Renee Arnold (27) and Ryan Joyce (29), who applied online and can't be in the flesh to be interviewed, therefore excerpts suffice via Renee’s written voice to express a bit of their character. I enjoyed the fresh sense of humor and sincerity in their answers.

"RYAN IS A REGIONAL MANAGER FOR AT&T IN WASHINGTON, DC, AND I'M BETWEEN JOBS, TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO USE MY EDUCATION FOR SOMETHING MEANINGFUL UNTIL WE START A FAMILY AND I BECOME A GRANOLA-BAKING HOME-SCHOOLING MOM."

“I HAVE WANTED TO BE MARRIED TO RYAN SINCE I GRADUATED FROM COLLEGE IN 2005. MY FAMILY HAS A HISTORY OF BAD EXAMPLES OF MARRIAGE. IN FACT, MY DAD JUST GOT HIS EIGHTH DIVORCE, MY MOM HAS BEEN DIVORCED THREE TIMES, AND I HAVE THREE SIBLINGS WHO EACH HAVE DIFFERENT MOMS. RYAN AND I BEGAN TALKING ABOUT MARRIAGE WHEN WE REALIZED WE WANTED CHILDREN TOGETHER AND WANTED TO PROVIDE THEM WITH THE STABLE ROOTS I DIDN'T HAVE AS A CHILD. RYAN JOKES HE WAS ABSOLUTELY CERTAIN HE WANTED TO MARRY ME ON THE DAY HE PROPOSED, BECAUSE I SHARED MY BREAD WITH HIM AT DINNER. APPARENTLY, BEING ABLE TO SHARE REALLY GOOD BREAD WITH HIM EVEN THOUGH I REALLY WANTED TO KEEP IT FOR MYSELF WAS PROOF THAT I WOULD BE WILLING TO SHARE EVERY PART OF MY LIFE WITH HIM.”

“NEITHER OF US ARE RELIGIOUS BUT WE WOULD WANT TO INCORPORATE THE AFRICAN AMERICAN BROOM JUMPING CEREMONY ON OUR WAY BACK DOWN THE AISLE IN HONOR OF MY AFRICAN AMERICAN HALF.”

“RYAN HAS GROWN UP SURROUNDED BY ART. HIS MOM, SUSAN JOYCE, IS A CURATOR AND SHE ACTUALLY RECOMMENDED THIS PROJECT TO US. ART HAS BECOME A BIG PART OF MY LIFE AS WELL AS A RESULT OF BEING WITH RYAN. I'VE ALWAYS BEEN CURIOUS IN LEARNING NEW THINGS AND SEEING THE WORLD IN NEW WAYS, AND HAVING SOMEONE ELSE INTERPRET OUR DAY FOR US WOULD BE AN AMAZING NEW EXPERIENCE FOR US AND OUR GUESTS. IT WOULD BE A TRULY MEMORABLE WAY FOR US TO BEGIN THE NEXT CHAPTER OF OUR LIFE TOGETHER.”