Heather & Bill in Chicago, IL

For months, Bill’s cousin had been mentioning a great girl named Heather who Bill might be into. So when the cousin sent out a party announcement, Bill boldly emailed Heather, using her address from the invite. Intrigued, she made him a bet: If he could pick her out of the party crowd, she’d go out with him. On the big day, Bill awkwardly approached several strangers until Heather graciously introduced herself -- and agreed to a date anyway. The Bride Heather Norton, 26, fashion boutique assistant manager The Groom Bill Hackney, attorney The Date September 16 Almost two years later, they planned a European vacation. To surprise her, Bill spent months convincing Heather he wasn’t proposing abroad. He even left the ring at home so she wouldn’t find it in his luggage. When he popped the question at Sacre Coeur, Heather thought he was joking. She quickly realized he was serious and said yes, and the pair spent the next week celebrating their engagement in Paris, Venice, and Madrid.