| My niece Alyssa just got engaged. We’re all | | | | making sure she waves her hands a lot when she |
| wildly happy for her—her fiancé is a wonderful | | | | speaks, just in case her listener hasn’t noticed |
| young man, and they seem well suited—but | | | | the new sparkler on her ring finger. Now the two of |
| we’re a little concerned, too. Their courtship has | | | | them are planning a lovely fall wedding, complete with |
| been so amazingly romantic that they may have | | | | a chapel in the woods, a horse-drawn carriage, and |
| unrealistic expectations for the day-to-day ups and | | | | rooms reserved for the guests at an historic bed and |
| downs of marriage. | | | | breakfast. |
| Even the start of their relationship was the stuff of a | | | | How can marriage, with its bills and budgeting, |
| romance novel. Both American, Alyssa and Dan met | | | | housework and headaches, ever live up to the |
| in Paris, in front of the Louvre, no less. Alyssa was | | | | standard set through such a romantic courtship? |
| vacationing with her sisters, and they asked a passing | | | | That’s the only worry Alyssa’s mother and I |
| handsome young man to take their picture. Dan, who | | | | have. Inevitably, jobs, money issues, and especially |
| had taken a couple of extra days during a business | | | | children, demand their own attention. |
| trip to do some sightseeing, was happy to oblige. | | | | Of course, Dan and Alyssa have a strong, loving |
| Chatting led to lunch, which led to e-mails, which led | | | | foundation and wonderful memories of the beginnings |
| to visits once they were back in the States, which | | | | of their relationship. With such a good start, |
| eventually led to Dan requesting a transfer so he | | | | they’re sure to find ways to keep the romance |
| could live closer to her. | | | | alive, remembering to make time for each other. |
| After dating for a year, Dan continued the romance | | | | Maybe they’ll occasionally have a chance to steal |
| by planning a California wine tour vacation. During the | | | | away for another memorable Orange County limo |
| trip, he proposed to Alyssa in the plush back seat of | | | | ride or another getaway to Paris. Even if it’s just |
| an Orange County limo. True to his old-fashioned | | | | to Paris, Texas, instead of Paris, France, spending |
| streak, he had already received her parents’ | | | | time and energy to focus on each other should keep |
| blessing, and arranged to have the diamond from his | | | | them traveling down the romantic path they’ve |
| grandmother’s ring placed into a beautiful setting. | | | | set out upon. |
| Alyssa was thrilled, of course, and has since been | | | | |