Bridal Bliss: Love on the Job

Bride: Ayesha Whitlow, 34

Groom: Norvil Whitlow, 47

Occupations: Ayesha, Accounting; Norvil, Systems Engineer

Married Since: 05.17.11

Wedding Location: Laguna Beach, CA

Wedding Theme: An intimate all-white affair.

Love on the Clock
Sometimes what you need most can be right under your nose. The year was 2001. Norvil and Ayesha worked at the same company, but had never formally met each other. She knew him as the attractive man she admired from a distance whose swagger had lots of ladies at work taking notice.

“I would see him and think that he was someone I’d really like to get to know,” says Ayesha.

She eventually got her chance. One day they were both turning the same corner at work when they awkwardly locked eyes. As he walked away he turned back and told her she reminded him of his sister. Norvil said he’d bring in a photo to prove it, and just like that, they had lunch plans.  

Love at Sea
In March 2005 Ayesha got the surprise of a lifetime. It was her birthday weekend and Norvil had promised her he’d take her on a romantic gondola cruise in Newport Beach Harbor. When the day arrived, the weather wasn’t ideal, so she assumed they’d reschedule their plans. To her surprise, Norvil was adamant about sticking with their plan. He even told her that he’d called the cruise company to be sure the weather was safe along the coast.

When they arrived at the dock the romance began. “There was a gondola boat with a canopy complete with wine, cheese and crackers, and a blanket,” Ayesha recalls. “The gondolier serenaded us as we cruised through the harbor.”

About halfway through the ride, the gondolier announced that there was a glass bottle in the water and he would need one of them to get it out. Norvil played along as Ayesha curiously searched both sides of the boat looking for the special bottle. Ayesha found it and opened it to find a love letter inside, written from Norvil to her. When she turned to look at Norvil, he had tears in his eyes and held the ring she’d picked out over a year before. He asked her to marry him, and and for Ayesha, the moment was surreal.

“I was extremely surprised and I started to cry,” says Ayesha. “Thinking about it in hindsight makes me laugh. I knew he was acting strange, but I didn’t want to question all the mishaps and spoil a beautiful evening.”