BAYONNE, NJ – February 14, 2008. On February 8th the Bayonne Town Center awarded 4 couples a $75 Gift Certificate and a Spa Package in rewards for our Valentine’s Day promotion.  We would like to thank European Day Spa, San Vito, The Big Apple, and Piccolino for donating these gifts to our winners.  This year’s winners were Janet & David Cardwell (Grand Prize), Angela Barcelona & Stephen Goodson (Most Romantic), Cristina Mejias & Lucas Frank (Most Unusual), and Lauren Gradkiewicz & Gus Nicolaou (Funniest).  We would also like to thank all the couples that shared their stories with us. 

Most Romantic

It’s really amazing how life works out, just when you want to give up on finding that right person, it hits you right in the face so remember there is still hope out there for all, and I’m living proof. It was almost a year ago when I met the man of my dreams, when he walked in to my workplace  as soon as I set eyes on him I knew he was for me, and I could tell he also was interested in me too. But I’m a strong believer that you never date a costumer, it's not a good thing. He was from Virginia Beach and working on the boats up here. 

About a month went by and he asked me out and I said no and told him why, after that night I did not see him for days which turned into weeks and into months.  Then one day he walked in with this big smile on his face and explained to me why he stayed out and that he wanted to take me out but did not know how to get in touch with me. When I heard that he stayed out so he could date me I was touched and of course I said yes! That was about 7 months ago and the love and passion is still getting stronger, we both really feel that we are soul mates.

On Nov 20, 2007 he wanted to go to New York for lunch which we do often, he also wanted to go to the Empire State Building and being from NJ I’d never been there either so we ordered tickets.  We planned to go as soon as they came but then I got sick, and then the next week it was raining. The next day he said were going no matter what rain or shine, but of course it was a bad storm that day and we still went.  When we got there they told us it was a poor view and to save it for another day.  I thought that was a good idea, but he said we’re here lets go for it so we did.  I was not a happy camper because I did not want to get wet.  Needless to say we went to the top and the wind and rain was so strong it pushed around like rag dolls!  

He turned to me and pulled out a box with a ring and asked me to marry him.  At that moment I forgot all about the weather and stood there in shock.  “Is this a joke?” I asked him.  He said no this is for real I love you and want to spend the rest of my life with you and put the ring on my finger.  I said yes.

The next day a postcard came from NY to me with a picture of the Empire State Building on it saying I LOVE YOU, YOU’RE THE BEST THING THAT EVER HAPPENED TO ME.  Come to find out he had this planed weeks ago and it was killing him to wait so he mailed it out the day before we left so that's why we had to go that day.  That was the best day of my life!  We plan to wed this summer of 2008.

- Angela Barcelona & Stephen Goodman

Most Unusual

It was a beautiful day in October.  A picture perfect day for what I’ve wanted to do forever but kept putting off, skydive.  Lucas called the place and set it up.  I couldn’t believe that I was actually going to do this. 

The morning of, I felt apprehensive.  I wasn’t sure if I was really ready to jump out of a perfectly good plane.  But, he convinced me to do it.  He had already gone a few times and assured me that I could do this.

We arrived at Skydive Jersey Shore and got suited up.  Lucas said that he wanted jump first so that he could take pictures of me coming down.  I didn’t think anything of it.  Of course, we would want pictures of this.

Little did I know that the real reason he wanted to come down first was so that he could set up for the most romantic and most unusual proposal ever. 

As I fell closer to the ground, my skydiving instructor asked me if it were my birthday.  “What?” I said.  “No.”  He then asked, “So, then what is that sign all about?”  I struggled to read the sign from nearly one-hundred feet in the air.  As I approached the ground, I could see Lucas down on one-knee.  His brother, sister, and a few of our friends held a fifteen-foot sign that said, “Cristina, Will You Marry Me?” There were about fifty other people from the skydiving place smiling and clapping. 

I burst out in tears.  I couldn’t believe this was happening.  I mean, as if jumping from a plane wasn’t enough to get my adrenaline pumping. 

My skydive instructor landed me right in front of him.  He asked, “Will you marry me?”  I immediately said, “Yes.”  The skydiving instructor detached himself from me at this point to give us our moment.  It was the by far, the most perfect proposal ever. 

- Cristina Mejias & Lucas Frank

Most Funny

My fiancé and I have been dating for 4 years.  He decided to surprise me with a late Christmas gift.  We were going to the Bahamas, just the two of us!  No kids, yeah!  Naturally we were excited, happy, anxious, so obviously we fought the night before we left.

We arrived to our romantic resort in the beautiful Sandals Royal Bahamas.  Everything was beyond my expectation.  I was stunned from how captivating everything was, I couldn’t even keep my mouth shut.  We quickly settled into our room, which was also unbelievable, and began to explore the rest of the wonderful resort.

Once I caught sigh of the water, we decided to walk down one of the piers to get a closer look.  As we sat at the end of the pier and took lots of pictures of the other islands around us, my fiancé begins to tell me the reason he brought me to the Bahamas was he no longer wanted me as his girlfriend.  Now, if you know my fiancé at all you would know he is a big jokester.  When he said that I sort of shook it off thinking he was joking but when I asked him if he was serious he swore he wasn’t kidding.

At that point my heart stopped, and the tears just kept coming.  I felt horrible and I was crying so hard I had to cover my face.  This was the man I loved with all my heart and he took me to this amazing place to break up with me!  I wanted to punch his lights out and throw him in the water.  But when I finally took my hands away from my face he was on his knees saying “I swear I don’t want you to be my girlfriend!  I want you to MARRY ME!  Be my fiancé!”  Once I caught my breath after yelling at him for scaring the crap out of me, I said YES!  I love him so much and that is the person he is and I would not have wanted it any other way than the way he did it!

- Lauren Gradkiewicz & Gus Nicolaou

Grand Prize Winner

My story starts on Thursday, April 7th, 2005 when my boyfriend planned a four-day weekend.  David was rather mysterious and told me to pack warm clothes and to bring my passport.  Saturday, April 9th was his birthday and he said he wanted to get away with me for a few days.

We arrived at Newark Airport and David told the check-in agent that the trip was a surprise and that I did not know where we were going.  She smiled, checked my passport and asked that I stand back about 15 feet while the check-in process was completed.

When arriving at the gates, David told me to sit at the first gate for a Brussels flight while he walked down the hall to check the gate for our flight.  I was so excited and was not paying attention to the announcements that were hard to understand anyway.  David led us to the gate when our boarding time arrived and I did my best to not look for the destination on the gate boards.  We entered the jet way and I still had no idea of our destination.  We entered the plane and as I was sitting down an announcement started in French.  At that point I realized where we were going.  I broke down in tears.  I had never been to Europe.

On Saturday evening, April 9th, 2005, David’s birthday, we had a romantic dinner on the left bank and at around 10pm took the metro to the Trocadero Station.  On exiting the station we walked around the corner and, there before our eyes, was the Eiffel Tower standing across the Seine lit with sparkling lights.  We had to stop so I could catch my breath.  We walked down to the railing and admired the beautiful site.

David then began telling me how much I meant to him and how wonderful our three years together had been.  He then popped the question and presented me with a beautiful engagement ring.  I broke down in tears and said yes.

We were married on January 21st, 2006 by Father Jerzy at Our Lady of Mount Carmel in Bayonne.  Our elegant reception at the Newark International Airport Marriott was followed by a night in one of their suites and an early morning flight to Maui for a 2 week honeymoon in Hawaii.

P.S.- Tom Cruise must have copied since we did it first and in a much more romantic spot looking up at the Eiffel Tower.

- Janet & David Cardwell