Linsey & Dustin's Sneak Peek

How They Met

New Years Eve 2008: Dustin celebrates New Year’s Eve at a co-workers house party in Elk Grove, CA.

New Years Eve 2008: Linsey celebrates New Year’s Eve at a friend’s house party in Elk Grove, CA.

It was the same party! They met only for a brief moment of time and then went their own ways celebrating the New Year.

Just a couple months later, the same mutual friend threw a birthday party and invited both Linsey and Dustin. They talked for a few minutes before Linsey left the party to go home. Later in the night another friend was leaving, and on her way out she jokingly slapped Dustin in the face and said “She’s Single!”

Dustin almost immediately knew who she was talking about- it was Linsey.

Over the next couple of weeks, mutual friends helped put together Linsey and Dustin’s first date at Tres Hermanas Mexican Restaurant in Sacramento.

They met for dinner, and immediately hit it off. They talked so much that before they knew it the restaurant was closing and they were the last ones still seated. They spent the next few hours walking around midtown and set up another date for the following weekend. They have been together ever since!

The Proposal

Dustin set the birthday bar high when he decided to propose to Linsey on her 29^th birthday!

Here is Linsey’s version of the proposal story:

“Dustin and I had been talking about getting married, and so I knew a proposal was imminent- I just was not sure exactly when he would pop the question.

So, my birthday arrives and Dustin takes me out to our favorite breakfast place- Pancake Circus. Good start to a birthday- and a great thing to do on the day you plan to propose! So far, I was thinking an official proposal was hours away and I was getting excited!

After breakfast, Dustin surprised me with presents.
Not very romantic presents – but presents I really wanted. (really nice speakers for my laptop and a Slap Chop)

This wasn't a good sign of a imminent proposal- why would Dustin buy me very practical & unromantic presents when he was about to propose? I was confused!

Then Dustin said he wanted to take me to our favorite ice cream place for birthday ice cream cones. Now I was really wondering what was going on. I was having a fabulous birthday, but all signs were pointing to no birthday proposal.

Dustin had planned for us to go out to a birthday dinner and wanted to surprise me with the location. Since I knew he would not be proposing to be at a restaurant (I would be so embarrassed with a public proposal!) I decided I should just relax as a birthday proposal was not happening.

Being the sweet guy that he is, Dustin surprised me by taking me out to dinner at the place we had our first date. It’s a really cute Mexican restaurant with amazing food. We had a great dinner and both ate way too much. I mean, who can resist the chips and salsa?? We left dinner very happy (and bloated).

Then we went back to Dustin's place, and he said he had one more present for me. He had filled his apartment with vases full of fresh flowers and dozens of candles.

Dustin got down on one knee and said some sweet things and asked me to marry him, giving me my grandmother’s wedding ring to wear as my engagement ring.

Of course I said yes!

My favorite moment of the proposal: Dustin was so full from dinner that he groaned getting up off his knee and said "I know this is supposed to be a really romantic moment, but I am so full!". It was so funny and cute and I laugh every time I think about it. "

(Dustin has made it clear that future birthdays will most likely not include diamonds).

Katrina & Dave's Sneak Peek

"We met on a motorcycle ride through a mutual friend on August 23, 2007. I ride a Ducati and he rides a Harley. I showed up for the motorcycle ride and we noticed each other instantly. We rode all day and flirted back and forth :) I told him that we would all be going to the lake a few days later and told him that he should come too. I got to the lake and there he was. We had fun camping for two days and that was when I learned that he would be leaving for Iraq in 2 days. I was invited to his going away party the next night but felt funny going not knowing anyone there.

The same friend who invited me on the motorcycle ride told me that she was going with her boyfriend to the party so I should come too. So........I went. One by one, people started leaving. Before I knew it, it was just he and I there, chatting the night away. He walked me to my truck and told me that he would give me a call when he got back from Iraq. I told him that he should give me a kiss goodbye and that was that...........I knew that he was worth waiting for. So, we basically knew each other for 6 days before he left for Iraq. I told him that I would wait for him until he got back so we could see where the relationship went :) We have been together ever since."

I am so excited to be a part of Katrina and Dave's wedding! It has been a long time in the planning, and it is nearly here! They will be married at the Air National Guard Base, here in Reno. The Base features a massive quadrangle lawn area that when adorned with pristine white tents, food and flowers galore, becomes the perfect venue from which to host a wedding and reception for 400 of your best friends and family members!

Dave and Katrina and Dave are such wonderful people, who are easy to be around, and make you feel comfortable the minute you meet them. I respect and admire you, Dave, for your wonderful service to our country, and I wish you and Katrina the most special wedding day possible, and a long life full of wonderful memories.