Meet the Finalists: Kayla & Mark

Our final couple in the running for the Dream Date, Luxury for Less Giveaway are Kayla and Mark.

These two are high school sweethearts! Mark was a senior and Kayla was a freshman, when I asked Mark how he knew she was the one he said, “I saw her, that was all I needed.”

These two haven’t had it easy, after high school, Mark went away to school and Kayla stayed here to finish her degree at The Sage Colleges of Albany. After completing college, Mark joined the United States Navy where he is currently stationed in San Diego, California.

One night, in late November, Kayla and Mark were sitting around his house watching Hook with Mark’s family.  In the middle of the movie his brother and his brother’s girlfriend suddenly got up and said “we’re going to the store.”  A little while later, Mark got a phone call and said, “come on we have to go to the store.”  Kayla was aggravated because she was just getting to the good part of the movie and couldn’t understand why Mark couldn’t just call his brother and ask him to pick up something for him.  She went along with him and got mad at him when he started driving the wrong way.  They finally ended up a spot that they like to claim as “their spot”.  It is by the river in Amsterdam, it’s the place that Mark first told Kayla he loved her, it’s also the place where he surprised her with presents on her sixteenth birthday.  Kayla didn’t want to get out because it was chilly that night so joking around she locked Mark out of the car.  That’s when she realized there were candles lit at their spot, 3 long stem white roses and white rose petals everywhere.  On top of the rose petals was a card addressed to Kayla, she opened it and it said “I love you. Love ,Mark” Then she saw that it said, “Turn around for your present.” when she did, Mark was there on one knee with the ring and asked her to marry him.  Of course, she said yes!!

Their dream wedding doesn’t have a lot of details, they just want a fun and memorable day that can be about celebrating their love.

When I asked them why they should win this wedding giveaway, they answered “Commitment. Despite every hardship and obstacle we have faced we found a way to be with one another, even if it was only over the phone.  When we get married we want it to be really special for us, considering we never get to see each other. Out of the 7 years that we have been together, more than half of it has been while we have been apart.”  They are also committed to the capital region.  Despite having traveled a lot, this is their home and they would love to be married here.