Jerrica Jewel Browder, 24, Genworth Audit Consultant
Groom-to-Be:
Adam “Jarel” Dixon, 23, VDOT Electrical Engineer
To Be Wed On: April 28, 2012
Teenage Love Affair
Love doesn’t always show up at first sight. Sometimes, as with Jerrica and Jarel, love shows up when you least expect it — like at a high school graduation.
“I always thought Jarel was very handsome, although he was a bit of a class flirt. After not seeing him for a couple years, though, I could see he had really grown from a boy into a young man.”
Over the course of two years, the lovebirds shared memorable moments, including intimate school visits and picnics on the mountains, despite being separated at different colleges.
“When Jarel and I ‘re-met,’ I was on break from college and was to return for my senior year in only a couple months. That was a struggle for us in not knowing what would happen once we stopped seeing each other every day.”
Adult Sweethearts
Three is definitely a charmed number between the couple, and on July 15, 2011, Jarel proved it.
“I had just come back from Raleigh, NC for work. Jarel had shared with me earlier that week that he wanted to do something special for me, since he had just started his new job. He also told me he had 3 surprises waiting for me.”
That night Jarel turned up the romance by showing up at Jerrica’s door with surprise number one: a gorgeous set of red roses. The couple had a fantastic dinner, but Jerrica began to wonder if something was up. Nevertheless, Jerrica and Jarel headed to his parents house after, where his second surprise was waiting, a slide show showcasing the couples pictures!
As if that wasn’t a phenomenal display of love, he saved the best surprise for last.
“After the slideshow was over, he began to get down on one knee.” Jerrica says, “He then tried to pull out the ring, but due to his slim fit Levi jeans, he couldn’t! As he finally pulled out the box, the ring hit the floor (a little comic relief, but it really did happen). I was in shock, but luckily the ring didn’t go far! He collected himself, put the ring back in the box, and popped the question! I cried and cried and cried.”
We cried too! Congratulations!
Photos by Keith Cephus Photography