2012 Dream Wedding: The Proposal

Shana and Brad, the 2012 Dream Wedding couple, will celebrate their wedding in Manteo on May 3, 2012.   The couple met in Tennessee and after dating for 4 1/2 years, Brad proposed to Shana on the beach.  With their love of the ocean, Shana and Brad chose to celebrate their love on the Outer Banks and won the 2012 Dream Wedding, valued at $45,000, during the Outer Banks Wedding Weekend in January.

As the wedding plans unfold, we want to share the Dream Wedding couple’s story.

Shana, tell us about Brad.  “Brad is a great story teller, which captured my interest initially.  He’s got a light-hearted nature, so he makes me laugh and keeps me entertained, especially with his Michael Jackson dance moves.  He has a way of getting me to lighten up and to not take life so seriously.  He’s honest, strong and caring.  Brad lightens my load and encourages me to push myself and I love that about him.  We have so much fun together and it never gets old.  He’s my best friend and my perfect balance.”

Brad, tell us about Shana and share the story of how you proposed.  “Shana has too many great qualities to list, but some of those qualities that are very attractive to me are how genuine and caring she is.  Shana always gives people the benefit of the doubt and is a very optimistic person.  She’s a dreamer and has a very creative side.  Shana has strong family and moral values, and is both confident and humble.  She lets me be me, which is a lot to handle at times, and my family and friends absolutely love her and love being around her.  Shana’s a very easy-going person.”

“Shana and I had dated for several years and I never questioned whether I could spend the rest of my life with her. We literally did everything together and she has always been the backbone of our relationship, and also my best friend.  After a year of dating, I accepted a position in Maryland which required me to relocate. The intention had always been for Shana to relocate as well, once I got settled and once she was able to find gainful employment. That time apart was difficult and it further validated the importance of having her not only in my life, but also without distance between us. I remember that being a time in our relationship when I was able to quantify how much she really meant to me and from then on it wasn’t so much about if I would propose, but more so about when.

Every year, we spend Thanksgiving with her family in North Carolina and then head to Ocean Isle Beach to relax at her parent’s beach condo. Last Thanksgiving was slightly different in the sense that Shana’s extended family, along with my parents and sister were also coming to the beach. The Friday morning after Thanksgiving, on an unseasonably warm day, we went for a stroll down the beach as we often did. Once we reached a beautiful area where the ocean meets the inlet waterway, I got down on bended knee, said a few things and popped the question.”

After the proposal, Shana attended the 2012 Outer Banks Wedding Weekend with her mother and future mother-in-law.  The weekend was highlighted with the announcement by WE TV’s My Fair Wedding host, David Tutera that Shana had won the Dream Wedding.  Check back as Shana tells us how she told Brad the amazing news.