Erica and Scott: Banner Ad Marriage Proposal

How We Met: I had been participating in a Fire Island Beach share house for several years. On the recommendation of a fellow housemate, Scott joined in summer of 2008. We were introduced via a mass email chain of housemates discussing what to make that weekend for dinner. Soon the chain broke off to just an email between Scott and I, making jokes and passing the hours until the end of the work week. We decided to meet at Penn Station (each with a close friend) to travel to the beach together. After meeting, getting to the house and cooking in the kitchen together, the chemistry was undeniable.

The group decided to continue the weekend’s festivities with a happy hour back in the city the following Tuesday. As the work week began, everyone cancelled (including me!), but Scott was persistent. He insisted we meet for a drink, even if only across the street from my home. I acquiesced, we had a few drinks, went for dinner and have been inseparable ever since!

How He Asked: Thursday, April 26th began as a really stressful day at my Ad Agency. With multiple accounts having multiple drama filled moments, it was all I could do to take some time for lunch with my team. As I complained about the morning to 2 teammates, little did I know that they were bursting at the seams since they knew what was to come that afternoon.

Around 4:30pm, I was sitting in my office when a co-worker came rushing in to let me know our client had called. He said the client was surfing BBC.com, where we are currently running a campaign, and that the ads were not rendering correctly. Oh great, I thought, more drama! He told me to click on the link that another co-worker then immed to me, and as I watched the page load there were banners with pink flowers all over them. I looked up at my co-worker and said, these aren’t our banners. I looked back down to the screen and in place of the flowers was a message. It said “Erica, will you marry me? You are the love of my life. –Scott” I looked back at my co-worker– we tend to play jokes on each other– but this one did not strike me as funny. Just as I was about to get angry for such a mean joke, in walked Scott, in his tuxedo, with a dozen gorgeous roses and 2 professional violinists!

My co-worker snuck out of my office to make room for Scott, who got down on one knew and asked me to marry him. All of my office mates were standing outside of the wall of my office, beaming, and once I recovered (sort of) from the shock and romance, we all went to the main conference room for some celebratory cocktails.

What followed was a happy hour that I had set up with an industry colleague that was actually all part of the engagement plan too, as my mom, sister and new in-laws were all waiting at the bar to celebrate. Around 10pm, I texted my team to ask if I could work from home the following day, the bubbly was going to my head. A couple of weeks later, a trade publication for our industry, AdAge, posted the story online. We got to relive the moment, along with a minor bout of internet celebrity as the story reached it’s way across the twitter-sphere, and the world!

Susan and Randy

Randy and I officially met on St. Patrick’s Day 2010 – although we’d known of each other prior to that day, through Randy’s cousins and my brother. Everyone always says, “When you know… you know!” It is absolutely true!

We became each other’s best friend and love in a blink of an eye. We realized that we share so much in common; both were raised very similar and value our families more than anything. Our love story seems like it was on turbo mode: we were in love within a month and talking marriage shortly after that; even to each other’s families. We challenge and keep each other grounded at the same time. Whether it’s lying around the house or going out with friends, we are always constantly laughing and having a good time.

To our surprise about 6 months after we started dating, we found out we were expecting! I know, yikes, right? We were both a little nervous about the timing, but knew how much we loved one another and were completely confident we wanted to spend the rest of our lives with one another and have children together. Coming from a fairly strict religious upbringing, the “marriage before the baby is born” conversation, became a much talked about subject. This, of course, made it very tough for Randy: he wanted to make it special for me and in our own time, not because we were going to have a baby or because anyone else thought we should.

So, he stuck to his guns and on April 9th 2011 Randy proposed at our huge co-ed baby shower. He wanted to have our families and friends witness and share in the excitement. It was so special! Right before we opened gifts and were thanking everyone for coming, he turned to me and got down on one knee. While fighting back tears, he choked out “Susan, will you marry me?” My answer was obviously “Of course!” He later said there was so much more he had wanted to say to me at that moment, but I assured him it couldn’t have been more perfect!

On May 11th, 2011, we lovingly brought our son, Noah Ray, into the world. Never in our lives have we had so much uncontrollable love for someone. Becoming parents together it has made our relationship ten times stronger. I do not know the person I would be without Randy. Watching him with Noah fills me with so much joy. He is a wonderful father, and I fall more and more in love with him each and every day. Having the baby put our wedding planning on hold for a bit, but now have officially set a date for October 27th of this year! I know this is the man God sent for me, and we cannot wait to get married! Randy and I also won an awesome wedding photography package last summer with the wonderful, Alyssa Marie Photography! She is so talented and we couldn’t be more thrilled or in love with these engagement photos!

Photos by Alyssa Marie Photography

Estee and Roberto in Puerto Rico

How We Met: Our story started December 5th, 2009 at an event called The Don Quijote Awards. The award show serves to honor hispanic business owners of Central Florida and Roberto’s brother and sister-in-law were huge winners of the evening. Ironically, I knew his sister-in-law!! I walked over to extend a congratulations and say hello. This was the best thing I did all night seeing as how she then introduced me to Roberto. I instantly melted when I saw his beautiful, bright smile! Why I was so nervous, I have no clue; it’s so unlike me! But I regained my composure and we spoke for a few minutes. The conversation ended with us exchanging contact information and returning to our tables. Now it was time for the waiting game. Would he call? Would he email?

The following day he emailed me. I couldn’t have been more excited! I was in a meeting when he called and I promise you, as soon as my cell phone rang, I immediately bolted! We spoke for a while before setting up our first date; we agreed on a delicious sushi restaurant in downtown Orlando. Our date was December 10th, 2009 and we’ve been inseparable ever since.

How He Asked: April 26th, 2012, just days after my birthday, Roberto decided to take me to his hometown, Rincon, Puerto Rico. It’s a little town with so much charm! Plus, it is home to many of the best surfing beaches in Puerto Rico which totally sells itself! What’s sensational about this trip is that he brought his parents along. By the way, we get along very well, so it was wonderful to spend this time with them and learn so much about the history this little town of Rincon holds. As I was enjoying the tourist attractions, beaches and food he was busy planning the next phase of his master plan – the arrival of my family.

The next evening, Friday, my parents, sister and her boyfriend surprised me. I was in shock as I cried and hugged them. Roberto still stuck to his story that the trip AND surprise were both for my birthday. Of course I believed him! As the third day approached, we planned for a trip into the city and dinner at night. On our way back from the city, he insisted on stopping by a lighthouse located in the heart of Rincon. I was kind of against the idea since we all had to get ready for dinner, but eventually gave in. Poor thing, he must have been thinking, “Gosh! She’s making this whole proposal thing really difficult.” We arrived at the lighthouse for the highlight of the trip – my proposal.

Upon our arrival, my family members and his were taking photos and enjoying the scenery. I was by their side until Roberto asked me to join him on this little trail that led to the beach. I love walks and hikes through nature so he knew it’d work. I proceeded to join him on the trail all the while truly thinking we were just taking it all in. As we approached the soft, white sand we gazed at the sunset. This is when he took my hand in his and got on one knee. In a flash, the whole trip and its purpose dawned on me, “Oh my gosh, he’s going to ask me to marry him!” That’s precisely what happened next.

Of course I said YES and today we are happily engaged planning a fabulous wedding. He’s wonderful. I couldn’t have asked for a better blessing.

Estee Martin is one of Central Florida’s most popular and dynamic radio personalities, with her unique style and unmistakable sultry voice! Congrats to a beautiful and talented woman!