Bride & Groom:	Wedding Date:
Sally-Ann Quiterio & Erik Limpaecher	September 8. 2007
Engagement Story:
May 27th is the wedding day of Erik's great-grandparents, grandparents, and parents, and is now also the day we got engaged. First, Erik emailed out evite invitations: "I'm planning on proposing to Sally-Ann and want as many family and friends there as possible to make it memorable. Sally-Ann has a knack for figuring out surprises, so don't let anything slip. I've had my private pilot license for the past five years. On May 27, 2006, Sally-Ann and I will be flying over Philadelphia, which was also the destination of our first flying date and involved a midnight airborne kiss. I'll need everyone to arrive at the Princeton Airport at 5:30, after we leave. When we return, our family and friends will be waiting on the ground with a special surprise. Please pray for good weather low winds, no haze, and few clouds." Erik took a day off from work and, with three friends, worked for seven hours to paint a 200 foot banner with the words "SALLY-ANN, WILL YOU MARRY ME? (heart) ERIK". Each letter was 7 1/2 feet tall and 5 feet wide. Sally-Ann, a nurse, was assigned a shift in the Princeton Hospital ER that weekend. As a cover story, Erik's parents invited her family to dinner and a Broadway show to celebrate the Limpaechers' wedding anniversary. Sally-Ann bought the story, found coverage for her shift, and took the day off. When Erik's parents arrived in Princeton it was pouring hard. The prospects for flying did not look good. Fortunately, the weather gradually improved. Erik suggested to Sally-Ann that we go flying. "But why leave now, when our families are all together?" she wondered. To make the separation easier, her dad gave the parents "something to do" by starting a game of bridge. No sooner had we left, they placed the cards aside and scrambled to get the banner to the airport and coordinate the effort to lay it out. It was windy, so everyone was needed to wrestle it to the ground. When we returned from our flight over Philly, Erik realized from the air that they weren't quite ready and did a slow 360 turn just south of the airport. When we finally flew past the airport, Sally-Ann read the words and shouted, "Yes, Yes, Yes!" first to Erik and then into the radio. "But who are all the people down there waving?" We landed safely, even though it took a while to get the plane on the ground in the midst of all the excitement. Erik taxied the plane to the tie-down area, knelt on one knee, and held out the ring. We kissed as 40 family and friends surrounded us, clapping and cheering. What a great moment! Erik slid the ring on Sally-Ann's finger as it sparkled in the sunshine by this point, there wasn't a cloud in the sky. The group enjoyed snacks and shared some toasts, congratulating us on our engagement and Erik's parents on their 39th wedding anniversary. On our way into town for dinner, the hospital called Sally-Ann. The ER was abuzz with excitement. We drove by the hospital to show off the diamond and were mobbed by nurses rushing into the waiting room to greet us. Erik and his brother, Alex, had one more surprise at the restaurant, a serenade for Sally-Ann on their violins. Alex claimed the Mozart duet, "Là ci darem la mano" translates as, "Will you marry my brother?" Well, not quite. Finally, it was time to part. The surprise was a total success.
Prize Awarded:
A copy of Chicken Soup for the Bride's Soul: Stories of Love, Laughter and Commitment to Last a Lifetime

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