Every now and then you hear stories about a couple’s relationship that make you think: now THAT is love.
To me, that is Monique and Monte’s story.
Monique and Monte met 20 years ago while working at Dillard’s. After being friends for a few years, they started dating and were together for a year. As sometimes happens, their relationship ended and they went their separate ways.
In hearing Monique tell me their story, she said “we didn’t have any contact for 15 years. And I dated other people…but I would always compare them to Monte and just wanted them to be him.”
After 15 years without contact, they finally reconnected… via Facebook.
Who says that social media is all bad?!
Once they made that initial contact in December of 2015, they began dating once again, and in October of last year, they got engaged.
Now, I already thought this was the most adorable love story. But Monique added more.
When she contacted me, she told me that she wanted to get married specifically on Tuesday, January 10th. When I questioned the day of the week she told me the following:
“I asked Monte when he wanted to get married. He said January 10th. I said, ‘But that’s your birthday.’ He said, ‘I know. It’ll be easy for me to remember our anniversary!'”
I burst out laughing when I heard this! I LOVED the fact that he wanted to share his birthday with his anniversary! (Especially coming from someone who sometimes questions when my own anniversary is…don’t tell my husband!)
But now for the best part: Monique told Monte that it wasn’t possible to put a wedding together that quickly. She told him it was too soon and that they wouldn’t be able to get married on that day…all as she began making plans: hiring an officiant, securing a location, and finally, hiring a photographer :).
To maintain the surprise, Monique told Monte that she would be taking care of and pampering him all day for his birthday (see – the timing really did work out!)
On the 10th, Monique took Monte out for breakfast, they went shopping, got some new threads, and Monique got her hair done. Monique even went one step further and told Monte that they were getting all dolled up so that they could take engagement pictures – SUPER SNEAKY!
At 4:30 pm, I arrived at Monique and Monte’s apartment complex to take their “engagement pictures” and BOY do they know how to photograph. Just look at how adorable they are together!
After enjoying a bit of the sunset, we all went inside of their apartment’s clubhouse (presumably to warm up and for me to pick up some things I’d left in the office).
When we walked in, Karlos, the officiant, was there waiting. Monique proceeded to tell Monte the truth about why we were all there…and it was wedding time!
Needless to say, Monte was shocked! But quite excited :).
The couple exchanged their vows and rings with just the four of us present.
After the ceremony, Karlos led a beautiful prayer.
Before I captured some of the final detail shots from their big day.
Monique and Monte, I am THRILLED that the two of you were able to find each other TWICE in this lifetime. A million congratulations to you both and thank you for letting me share in your joyous wedding day!
