Alicia & Roberto in North Miami Beach, FL

Though her sister’s boyfriend insisted he had the perfect guy for her, Alicia had no interest in being set up. But one night Alicia agreed to join the couple for burgers, and on the way to the restaurant her sister’s boyfriend casually mentioned that one of his friends would be joining them. That friend turned out to be Roberto. He and Alicia hit it off that night and had their first “alone” date -- brunch, followed by a trip to the zoo, and then drinks and dinner -- two weeks later. “What was supposed to be a two-hour date turned into a 10-hour day,” says Alicia, “and I knew this was going to be different than any other relationship I had ever had.” The Bride Alicia Brusa, 27, staffing supervisor The GroomRoberto Delgado, 31, real estate finance The DateFebruary 10 Seven months later, on a Saturday night in January, a huge snowstorm hit Chicago (where the couple lives). Alicia wanted nothing more than to curl up on the sofa and watch movies that night, but Roberto had made plans for them to meet friends for drinks. “I could not believe that he was going to make me go, especially since it was still snowing,” Alicia remembers. She showed up on Roberto’s doorstep cold, frustrated, and 45 minutes late, but her mood quickly turned when he opened the door and she found the home filled with candlelight and roses. It turns out the plans with friends were all a ruse, and Roberto pulled off a surprise proposal, complete with a celebratory dinner at a five-star restaurant.