Everyone at Cean One Studios has the good fortune to meet so many loving couples as they prepare to tie the knot. It’s our cherished honor to capture the memories of their beautiful love. But sometimes we just fall in love with a couple, their amazing story, and the commitment they show to each other. This is one of those couples. We were recently contacted by Wish Upon A Wedding to photograph engagement pictures for two beautiful people, Ana + Mark. As we learned about their journey, we asked Mark to write a guest blog to share the story of how they met. We’re so excited to join them next month to photograph their wedding and to document more loving memories for them. Read their incredibly touching story below, as written by Mark.
It was a brisk morning on January 15th 2010 when Ana and I took our first steps together onto the Golden Gate Bride. We grew up in California, me from Carlsbad and Ana from San Mateo, just outside of San Francisco.
We met in Phoenix, where we both live now, however it was here, stepping on to the Golden Gate, where our story really begins. About half way across the bridge, Ana stopped and pulled a letter out of her pocket. As a single mother of two beautiful children, she was ready to commit to a serious relationship. We’ve been friends for years now, but this is it… this is where it began. The following years offered their share of good times with returning trips to San Francisco and multiple trips to San Diego, as well as countless memories with friends and family no matter where it is, but neither of us saw the curve ball life was about to throw them.
On June 21st 2012, Ana (38 years old) visited a doctor for stomach pain. It was a tumor. Within five days Ana was in surgery to remove the tumor and found out it was Stage IV colon cancer. The battle will be long, but these challenges reveal people’s true colors — and Ana is a fighter and an inspiration. One year after her surgery, her doctors found another tumor, but I wasn’t going to let her go into surgery without a little surprise. The week before surgery, I took Ana for a surprise trip to San Francisco, the place it all began, to continue this journey together. As the US Airways flight crossed the California line, my friend who was also the pilot of the aircraft, made an announcement as the flight attendant walked Ana’s newest accessory down the center isle of the plane … her engagement ring.
With the beginning of our story and engagement taking place in her home town of San Francisco, we find it only fitting to begin the next chapter of their lives together in my hometown, in Southern California. We’re set to get married at the Bahia Hotel in San Diego next month on October 13. Though Ana’s battle with cancer is still ongoing, we have found that this journey together has built a bond stronger than either could ever imagine. Sometimes it truly feels like Ana is not struggling through this, and other times it can be the most difficult thing we’ve ever encountered. We just take it day by day, together, knowing that happiness, strength and love guide the way.
