Alex spent his first date with Julianne looking at her in amazement. “I can’t believe I’m actually sitting across from her,” he thought. “She’s way out of my league!”
Julianne spent their first date wondering why she had to do all the talking and ended thinking it had been a complete disaster. “I texted my sister telling her I was never going on a date again,” she recalled.
First impressions are strange things, not least because they always come in pairs, and sometimes strikingly ill-matched ones.
They had clicked easily online
Their first impressions of each other online were much more promising. Alex, who had been trying online dating for several years and was about ready to give it up, was charmed by Julianne’s warm and outgoing personality: she seemed to him “Bright and bubbly, but in a humble, down-to-earth way.”
Julianne, for her part, appreciated finally finding a guy who seemed to share her values and had a sense of humor. Each was also impressed by the other’s looks. “We just got each other,” Julianne said. They messaged back and forth for a few weeks before exchanging phone numbers and arranging to meet for drinks at a little place near Julianne’s work.
After what seemed to her a disastrous first date, Julianne was rather startled when Alex asked her out again. He had been enchanted by her, even as she thought he’d been bored. Fortunately for both of them, she said yes.
Arranging their respective schedules proved a challenge, for though they both worked in the same city, it was New York and Alex worked in Manhattan while Julianne worked in the Bronx, which, practically speaking, is more or less the equivalent of not living in the same city. As always happens in such cases, it forced them to learn to communicate well very quickly and to make the most of the time they did have. But, as Julianne said, “it was worth it for the right person.”
Another disappointing date it seemed...
Their dates proved to be often quite creative and sometimes as misleading as the first, though in a more intentional style. For instance, on Julianne’s thirtieth birthday (she is now thirty-one and Alex thirty-three) they went out to dinner to celebrate. Julianne, of course, wanted cake on her special day, but to her surprise and annoyance Alex told the waiter they didn’t want any dessert before she could open her mouth.
To make matters worse, he asked if she would mind stopping by his office on their way home so he could finish up some work. Because what girl doesn’t want to spend her birthday watching her boyfriend catch up on work?
Much like that first date, however, Alex wasn’t quite the bore he seemed. When Julianne entered his office, she found thirty presents waiting for her. Including, of course a nice slice of cake.
“That was the sweetest thing anyone had ever done for me,” Julianne said. “I cried more on that day than the day of our engagement!”
What vintage is this?
Alex, as it turns out, had rather mastered the art of surprising Julianne and made sure to do the same for their engagement. On one of their previous dates they had gone to a winery in upstate New York. They’d had a great time there and always wanted to go back. This time, though, Alex made a few preparations with the staff.
When they arrived for their second visit and were enjoying themselves once again, the staff brought a very special brand of wine with a unique label. The label, in fact, contained a proposal of marriage.
Alex had worked it up himself and sent it ahead to be placed on a bottle of wine and brought to their table, where he would be prepared with a ring made in exactly her favorite style.
The question was a great surprise. The answer was not.
Alex and Julianne are now preparing for their wedding in fall of 2018, and no doubt wondering what other surprises await them down the road.
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