Certified Coordinated Bride Candice

Journal Entry #1

A Love Worth The Wait

Hello ladies! My name is Candice Jones. I am 25 and live in the nation’s capital, Washington, DC. I live for the unique things in life, all things classy, modern and upbeat. I am engaged to the handsome, stylish and talented Lance Monkou and we are getting married on August 7, 2016.

My fiancé and I have been dating for 7 LONG years after meeting at a PNC Bank in downtown, DC. On my 25th birthday, Lance took my mom and I to Grace’s Mandarin (a Pan-Asian restaurant) at the National Harbor in Maryland. Everything was completely normal at first. We ordered, we ate and then came dessert. The waiter brought out an AMAZING piece of chocolate fondant cake for my mom and I to share.    As I was stuffing my face, the waiter brings out three plates topped with fortune cookies and said “what kind of night would this be, if we didn’t have fortune cookies”. Lance then pulls out his phone and says “let me see what this says…you have finally realized that she is the one for you. It would say that right”?  Next, my mom opened hers and she read “You created a gift perfect for only one person”.   By then, I knew what was happening. I got extremely nervous and repeated “I don’t want to open mine, I don’t want to”.   When I finally opened mine, I immediately began to cry.  It read, “…and I will always love her. Candice, will you marry me”? As I was crying, all I could hear was my mom yelling “Oh my goodness, ohhhh” so I looked up and there he was, holding a well-lit box with the ring I have always wanted.   Moments later, some of my closest friends ran into the restaurant to greet and congratulate us.

I had already planned a birthday brunch at The Gryphon DC for that following Sunday and that became a special way for us to celebrate with everyone. Ironically, I wore white.As for wedding planning, I have found a BEAUTIFUL venue, said YES to the dress, proposed to all of my 10 GORGEOUS bridesmaids, snagged an AMAZING budget- friendly florist and have picked our DOPE photographer, ORGANIZED and ON TOP of it day of coordinator, and our VEGETARIAN- friendly caterer but there is still TONS left to do. I have planned and coordinated a couple of weddings but there is nothing like planning your own!

Engagement Shoot images by Colville W. Heskey.