Melanie and Charles

Melanie and Charles will be married on October 18th at Highland Baptist Church and their reception will be held on the Captain's Quarters yacht. Pretty cool, huh?

When I asked for a quick run-down of how she and Charles met and why they fell in love to share with my blog readers, I got a beautiful story. Melanie, thank you so much for putting the time & effort to tell your story so well. I love the fact that Charles wrote his version as well. It is very rare for a groom to so openly share such a touching story. So, without further ado, here is their story, written in their own words:

I met Charles working 3rd shift at a Denny’s Restaurant in St. Matthews (shhhh, don’t tell – it’s embarrassing), when I was 21 years old. Charles had only been on the LMPD for a year when I met him. The officers would come in around 3-3:30 a.m. every morning because there was no other place open. I was definitely not looking for love when Charles came into my life. My world had been flipped upside down. I was at the beginning of finding out who I was, as a person and as a woman. I knew I was in love with Charles when he waited for me. He not only waited for me to discover myself, he guided me along the way. While on my path to self-discovery, I found the true meaning of love with him, what it means to love healthily and completely, and how it feels to be loved in the same way. While, I was not prepared for the intense love Charles had to give at the age of 21, I knew he was truly my gift from God, (after 9 years together, he still opens the car door for me EVERY SINGLE Time). I love Charles for his patience, acceptance, understanding, and unconditional true love – I am so excited to stand beside him on October 18, 2008 and proudly be able to call myself is wife. Charles, you are a great man, my “Mr. Wonderful.” I am so proud of you and of our love – Thank you for everything, Baby! I love you.
~Melanie


October 1998 was a milestone year for me. Not because I achieved my dream of becoming a police officer, but because God had a better plan. I had always thought that reaching a lifelong dream would be the best thing I could think of, it just turns out I needed a bigger imagination. My goal led me to the best thing to ever walk into my life, Melanie. It was my first year on the street working the graveyard shift in the east end of Louisville. She worked at one of the only restaurants open at 4 am. I walked in and sat down, and this gorgeous redhead took my drink order. As I sat there contemplating how I could get to know her, the radio called and I had to leave, unable to return for the remainder of that night. My next night back to work I made sure I got to the restaurant a good deal earlier than my co-workers to allow me some time to talk with her. She had a few minutes and sat down with me. We exchanged numbers and I asked her on a date. During the conversation she told me she had never gotten flowers from anybody other than her dad…. I had my angle!! I showed up at the restaurant about 10 minutes late, because I some trouble finding an open florist. Finally, I arrived, I gave her the flowers and we sat down to eat, it was a great conversation, her eyes sparkled, her smile was beautiful…. I was captivated. We went outside after dinner…. we kissed and for the first…and last time in my life…. I was truly in love.

When I met Melanie I was in a particularly dark point in my personal life. I was alone as my family had moved to Texas, and other personal issues had me feeling professionally fulfilled but emotionally vacant. Melanie has and does show me every day what love is. She has taught me how to love, trust and believe in people when my profession tries to make me believe otherwise. She is the light that guides me home.

“In that book, which is my memory... On the first page, that is the chapter when I first met you, appears the words... Here begins a new life".
- Dante Alighieri
~Charles