Engagement Photos: Monique and Howard

Howard and Monique met in the 9th grade. Monique met him through mutual friends at lunch time….and was immediately intrigued! She asked him out and much to her dismay Howard said NO! (He admits it was because he was afraid to hurt her) For the next 8 years they tiptoed around each other, both afraid to make a move and potentially ruin their friendship. Howard was the one that Monique’s entire family always asked, “When are you two going to start dating already?!” But Monique always brushed it off as just friends. The end of February 2011, they started hanging out again with music as their excuse. They would record songs together in Howard’s closet studio. Three months later, Howard proposed by hiding the ring under Monique’s microphone in his studio. After an eight month engagement they said “I do!” just three weeks before their one year anniversary! On their wedding day Howard said in his speech to Monique, “Three months after I asked you out, I asked you to marry me…that’s crazy! And to think 8 years ago you asked me out and I said no….well that makes me crazy. But being crazy means I get to spend the rest of my life with you, so I don’t want to be normal. We aren’t together for some random meeting or happenstance, we’re together because our lives since the day we met have been tiptoeing around and towards each other. We are meant to be here…together.” Monique, “I was most excited to see his face when he saw me walking down the aisle. I was so excited to marry this man! To be his wife! He makes me giddy inside! ”