Alyssa and Kirk met in the summer of 2009 and started dating that Christmas. "We met on a random summer night through mutual friends who were going out to a nightclub on a Friday night," said Alyssa. Kirk was on summer break from school and was just looking to have a laid back evening. It was a chance meeting since they had both individually decided they were going to stay home that evening. Kirk had changed his mind and decided to go to the club after all and Alyssa's friends convinced her to go out later that evening as well. The two met through their mutual friends outside the club and sparks flew from there as they immediately hit it off. Alyssa and Kirk are planning a classic elegant wedding in Ontario next summer. Check out their fun and flirty engagement session captured by Tiffany McMillin.
Bride: Alyssa Griffith, 28, Interior Designer
Groom: Kirk Alcott, 32, Mechanical Engineer
Place of residence: Mississauga, Ontario (Groom), Burlington, Ontario (Bride)
Engagement Shoot Location: Harbourfront Centre, Toronto, Ontario
Wedding date: 7/17/16
For the Groom: How did you decide that you wanted to propose in such a grand way?
The proposal was a spur of the moment idea. I had bought the ring a couple months earlier but had not figured out how I wanted to propose as yet. All I knew was that I would wait until she had finished her studies before I asked the question. Then an opportunity presented itself. Her family decided to hold a dinner celebrating her grandmother’s 90th birthday in Brooklyn, and people were coming in from all over the country to celebrate. This was a good opportunity. Throughout our relationship, I have pulled off many surprises, and she hates surprises. So I swore her mother and her cousin to secrecy and planned to come in from Toronto to surprise her.
So I told her that I wouldn’t be able to make it down for her grandmother’s birthday as I worked Friday. I had been setting her up from the month before telling her that I was sorry that I couldn’t make it down. I told her that I would call at the dinner and wish her grandmother happy birthday, and speak with a couple of her family members I had met before. That week I got sick with the flu, but I still decided to go through with the proposal. On the Friday night, after work, I took the train down to NY to surprise her. I arrived the Saturday afternoon and got to the restaurant 30 min before the family. I had arranged with her cousin that I would meet her before and give her a gift bag containing the ring.
So during the dinner I called Alyssa liked I promised and spoke to her cousin. After she was given back the phone, her cousin passed her the gift bag containing the ring. She opened the package and saw the ring. At that point, she asked me “Where are you?” I told her I was standing outside the restaurant. At that point, she looked out the door and saw me outside the restaurant. At that point, she hung up the phone and came outside bewildered wondering what I was doing there.
I then told her I came down to surprise her, and she needed to go back in the restaurant and open the box. She then went back inside and answered my call, where I asked her “Would you welcome me to your family?” She said, “Yes”, and then I asked her to come outside and bring me inside. She then brought me inside and introduced me to her family as her fiancé.
What makes your love special?
Our laughter and sense of humor is what makes our love unique. We both share a sarcastic sense of humor and the ability to make each other laugh. We are honest with each other and do not believe in sugar coating the truth. The best part of our relationship is that we had the ability to truly connect since we wrote each other for 4 months while Kirk was away at school. Our bond grew during those months and we have built up our communication skills since. It’s kind of cheesy to say but we are each other’s best friend and that relationship is very important to the both of us, it takes time and dedication to helping it grow.
What are you most looking forward to about your wedding?
I look forward to our families joining together and the party we will have. There will be bad dancing and singing off key but I wouldn’t have it any other way.
Have you started planning your wedding?
Yes, we have started planning our wedding; we will soon be meeting with our baker to design our cake.
Congratulations to the happy couple Alyssa and Kirk! We wish you a wonderful wedding and marriage.
Vendors:
Make-Up: Beautified by Renee
Photographer: Tiffany McMillin
Wedding Planner: Ashley McEachnie
Curated by our Wedding Features Editor, C.K. Alexander. C.K. is the creator of the Single Bride Blog and the owner and founder of Love Ink and Brownstone Bridal. Keep up with C.K. on Twitter here: @Love_Ink
