Nikki & Anthony
9/13/2015​
Great Falls, MT
Charity Wedding
Once in a while in an ordinary life, love gives us a fairytale.
​His Story
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I started running in 2005 after a broken bone in my foot kept me from doing any physical activity for a few months. During this time I started to gain some weight and to combat that I made a deal with myself.....I set my first running goal. This goal was one that I had thought about doing for a few years already and it was time to take it seriously. So on my list of "Things to do before I die", I added 'Run a marathon'. During my training I realized the benefits of running and being fit, and it became more than just a way to lose a few pounds. Since then running has been a huge part of my life. Running has taken me to places I otherwise would've never seen. I've run along the beautiful coast of Big Sur, CA and crossed the Brooklyn Bridge in NYC taking in views normally only seen through a car window. I've run in downtown San Antonio right in front of the Alamo, finished a 26.2 mile race right in front of Seattle's Space Needle, seen amazing views of Hawaii that you can't see from any road, come across big horn sheep while running in Big Sky Country, left my footprints along the beaches of Japan and Guam and enjoyed the cool breeze of the Rocky Mountains on a warm summer day in the heart of Colorado. It's made me a better person and has given me a place to go when I needed to just think. Without running I feel like I'd be in a completely different and less happy place in my life. Running....well, it's like a relationship, It starts off easy and gets more difficult. After the trials and tribulations, it gets easier and more enjoyable. You get out of it what you put in...no more, no less. Some races you win, and some you lose....but you learn something from all of them. Without my relationship with Nikki, I don't think I'd see the world the same way I do now. I don't feel like I would've ever been to this place in my life if I hadn't met her. In my mind we are partners in this long run we call life and we are committed to reaching the finish line together.
Our "Let's Run Away Together" 5k wedding run, to me, is symbolic of our relationship. We will start the race together and end it together. It incorporates my love of running and showing others the joy of fitness and healthy living, and ties in her passion of giving to others in need and her love of uniting people in the community to enjoy a great event together. Our event is proof positive that when you really love someone, you're willing to go the extra mile to make it work.
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Her Story
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Every little girl wants to live a fairytale with small differences; my favorites are Disney's Princess Ariel from Little Mermaid, and Merida from Brave. But each little girl has their own princess that they see a piece of them in. and we daydream of what it would be like. I am not a Disney princess by far and my childhood was not a Disney movie. I grew up in a household that used a lot of community services to survive. We were able to have holiday meals because of food pantries and places like the Salvation Army. We had school supplies because of places like Casa and our school who handed them out to those who needed supplies. We had clothing due to places like church closets and local battered womens shelters. Our family used many community services and as I grew up I promised I would be successful enough to help others. I started doing things that I thought would make me successful; going to college, getting a job, and being a responsible adult. While going through life I met Anthony and he taught me the most important lesson of my life; how to love and be loved. This isn't something I realized I was missing and was the hardest lesson of my life. There was all these mini lessons like trusting someone, communicating, compromising and letting someone love you enough to be there no matter what you did to push them away. I now have my Masters Degree in Professional Counseling and the thought process of love still is such a mind blowing topic for me. I am constantly thinking why do people do the things they do and what makes them think certain things or make choices they do; but one thing I do not question anymore is why he loves me or how much. I just know now that he does. As cheesy as it is I do have my own fairytale, I am able to be a contributing member to the community (which is in a princess's job description I am pretty sure) and I have my prince charming (who is seemingly very ordinary to others but is amazing in my eyes).
Anyone that knows me knows I am not a runner but I love the inspiration a run can be to someone, and the causes that runs support. I also see the happiness that running gives Anthony and I like beinga part of that. I am so proud to have met and be able to share his successes while being able to be a contribuing member to worthy causes in the community we are raising our family in. Our wedding run "Lets run away together" is our ultimate way of uniting our love by helping worthy community causes, and encouraging others to share this moment with us and to be inspired by whatever brings you happiness.
OUR STORY
