Our Love Story
It all started in West Tampa!
Our story begins with a typical West Tampa house party, where two childhood friends of both Manny and Liana’s were celebrating their birthdays.
Friday, June 3, 1994 – a night that will live in infamy! Yes – that is a WWII reference, and Manny likes history. However, it is also fitting because he now realizes he was attacked that day by a swarm of love-wielding cupids, eager to take the young man down.
Corner of Glen Avenue and Beach Street – scene of the incident. Like any good house party in those days, we were not limited to the inside of our friends’ home, or even to their driveway. We set up shop in the middle of the street outside, filling the air with salsa music, laughter, and carefree childhood memories.
As Manny stood among a circle of friends, looking south towards another group of kids, he noticed among them what could only be described as a real life angel. Albeit a very curly haired, loud, and somewhat crazy Cuban angel, but an angel nonetheless! Manny had never seen anything like it. The swarm of cupids had done their job.
(This is where all of Manny’s guy friends roll their eyes, get nauseous, and stop reading. But stick with us guys. There’s an open-bar at the end of the reception tunnel!)
Many, many years have passed since then. 21 to be exact! But to Manny, it seems like it was only yesterday, although his gray hair would definitely indicate otherwise.
Much has happened between 1994 and 2015. Dating, Friendship, Distance, College, Law School, Fun, Tears, Laughter, Anger, Love, Missed Opportunities, Growth, Maturity, Loss, Travel, Dance, Baseball, and Plenty of Cigars!
Oh, and of course, the kids – as in the fur babies. They are truly the cutest bunch of pups around!
And through it all, it seemed that there was one constant in both of their lives – each other.
20 years later, Manny proposed to his best friend and childhood crush on the same street where he first saw her…and Liana, his angel, said yes.
The rest, as they say, is history…
