Hello there
In July 2005, Randi, then 24, was on what she thought would be a quiet family cruise with her parents and her younger sister Amy.
On their second day at sea, Randi and Amy went to an onboard bar. David was leaving the bar, but noticed the two women - especially the one flashing the friendly smile.
"You guys go ahead," he told his traveling companions. "I'm going to go talk to these girls."
David suggested Amy and Randi meet his group at the ship's piano bar. Amy went, but Randi didn't.
The next morning, the sisters were lounging on deck when Amy spotted David and waved him over.
Turned out David, then 27, was also vacationing with his parents, Larry and Bonnie, and his sister, Jennifer. And their two families lived just 45 minutes away from each other - David is from Sicklerville, in Camden County, and Randi from Holland, in Bucks County.
Randi and David talked all morning, then later walked around Cozumel.
David, who worked for his family's equipment rental business and was finishing a dual MBA in marketing and finance at La Salle, made Randi laugh really hard - as when he poked fun at the name of the ship's club, White Heat. The name didn't stop them from dancing there all night, every night.
For the rest of the cruise, they were inseparable. But despite the dancing, talking, romantic tours of Cozumel, and occasional doses of liquid courage, the cruise ended without a kiss.
David tried. He invited Randi to see his cabin, which had ocean views. She went, but panicked. "He's such a sweetheart," said Randi. "But I was all of a sudden like, 'I don't know this guy! No one knows I'm here! He could throw me overboard or something!' "
She said she had to go; he said he understood.
Sitting at the Orlando airport, Randi realized they had never exchanged contact information. But then David walked by. He gave her his number.
The next weekend, she went on a family trip to the Shore. He, conveniently, went to Atlantic City with his parents. They met at the Tropicana - Randi with not just Amy, but also her older sister Allison in tow. They were having a great time when David's parents said they were ready to drive home.
"Why don't you just come to the shore house, and you can get a ride home tomorrow?" Randi was surprised to hear herself say.
Randi and David stayed up all night. There was a lot of talking. And on the balcony, a kiss.
How does forever sound?
That February, they moved in together in Sicklerville. Randi, who took marketing classes at Bucks County Community College, got a job in fund-raising for the Katz JCC in Cherry Hill. After finishing his master's degree, David became operations manager for Sexton's Equipment Rental. His Catholic family and her Jewish family became one big happy one, celebrating each other's holidays and taking Shore trips together.
After about 31/2 years together, Randi said she started to push for marriage. David wasn't ready. He didn't like being pushed. Randi didn't like wondering if she would never have something that was important to her.
She moved back to Pennsylvania. They continued to talk on the phone, and had dates with other people that made them sad.
About six months later, David asked Randi if he could take her out for her late-December birthday. Then they spent New Year's Eve together.
"I'm going to ask you to marry me this year," he told her at Buddakan in Atlantic City.
Two weeks later, David and his family brought a U-Haul to help her move back to Sicklerville.
That October, the casino-fan couple headed to Vegas. In their room at the Mandalay Bay Hotel, the usually calm David was running in circles. "Is my hair OK?" he asked. "Is my shirt ironed enough?"
Randi didn't know why he was acting so strangely. Because David had earlier told her that he would propose when their families were nearby, she did not draw the obvious conclusion.
At the upper-floor restaurant with its panoramic view of the Strip, David ordered two shots of tequila.
Randi said she didn't want any. David said he really needed some.
He emptied his glass, then got on one knee.
He pulled the ring box from his pocket. "Will you marry me?"
Randi was stunned silent.
David gave her a gentle shake. "You're not answering me," he said.
"Yes, of course!" Randi said.
It was so them
The couple had a traditional Jewish ceremony and held their reception at the National Constitution Center.
Randi was escorted down the aisle by her dad, Philip; her stepdad, Dan; and her mom, Fern. David's mom made the chuppah. "All five of our parents stood under the chuppah with us while we got married," Randi said.
The exchange of rings was done in Hebrew.
After the ceremony, the couple danced back up the aisle to Chris Brown's "Forever."
The hora - the traditional Jewish dance in which the couple is hoisted high on chairs - "was the scariest thing ever," Randi said.
This didn't happen at the rehearsal
When it was time to cut the cake, Randi couldn't find David. Then he appeared, wearing boxing shorts, gloves, and a shiny robe, air-boxing his way through the room while the Rocky theme played.
David's mom handed Randi a welder's mask. "This will protect you," she said. But Randi couldn't see with it on.
She took a piece of cake to the face.
"I did it right back to him," she said.
Awestruck
Randi says she'll never forget "the way he looked at me when I met him at the front of the altar. His mouth just dropped."
Discretionary spending
A bargain: The bride bought her cathedral-length, Swarovski crystal-studded veil on eBay for $20. It came in original packaging bearing a price tag of $220.
The splurge: Jars and candy for a candy bar. "We knew everyone would have a sweet tooth at the end of the night," Randi said.
The Getaway
Three nights in Vegas, then a drive to Los Angeles, then eight days on a cruise along the coasts of California and Mexico.
Love: BEHIND THE SCENES
Officiant
Rabbi Bradley Bleefeld, rabbi at Temple Beth Hillel-Beth Abraham in Vineland, N.J.
Venue
National Constitution Center, Philadelphia
Food:
Max & Me Catering, Philadelphia
Music:
DJ Bryan Basara, Atlantic City
Photography
Stephanie Mosher of Stephanie Mosher Photography, Williamstown, Gloucester County
Dress
Designed by Maggie Sottero, purchased at Coronet Bridal, Feasterville, Bucks County
Groom's Attire
Men's Warehouse, Deptford
Invitations
Made by the couple
Planner
Jennifer Kabinoff at the National Constitution CenterEndText
Love: DO YOU HAVE THE DATE?
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