Arlene & Dennis in Ajax, Ontario

Arlene and Dennis met more than ten years ago. At the time, Arlene was in high school and Dennis was working at a local fast food joint while attending the University of Western Ontario. I thought he was cute, but was more intrigued by the idea of dating a university student while I was still in high school! Arlene says. The Bride Arlene Lobrin, 28, regulatory affairs associate The Groom Deenase (Dennis) Sooklal, 31, investigator The Date August 26 The deal was no degree, no ring, Arlene says. Dennis wanted to propose when Arlene was done with her studies -- not high school, but a college diploma and then a university degree! Dennis planned on popping the question after Arlene's graduation, but the ring arrived a few days early and he just couldn’t wait. Still, he did have one surprise in store for Arlene: When Dennis asked her to marry him he presented Arlene with a decoy ring that was the exact opposite of what she had hoped for -- a yellow gold ring with a miniscule diamond. When Arlene consented, Dennis asked, Really? It was then that he pulled out another box and revealed the real sparkler.