Bridget & Erskine met on eHarmony and had an instant connection. Even though Bridget was living in Australia and Erskine in Texas, distance was no obstacle for them. They felt so strongly about each other that within ten days of being matched Erskine booked his flight to make the long journey to Australia to meet Bridget in person. From there their love blossomed. Not only was their first meeting unique but so was their proposal. When Erskine proposed in the couple’s bathroom he felt Bridget had missed out on a special moment. To make it up to her, Erskine proposed to Bridget thirty more times!
Read all about Bridget & Erskine’s unique proposal and beautiful beach wedding in the Dominican Republic.
Bride & Groom: Bridget & Erskine
Wedding Date: May 27, 2017
Wedding Location: Jellyfish Restaurant, Dominican Republic
Tell us how you met and all about the proposal. Our love story is somewhat unique in that we were in different hemispheres when we first ‘met’ on eHarmony. I was living in Perth, Australia whilst he was based in Houston, Texas. Despite the 13 hour time difference, our first phone conversation lasted 7 hours! There was such a deep connection that within 10 days of being matched on eHarmony, he’d booked his flight to fly 30 hours to come to Australia to meet me. While we were in Perth, I surprised him with a quick trip to Sydney during his visit… We love the fact that as Americans, our first ‘date’ was at the Sydney Opera House! We plan to go back to Oz for our anniversary because it was the trip of a lifetime! We both live in Houston, TX now. Our proposal was uneventful because I’d had a hand in designing my ring so I knew that an official proposal was coming. The morning after he picked up the ring, he woke up talking about ‘the love’– as we often refer to our relationship. While getting in the shower, he continued on about his appreciation for the relationship that I’ve built with his daughters from his first marriage (Macey, 6 & Mackenzie, 8). I sat on the edge of the tub as he talked about our friendship and how he feels that I am his biggest supporter. While brushing his teeth he said that he wants to spend the rest of his life with me, and then dropped on one knee and asked me to be his wife! Throughout this time, he was buck naked, so needless to say we don’t have pictures from the engagement! LOL After he proposed, he said that he regretted that he didn’t give me my ‘moment’ with fanfare for the official proposal. While I told him that the intimacy between the two of us was more important than a big production, he said that every girl deserves to have their ‘moment’ at their proposal. As a compromise, he decided to propose to me every day for thirty days!!!!! So, not only did I get my ‘moment’, I got THIRTY of them!!!! They ranged from yelling out WILL YOU MARRY ME in front of total strangers at a restaurant, a text message while I was at work, or simply waking me up a few minutes before midnight because he forgot to do it that day!
Describe your wedding theme. My husband and I grew up in Minnesota and South Carolina respectively. We have lived all over the world throughout our careers, making “friends for life” along the way. This meant that —no matter where we decided to get married– SOMEBODY would have to travel for the nuptials. So, we decided that EVERYBODY would have to travel! The theme was to make it a vacation that happened to have a wedding in the middle of it! We chose a holiday weekend to allow for flexibility around the vacation time.
I have been to Punta Cana numerous times before. While sitting on the beach during my first visit, I saw a couple getting married on the beach and casually mentioned to my sister, “THIS is how I am going to get married. On the beach, in Punta Cana.” I’d totally forgotten that I’d made that statement, but my sister reminded me during her toast on our wedding day!
Favorite guilty pleasure: Bananas Foster from a local Houston restaurant. There have been days where we’ve gone to the full service restaurant, only to get the dessert!
What is your best memory from your wedding? You know, some of my family (including my parents) have never been outside of the country. To have 89 people join us for our wedding… it will always hold a special place in my heart.
What is the best wedding advice you can give to engaged couples? Wedding planning is stressful, no doubt! But don’t lose sight of the real purpose of that day, the first day of your life together. If you focus on THAT, all of the other stresses and drama surrounding you will see insignificant!
If people decide not to come to your wedding, don’t fret. Those who can be there, will be. Those who don’t want to be there, won’t be. Those who desire to be there, but circumstances (i.e. finances, poor planning, etc.) did not allow them to come, will be there in spirit.
No personal cameras during your wedding ceremony. We wanted our guests to EXPERIENCE the love during our ceremony by being fully attentive. So many guests said that they were glad that they did it. Besides, when you have great photographers/videographers—you don’t need an iPhone snapping in your face as you walk down the aisle!
Don’t stress too much about how you will look on your wedding day. I’ve never seen an ugly bride. You WILL be beautiful on your wedding day. Now go on and eat that extra French fry!
Vendors:
Venue: Jellyfish Restaurant, Dominican Republic
Photography: Katya Nova Photography
Bakery: Cake Studio Bavaro
Makeup Artistry: Indira Mua Makeup Artist
Handmade Goods Designer: MilkTeabyBThanari Etsy Shop
Handemade Goods Designer: Guesterly
Bridesmaids Dresses: Ventura Bridal
Shoes: JCorrea Creations
Stationery: Woodlark Designs
Wow beautiful story!
Ephesians 5:28,29 – 28. In the same way husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. A man who loves his wife loves himself, 29. for no man ever hated his own body,* but he feeds and cherishes it, just as the Christ does the congregation,
https://www.jw.org/en/publications/books/happy-family/god-happy-marriage/