Remember way back in July when we teamed up with Dior to bring you three picture perfect bridal beauty looks? The Beachy Chic, Garden Chic, and City Chic? Well the time has finally come to announce the lucky bride-to-be that will get a Dior Make-up artist at her door on the day of her wedding to flawlessly apply her make-up. I know, dream come true! Oh, and did I mention that this lucky girl will also get a feature on SMP?! But before we announce, we wanted to take a moment to thank the true unsung heroes behind the Dior spread…Eric Laurits, photographer extraordinaire (and seriously one hot cookie) and Kristine Collins, my cousin and possibly the chicest girl, most talented hair artist on the planet. After all, it wasn’t easy turning this mommy of two into a Dior bride for a day, so we are beyond grateful.
Okay! Drum roll please! We are so excited to announce that Ashleigh, from New York City is the lucky, lucky winner! Her fiancé Ian sent in the sweetest email and we just had to share it with all of you…we’re total suckers for love at first sight here at SMP. Plus, isn’t Ashleigh the cutest!?
From Ian: Friday morning, September 18th, 2009, I saw her. We were both medical students at the time, though our paths had never crossed before. But before we start at that point in our story, please allow me to provide some context. In the final two years of medical school doctors-to-be receive “hands on” training, termed rotations, in the hospitals under interns, residents, and attending physicians. I was in my final year of medical school doing a surgical rotation at a hospital in Queens. I had just finished an overnight call. Tired and exhausted, I bussed 40 blocks to visit some friends at a neighboring hospital. On arrival, I immediately started wandering the halls hoping to run into one of them. But before I knew it, my day would take me in a direction I had never could foresee, I saw her.
Who I found wasn’t an old friend, she was better. She was with the surgical team. How did I know she was on the surgical team? Because everyone around her had on green scrubs and looked way too tired, except her. She dazzled. She glowed. She stole the room. I stopped in awe of such a strikingly beautiful girl. I caught myself staring. She melted my heart. I felt silly for standing there and feeling that way, but I couldn’t stop staring nor did I want to look away. I wanted to remember her face in case I never saw her again. I wanted her to glance my way in hopes we could make eye contact. But she never saw me, and the team disappeared to visit the next patient. I was far too star-struck and shy to chase….
I eventually found a friend in the library. I obsessed over this girl I had just seen and gabbed on and on like a pre-teen girl at a sleepover. I didn’t even know her name and my friend was no help. It seemed hopeless for seeing her again, so I left my friend and headed to the cafeteria. I nibbled my food, sulked about my missed encounter, and stared at my shoes as I sauntered back to the elevator. While I waited, I looked over at the pair of shoes that just pulled up to the elevator. “Sweet Tigers” I thought. Then I saw those sweet shoes were attached to. . . her! Fast-forward through my awkward first meeting where I became tongue-tied and made a fool of myself. Two years later we are back to NYC and engaged. And I couldn’t feel more serendipitous to have been in the right place at the right time that Friday morning in September.
Congrats Ashleigh! We literally can’t wait to see the beautiful images of you on your wedding day! xoxo