How We Met... Our love story
Renee and Joel met in August 2003. Renee lived in New York and Joel lived in New Jersey. Meeting each other was what they now believe was 'meant to be'. They were at the right place at the right time at a local pub in Hoboken, NJ. Renee was out with a girlfriend when Joel was looking at her from across the room. After a few hours, Joel decided to make the first move. He walked over to Renee and gave her his business card. She accepted his business card because she thought he was cute, but really didn't think much more about the encounter until she was cleaning out her purse one week later.

She decided she would give him a call and after 4 hours of talking on the phone that night, they planned their first date where they decided they would go out to dinner to share their love of seafood at Red Lobster. Renee remembers how she fell in love with his sense of humor. He truly made her smile and continues to do so today. Joel is also quite the romantic gentleman. On their third date, Joel took Renee on a romantic helicopter ride above the spectacular skyscrapers of New York City and the Statue of Liberty. After this romantic helicopter ride, Joel surprised Renee with dinner at Iberia Restaurant in Newark, NJ. This was the first time Renee had tasted Portuguese food and where they truly had an opportunity to get to know each other. Renee decided to make that move to New Jersey to be with her true love, Joel and now 5 years later, they are ready to share the rest of their lives together. On Sunday, October 26th, Renee and Joel will be married at the Wilshire Grand in West Orange, New Jersey.