Bride: Denise Marie Linton, 28, Attorney
Groom: Jonathan Anthony Barnes, 32, Attorney
Married On: August 25, 2012
Wedding Location: Meadowbrook Hall, Rochester, Michigan
Wedding Style: Classic Romance
Have We Met Before?
Back in 2007, students Denise and Jonathan were both attending law school in Washington, D.C. One night, a mutual pal briefly introduced them at a party. The meet-and-greet was so quick and casual, they wound up going their separate ways without actually ever talking. Luckily for them, later that night fate intervened. Jonathan was sitting on a couch next to a young woman he didn’t know, and when she got up, lo and behold, Ms. Linton was sitting on the other side. They made eye contact, and Denise immediately seized the opportunity to get to know this new guy. She asked his name and recalled briefly meeting him earlier in the night. The more they sat and talked, the bigger their smiles grew. Throughout the entire conversation Denise secretly hoped Jonathan would ask for her number. He did (finally), and a few days later they were making plans to head to the movies for their first official date. It was the beginning of something beautiful.
There’s Just Something About You
“I was very comfortably with Jon,” Denise says. “It was on our first date that I knew there was something truly special about him.” She wasn’t the only one quickly falling head over heels in love. “Denise was late for our first date, which I’m usually not a fan of,” says Jon. “But, I looked past that because I knew there was something special about Denise.”
Table for Two
Although Denise already had a hunch Jonathan was ready to propose, she just couldn’t determine exactly when. Then one night while they were waiting to meet his parents to celebrate their anniversary, the music at the restaurant suddenly stopped mid-song and switched to Etta James’s “At Last.” Surprised, Denise looked over at Jonathan, who then told her to read the back of her menu. When she turned it over, she found the most romantic proposal she’d ever heard written on the back: “Congratulations. You have been chosen. You are more deserving than any individual. Your smile lights up the room. You bring joy and happiness to those around you. Genesis 2:24 Therefore, shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife, and they shall be one flesh.”
Overjoyed, Denise accepted Jonathan’s proposal. Then, she looked up and noticed her closest friends coming in one by one. “A long time ago, I told Jon that I wanted to be alone with him when we got engaged and then I wanted to see my friends after,” says Denise. “But I didn’t think he would have remembered something like that, something that I said in passing “ They were married one year later in a romantic ceremony. Share their love!