographer: Nick Ummarino
Planner/Designer: Mary Bowlsbey
Catering: Naples Beach Resort and Golf Club
Floral Designer: Jan Conzelmann
DJ: DJ MadMel
Makeup Artist: Naihomi Ramos
Hair Stylist: Alea Pleasant
