“Your picture sucks” was the first thing I wrote over IM to 100hookup member ‘rifraf82’ (otherwise known as Justin!). I had clicked YES to accept his message after barely glancing at his horribly lit photo. What if he’s a serial killer? What if he’s actually 4’8” and prematurely balding? I quickly suppressed all of these racing thoughts and decided to give him a chance. Maybe it was fate. Or maybe it was just pure luck. But little did I know that I would soon fall in love with this self-described Greg Brady look alike!

After chatting briefly, I impulsively gave him my number and met up with him later that night. I figured, “Why not?” I was ready to put myself out there as a new single girl in this crazy little town called Manhattan!

Justin and I met up for drinks, and he was surprisingly normal – funny, cute, down to earth, and did I mention that he had amazing blue eyes? I was definitely pumped! When he asked me out again, I even canceled another date I had scheduled for that Tuesday night (poor guy). But there was something special about this Justin character.

It was just comfortable, and the laughter was non-stop. We connected on our similar values and goals, plus we had an oddly similar sense of humor and attitude about life. After a few weeks, although I was loving our time together, I kept avoiding the “exclusive” conversation.  I was fresh out of a long-term relationship and was really enjoying the whole “dating thing”… but my feelings for Justin were truly starting to grow and I knew I couldn’t lose what we had.

Finally, in a suave attempt to “lock me down,” Justin took me to the water, got down on one knee and “proposed” for me to be his girlfriend. I was done! Does it get any cuter than that? (It actually does… read below!) He was my adorable, charming, and goofy prince.

Fast forward…

It has been an amazing five years, living such a fun life with the best friend I could ever imagine. Justin started a company, we adopted a sweet puppy, and are currently planning our wedding.

But “How did he propose,” you ask? It was quite boring:

Justin told me we were flying to Bloomfield Hills, Michigan (his hometown) to attend a fancy gala that was honoring his dad. (I had always joked with him that if the proposal day were to come, to PLEASE make sure I looked nice, so this was excellent planning on his part!)

After I was dressed and ready to go, his mom lured me into their beautiful backyard. Something seemed fishy. First I heard the music, then I saw my dad’s head accidentally popping through the bushes. All of a sudden, there was my handsome and silly someone in a white tuxedo, red bow-tie, top hat and – of course – shiny shoes! He was riding on a white horse along a red carpet, with a mariachi band playing in the background! It was over-the-top, hilarious, and defined what I love about him.

I tiptoed to the chair Justin had so thoughtfully set out for me on the grass. (I’m pretty sure he thought I was going to pass out from shock!) He dismounted the horse, walked towards me, and got down on one knee. It was a purely magical moment! I was beyond ecstatic and overwhelmed by the emotions and am so excited to take the next step in our love story!

Justin and I are getting married in Atlanta, Georgia on October 25th at The Fox Theatre. We can’t wait to share in the celebration with all of our family and friends! Thank you, 100hookup for connecting us. Now, it’s my little brother’s turn… !

Melissa and Justin
New York, New York

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