"How did you two meet?"

It's one of the first questions we get when people meet us for the first time. The expectation for some perfect plot similar to "When Harry Met Sally", "50 First Dates", or other romantic comedies we all grew up watching awaits eager ears. For some, it's clear that when they hear, "We met on an app, "Coffee Meets Bagels", the sparkle of attention fizzles away slightly from their eyes.

Love does not just show up on your doorstep, so it's understandable why old-school hopeless romantics may feel that online dating and apps are insulting to the courting and dating process. They do not cheat the system, but rather a reinvention of the rules as times have changed. You can imagine it similar to a game of football. The game itself has changed by adding rules and having players wear more protection, but the objective to score has always remained. For digital daters, personalities can be easily shadowed behind carefully curated photos and meticulously crafted profiled information. And of course, at least one quote from Marylin Monroe that she never said. Amanda and I each had different experiences with online dating, but it ultimately led us to each other.

From Dennis: The first thing I noticed when I saw her profile was her smile. Once I saw that smile, I knew it was a smile I wanted to be around all the time because it was like medicine for my soul. I imagined myself having a horrible day and then seeing that smile, and my mood would instantly be turned around. Then she had pictures of her holding a bunch of stuffed pandas, which were practically my spirit animal. My favorite part of her profile was when she stated, "I may be little, but I have a big appetite." On our first date, I put that statement to the test. We probably ordered enough to feed a family of four. As the waiter brought over dish after dish to our cozy little table, I notice the couple eating next to us stare at bewilderment on how we were going to finish all the food. Amanda tapped out pretty early and I'm not one to dine with liars, but her sense of humor, personality, and smile was more than enough to convince me that she could be the "one."

From Amanda: The first thing I noticed about Dennis's profile was his height. As a matter of fact, it is probably the first thing anyone notices when he walks into a room. A tall Asian man standing over 6 feet tall, that can't be real. On our first date, he stood at the bottom of the stairs of the restaurant waiting for me. As I walked down the stairs toward him, it wasn't until I was 3 steps from the bottom when we were almost the same height. Being at the shorter end of the spectrum, I was excited to see what this giant football player was all about. He proved to be one of the sweetest and most thoughtful people I have ever met. I soon learned that the biggest thing about Dennis is not his physical size; it is his heart. And that is what won me over.

Vendors:

Photography: Jimmy Chu Photography

Videography: Mike Zhu Films

Venue: The Inn at New Hyde Park

Outdoor Photos: Old Westbury Gardens

Hotel: Courtyard Marriott Westbury

Hair & Makeup: Peilee Beauty

Florist: Sunnyside Florist

MC/DJ/Photoboth: Exquiste NY

Dress: Pronovias

Suit: Generation Tux