September 4, 2017

Michael

Aglow in a Hawaiian sunset on September 4, 2017, my knee dipped in the sand of a Kauai beach following a day-long excursion throughout the breathtaking setting, I, at last, asked the love of my life for her hand in marriage.

I don’t know that more than half a second passed before I was met with the joyous (and tearful) embrace of my best friend, Adriana Guardado, in the most perfect gesture she could have possibly offered, illustrating her acceptance. But while the moment itself may have come as a surprise for her, the sentiment was anything but…

Adriana

…so here is how it really went down!

Before leaving Los Angeles to San Diego, my parents had been acting really strange. At first I thought they were just nervous because this is the farthest I had ever traveled away from home, but after my Dad raced home to drive me to the train station, I knew something was off – he’s never been one to race home and drive anywhere after a long day of driving for work. Once on the beautiful island of Kauai, I tried to forget about my parents’ odd behavior, but things got a bit weirder: The morning of the 4^th, Michael suggested that later that evening we take pictures of the sunset on the beach and have dinner at a nearby hotel. I suggested that he ask his parents to tag along with us. After this conversation we embarked on a van tour of the island. While on the tour we were offered the opportunity to ride a small airplane over the Nepali coast. Michael’s Dad, Brian jumped all over the opportunity, but his mom, Susan quickly jumped out of her seat and said “wait! What time? We have plans this evening!” Plans? What plans? I had been with Michael all day and hadn’t heard him mention a thing to his parents about our beach and dinner plans. My mind suddenly began to process a million thoughts at once…”what on earth is going on? What is about to happen? Oh dear, my life is going to change forever today! No no no! Snap out of it! You’re over thinking this! This isn’t happening…or is it?”

Hours later, while walking on the sand of Hanalei Bay, Michael stopped me in my tracks (secretly I wanted to keep walking because I was still in denial) and began to pop the question… In very typical Adriana fashion, I abruptly interrupted his proposal and blurted out the words “uhh there’s some random dude taking pictures of us.” Michael looked me dead in the eyes and said, “he’s not random.” Cue the water works and the beginning of this new chapter as an engaged couple.

Note: the photos featured on this website were all taken moments after Michael proposal.

November 7th, 2010 – Present

For seven years, we have cultivated, struggled through, and, ultimately, grown a long-distance relationship that took place predominantly over the phone, into the most beautiful part of each other’s lives – a long, never regrettable journey of love, diligence, and sacrifice. Throughout the entirety of our relationship, we have lived in two different cities, 130 miles away from each other: Adriana in Granada Hills, and Michael in San Diego. In addition to the challenges that all relationships face, we have had to confront the reality of saying goodnight without seeing each other’s faces, of weeks between gestures as simple as hand-holding, and holidays spent apart.

But with each indignity that geography has set before us, we have persevered.

We are now at a point in which we are ready to fulfill the promise we have consistently made to each other over the last seven years, at a point where we feel now is the time to bring to life the culmination of our dedication and devotion to the principles of matrimony, and our love for one another.

Our Ceremony

St. John Batpist de la Salle Church

16555 Chatsworth St., Granada Hills, CA 91344

Our Reception

Signature Banquet Hall

11130 Balboa Blvd A, Granada Hills, CA 91344

Questions About the Big Day?

Feel free to forward all your questions and concerns to:

Michael Berling

michael.berling@yahoo.com

Adriana Guardado

aeguardado89@gmail.com