It all started with a call about pizza…
Mark: “Hi, is this Jackie?”
Jackie: “Yeah, Hi, Mark?”
Mark: “Yep. I’m about to order a beer for you and you get a free pizza with it. Cheese or pepperoni?”
Jackie: “Um, pepperoni sounds good? I’m in a cab now, be there in a few!”
Mark: “Ok, great! No worries, I’ll see you soon!”
And that was the first time Mark and Jackie heard each others' voices.
While traveling in Colombia the week prior, Mark had bought some tickets to see a show and invited Jackie on a date. They decided to meet for a drink at The Charleston on Bedford Ave before the concert. Mark got there a little early and ended up with some urgent pizza-related business and needed to talk to Jackie. So he called her from the bar.
After pizza, beer and maaaybe a little whiskey they headed to the Music Hall of Williamsburg. Metronomy was playing so they grabbed a drink at the downstairs bar and then headed up for the show. Dancing and fun ensued, and the rest is history.
This could have been the song they played when they went on their first ride to makeout city:
The Relationship
Since that first date, and many consecutive ones, they've had several awesome years together. The Sullinacos have been lucky enough to travel, host visitors in NYC, explore the northeast and make wonderful memories with old and new friends. Some highlights include:
Camping in the Catskills
Kayaking
The Empire State Building
Playing Tour Guide with Family and Friends in NYC
Family Trips to Costa Rica, Madrid and Hawaii
Night of Games
Halloween
Jazz Age Lawn Party
Mermaid Parade
The Wonder Wheel at Coney Island with Mark's Mom
The Loveliest Rhino, Rodney
Robit the Robot
Butt Snapper Sightings
Adventures with Cash and Fnappy
#RhinoWeBelongTogether
The Proposal
3 continents, 3 notes and one 1 unexpected question.
Mark had known that he was going to proposed to Jackie for a while, but hadn’t figured out how he was going to do it.
He knew that Jackie probably wouldn’t want a proposal in front of lots of people, but wanted to find a way to make it really special.
The first note was slipped into her coat pocket in the airport in Morocco (Continent #1, Africa). Unfortunately they were unable to escape to the Casbah since their connecting flight to Madrid would leave in a few short hours, but nonetheless a mysterious piece of paper appeared with the handwritten word "Will". Jackie eyed Mark suspiciously, but assuming it would be impossible to carry a ring overseas and through customs multiple times, she slipped the single word back into her pocket and they made their way to Madrid to spend Christmas with the Monacos.
Spoiler alert: the notes spell something.
Christmas in Spain (Continent #2, Europe) was lovely, and after touring museums and palaces as a family on Cathy's birthday (Dec. 27), Mark invited Jackie to stroll alone with him in the Botanic Gardens. There wasn't much in bloom since it was the middle of winter, but they walked hand in hand through the paths.
Entering a circular clearing with benches, Mark and Jackie embraced in the chilly weather, but were alerted when a rogue Garden Butt Snapper grabbed at Jackie from behind. Mark advised that she should turn around to make sure it was gone, and when she looked back to Mark, he was holding a single rose. When asked to check her coat pocket after the Snapper attack, a second handwritten note was found, this one with the word, "you".
Doesn't the mysterious note writer have lovely handwriting?
We were very tired and jet lagged, on top of being so super romantic.
Somehow Jackie was still not too suspicious, expecting at least to be back in the US before any big surprises. So on they travelled, to their final destination, Istanbul, Turkey (Continent #3, Asia).
The weather in Istanbul was horrendous, to put it mildly. The snow and rain had caused a city-wide power outage by day 2, and the couple found themselves without electricity after the second day. Nonetheless, they ventured out into the elements to visit mosques, an ancient bathhouse, bazaars, and a historic palace on the Asian side of the city (Istanbul is on two continents!). Unbeknownst to Jackie, on this last freezing day of travel (New Year's Eve 2016), Mark was in fact waiting for the right moment to pop the question.
These were the last pics taken of us as un-engaged folks.
The palace turned out to be a little too puddly for kneeling, so after some lunch in Asia, they headed back and shopped for souvenirs and Turkish Delights at the Grand Bazaar. Since most of the city was without power, they decided to call it an early night and walked back to their AirBnB apartment through the dark cobblestone streets, stopping at the candle-lit corner store for some turkish beer to take home.
This could have been the spot where Mark proposed.
Actual proposal spot on the balcony of the AirBnB
That evening, on the last night of 2016, as they stood on the balcony and looked out over the dark city, Jackie was again compelled to check her coat pocket. She pulled out a small piece of paper, as she had previously, but this time there was a twist! TWO words, handwritten with a question mark: 'Marry Me?'
When she turned to Mark again (secret note reading always requires one to turn their back) she was amazed to find him on one knee, holding a ring box. The diamond inside was pear-shaped and exactly what Jackie wanted. As you can imagine, she said yes (after asking Mark to repeat the question!) and they celebrated with Turkish delights and beer and ring selfies.
He Proposed
( She Said Yes )
Thus began the engagement that will bring us all together this November! We can't wait to see you, catch up, drink, dance, swim and let you all know how grateful we are to become a family.