Groom: James C. Gaskin III, 36, Senior Biotech Consultant
Married On: September 4, 2011
Wedding Location: Dahlonega, Georgia
Wedding Theme: Vintage Winery Romance
The Perfect Pickup Line
It was a warm August night, and Julie and her girls were headed out for the evening. They’d planned to make it a ladies’ night and attend a networking party at a local nightclub. They arrived early to be sure to get in free, so the crowd was still pretty light. Julie and her friends were sitting on a sofa, cocktails in hand, chatting about this and that when James walked over.
He turned to Julie and asked, “Don’t you work out at a L.A. Fitness?” She replied yes, and intrigued by his direct approach, the two began to talk.
“We must have talked for at least twenty minutes about a variety of different things,” says Julie. “James then offered to buy me and my entire posse ‘spirits’. We were all taken aback by his generosity.”
Try, Try, Again
When the night ended, Julie and James weren’t quite through getting to know each other, so they exchanged information and made plans for a first date. That’s when things get complicated.
“James and I joke that we dated twice and fell in love once,” recalls Julie. “After the party we went out about three times. Our first date was really nice. That last two were not so great. Then we just lost contact with each other.”
Thanks to social networking, the couple would get another shot at love.
Digital Buddies
Although they were no longer in touch, something told Julie not to give up on James. After a little nudging, her girlfriends convinced her to reach out to James, so she sent him a message on Facebook. They caught up and agreed to try another date. This time, things went so perfectly, neither of them had a single doubt about their future.
“Halfway through the night, I knew we’d be more than alright,” says Julie. “I knew we’d be great.”
Take Me Away
James always knew Julie was the one for him. “I knew very early on that Julie was the one that God has sent for me,” says James. “I had long been thinking about how to propose to her.”
James purchased tickets for he and Julie to head to the Cayman Islands for a romantic getaway. It was her 30th birthday present. While there, James found a breathtaking castle with a beautiful backdrop of blue sea. He decided this would be the perfect spot to propose and planned to lure her back there the next day. When the moment felt right, he dropped to one knee and asked Julie the most important question a man could ever ask a woman — to be his wife. Julie was overwhelmed with joy.
“Everything seemed surreal from beginning to end,” recalls James.
The happy couple went on to plan a rustic vineyard wedding to be remembered.
Event design and flowers by Melanie Herqnuist of Lucky and Lovely.
Photography by The Studio B Photography