  ow do we choose a winner?" Over and over again this question could be heard in the offices at Bridal Guide as we pored over the thousands of entries we'd received for our "Bride of the Year: America's Most Romantic Couple" contest. It was a daunting task, and we discovered that searching for just one winning pair was a major challenge. |
 Josh took Lainie to his favorite theater, the only silent-movie theater in the U.S., to see a Buster Keaton revival. What Lainie didn't know was that Josh had rented the theater for a private showing so that afterward he could roll a film he'd made. |
After all, so many of you wrote passionately and eloquently about how you met and fell in love. You described your proposals and expressed your thoughts on romance with remarkable insight.
But after reading all the entries, and interviewing a handful of finalists, one couple stood out. They are Joshua Rafofsky, 30, a computer consultant, and Lainie Belitz, 28, a project manager for the Aon Corporation, from Los Angeles, California. Josh and Lainie will receive a $72,000+ wedding and honeymoon prize, plus a slew of other incredible gifts. Obviously, their modern love story - which had somewhat of a bumpy start - was destined to have a happy ending.
It all began in late 1998, when Josh decided to use technology to seek his soul mate and signed up with an Internet dating service, 100hookup.com. "After quite a few blind dates," writes Josh in his entry, "nothing seemed to pan out, yet I remained undeterred." Lucky for him, Lainie hired the same service in early 2000. She was soon deluged with a multitude of responses-including one from Josh-and found the few she did read disappointing. Overwhelmed, she promptly cancelled her account, "leaving her potential suitors in the lurch."
Fast-for-ward a year, when the ever hopeful Josh spotted a familiar face, Lainie's, while browsing the site. She had decided to give the online service another try. This time when Josh wrote her, she responded and they agreed to meet. Sparks flew and Josh recalls emailing his dad that evening, "I have a hunch. I met a girl, and I think she might be The One."
It didn't take long for him to realize he was right, and on May 22, 2002, Josh proposed. But his wasn't just any get-down- on-one-knee, standard-issue proposal. No, it was full-blown romance at its very best, filled with humor, imagination and creativity. |
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 Although the theater was empty, Lainie thought nothing of it. But when the Keaton movie ended and a second film, titled "A Fofer Adventure" ("Fofer" is Josh's college nickname), began, Lainie was confused. She sat, stunned, as a romantic story called "The Girl in the Picture" unfolded, starring Josh as a lovelorn bachelor looking for his soul mate. (As Lainie later described to us, "He's not a filmmaker or an actor, but love and creativity were dripping off the screen.") Soon Lainie realized she was "the girl in the picture." As the film ended, the words "This is just the beginning..." appeared onscreen. Then, Josh got down on bended knee to propose. He surprised Lainie further when he escorted her to the theater's balcony, where both their families waited to greet them with champagne and flowers.
There are other reasons we declared Josh and Lainie the winners. After their first two dates Josh wrote down his thoughts because he was "brimming with so much passion and attraction." He plans to read those words to his wife on their wedding night. Lainie believes that a relationship should be one of support, communication and fun. "Josh brings out the best in me, and it's like a never ending cycle of smiles," she says.
To Josh and Lainie, out heartfelt congratulations! And thanks to all of you who shared your wonderful stories with us. We wish you, too, a lifetime of happiness and romance. |
