Jen & Mike in Sparta, NJ

Jen and Mike first saw each other at the gym and, although Jen liked sneaking peeks of Mike while he worked out, she initially turned down a mutual friend who tried to set them up. But then the two ran into each other at a bar in Morristown and hit it off right away. After three years of dating, Jen not-so-subtly asked Mike if he was going to marry her anytime soon. He told her they could look at engagement rings on the way home from their upcoming weekend trip to Ocean Beach. The timing was tricky because Mike already had a ring and was planning to propose on that very getaway. The Bride Jennifer (Jen) Stepanek, 27, a marketing manager The Groom Michael (Mike) Tutko, 32, a New Jersey State Trooper) The Date August 28 He popped the question on the beach (in the rain) and the couple celebrated with dinner at The Crab’s Claw Inn. They spent the next year planning a lakeside wedding at a historic venue within an hour of their hometowns. Playing off the nearby water, the wedding took on a maritime theme with navy, platinum, and ivory hues.