Lara & Bruce in Houston, TX

Lara knew she and Bruce were a perfect match when she learned he had a weakness for her two favorite things -- college football and nachos. After a while, a love for sports and cheesy foods turned into a love for each other. The Bride Lara Carter, 29, accountant The Groom Bruce Yee, 35, accountant The Date September 19 So in their six years of dating, it would have made sense that the subject of marriage would at least have come up—isn’t that what halftime is for? “We never talked about it,” says Lara. “I secretly thought it’d be more fun as a surprise!” The right moment came while the couple was vacationing at a farmhouse in Tuscany, Italy. Lara couldn’t wait to try the local cuisine, so she was thrilled when Bruce took her to a wine tasting at a hilltop castle. After drinking the best vino around, savoring a delicious meal and talking to the owner of the restaurant, Bruce took Lara to one of the castle towers to watch the sunset, where he proposed and showed her the ring he had been carrying around for 10 days. Once Lara said yes, they drove to another restaurant where Bruce had flowers and champagne waiting. Even though Hurricane Ike plowed through Houston six days before their wedding, Lara and Bruce pulled off their modern DIY wedding. The only challenge? The venue lost power, so the entire reception was candlelit!