Suzanne + Alex Step Into The Limelight | The Rusty Pelican | Tampa, FL

December 12, 2019 Rebecca Zoumberos

Suzanne & Alex’ Love Story

How They Met…

From Alex: May 18, 2013 is where this love story began. As I walked in nervously into what was my first day working as a Summer Camp Counselor at Hunter's Green Country Club in Tampa, all I was worried about was trying not to sweat through the only shirt they had given me to wear for the summer (do not be alarmed - soon after, I received a 2nd shirt). After walking through the front door, any shot I had at my nerves disappearing (and the sweating stopping) was gone, as I laid eyes on the most beautiful girl I had even seen. From that moment, I knew this girl was going to be someone special in my life - and when I saw her in her (mandated) one-piece bathing suit during swimming time, I knew she was the one for me. 

The Proposal…

From Alex: Soon after we officially began dating (not until summer of 2016), I knew how I was going to do it. If and when we got to that point, I was going to take her back to summer camp at Hunter's Green. Thanks to a lot of planning (with the help of my mother, Matt Hilts, and plenty of friends along the way), I was able to convince her to visit our old stomping grounds with me, to check out the renovations. As we walked towards our old camp gathering area in the back of the club, I remembered an old conversation we had about six months earlier.

SC - "You nervous?"
AW - "I don't get nervous"
SC - "What about if you ever ask me to marry you, will you be nervous then?"
AW - "No"
SC - "I'll make sure to ask you in the moment"
AW - "I'll hold you to it"

As we stopped in front of the building, I turned and looked into her eyes, she seemed confused on what was going on. I knew at that point, I had pulled it off.

AW - "Aren't you going to ask me?"
SC - "Ask you what"
AW - "If I'm nervous"

It took a couple seconds for it to click with her, but before it did, I started to go into a rehearsed speech I had prepared 1,000 times leading up to this moment. When she finally sensed what was going on, and I saw the tears starting to form, and her face lighting up - I lost it. I no longer remembered what I was going to say. I'm not entirely sure what came out the rest of the way, but all I know is it ended with pulling out a small box from my back pocket (thanks, Jake Ninko, for the wallet-looking box - highly recommended) and I was on a knee, ready to give the love of my life the only secret I've ever had to keep from her (other than birthday presents). Obviously, you know what happens next.

Ready Or Not Here They Come!

From Alex: Life is hard. That's an understatement. Life is full of ups and downs. Isn't that the truth! I always loved the song, "Ironic" by Alanis Morissette - "It's like 10,000 spoons, when all you need is a knife", definitely my favorite line in the song. Life is most certainly - ironic.

How ironic it is, that in what I consider the greatest time of my life (my journey with Suzanne), we would also each go through our most difficult moments. Life hasn't been particularly kind to us in the past couple of years, but that's how I know we were meant for each other - I knew we were made for each other. I will never be able to put into words just how much support Suzanne has shown to be throughout my pain. She's been a shoulder to cry on, the Wall (pun intended) to lean on, and my best friend to vent to. She assures me that everything is going to be alright - and I believe her. This is why I pledged to her parents (and the rest of her family) that I'll work every single day to make sure I am everything to her, that she has been to me. I know that no matter what comes our way, as long as we both support each other, we can take on the world.

Fast forward through all the tough times, we think it's time for a celebration. Through a recent move, new jobs, and all the joy of planning a wedding, I think it's time to throw a big party to show just how far we have come.

From Suzanne & Alex’ wedding blog | https://www.zola.com/wedding/suzanneandalexander   

Lead Photographer | Dafne Spencer
Associate Photographer | Kara Lerchenfeld
Intern | Tara Zimmerman