Josh & Joanne - July 5, 2014

Josh, a lowly analyst for Wilmar International Limited, and Joanne, a young and beautiful Singapore Airlines Stewardess, furiously pursued their careers while in Singapore, and neither dreamed of courtship, let alone the finding of true love. But as is often the case, our ways are not His ways, and soon the paths of two complete strangers crossed. Josh and Joanne first met at a dinner with mutual friends. Josh did not give Joanne any notice. His philosophy was to never pay the beautiful girls any attention because they received copious amounts of it from the other men anyway. She would just be another pretty face that would soon pass. As time progressed, Josh realized what he was missing by not pursuing Joanne. He mustered up the courage and invited Joanne to East Coast Park to rollerblade and ride tandem bikes together. As they rode, they spoke, and as they spoke, they realized the desire for something beyond friendship. Fast forward. While still immersed in their careers, Josh realized how he may had found the woman he would want to spend his life with, and through much thought, deliberation, and prayer, decided that she was in fact, the woman he would marry. He found her next flight destination in Auckland, New Zealand, and decided to surprise her there and ask her to be his wife. Employing the help of his Kiwi family, they set out to write the big question on the side of an old, inactive volcano, atop One Tree Hill, in Auckland, New Zealand. Upon her arrival, Josh taxied her away to the site, set down on one knee, and asked Joanne for her hand in marriage. And as they say in fairy tales, “the rest is history”.

As the wedding planning began, Josh and Joanne knew that they wanted something that would bring their friends and family from all over the world together to celebrate. Joanne and Josh chose the Inn at Quarry Ridge for their wedding weekend but the actual festivities lasted over a week. Some of their friends and family came that had never been to the United States and with a 4th of July week they were immersed in American culture. Being surrounded by the people you love, even when you don’t get see them all the time, really made their wedding special.