Home/Get Advice/They Went From Running Buddies To Husband And Wife

They Went From Running Buddies To Husband And Wife

Updated March 23, 2024
by Rachel Silver

It all began with a run! Running is both Anna and Elias' passion, and before meeting each other they had never found their running match. Elias knew soon after meeting Anna that he had found someone special. The story of their proposal is only made better by getting to watch it in their wedding video by Citrus Ceremonies.

From The Couple:

How They Met

from Anna’s perspective…

After Elias got out of the Marine Corps., he took on his first civilian job at Florida Atlantic University. I just so happened to be going to school there and working in an adjacent office as a student employee. After a few conversations we learned that we were both pretty avid runners and lived really close to each other. Figuring we already shared running routes, we decided that being running buddies wouldn’t be such a bad idea (This may have been more my idea because I hated running long distances by myself.)!

We call our first 10 or so runs together our “first dates” because we ran for about an hour, stopped for ice cream, and then Elias would run me home before running back to his place. After hours of chit-chat and getting to know each other while running around the coast of South Florida, Elias asked me on our first “real (not running) date” and we’ve been together ever since!

How Elias Proposed

from Elias’ perspective…

About a month into knowing Anna I was sure that I had never met anyone like her and that something big was going to happen. I knew I was in love and that I should do something about it, but I’m also dumb so I didn’t right away. About 2 years later, Anna and I took a trip to Philadelphia and I spent the entire weekend wondering why she wasn’t my wife yet; daring myself to just get down on a knee to propose with only a smile and a promise. I made it through that weekend, but I immediately started saving, thinking about proposals, and researching rings. During this same period, Anna and I made it into the Marine Corps Marathon and in a eureka moment I became set on making that the day I asked her. We had logged 1000s of miles on the hot road together and there is no one I would ever want to suffer and succeed with more. I got the family in on the plan and flew her dad up for the day. We started the race that morning and I nervously checked the ring in my back pocket every few steps for 26.15 miles. Once we saw my parents on the side of the race, I faked a cramp and finally made the leap. Anna said yes and I officially became the luckiest guy in the world. Maybe I’m not that dumb after all.

 

  • Cake: Albermarle Baking Company

  • Ceremony Venue: Early Mountain Vineyard

  • Cinematographer: Citrus Ceremonies

  • Dress: Theia Couture

  • Flowers: Whimsical Floral

  • Groom: Calvin Klein

  • Hair: First Look Artistry

  • Makeup: First Look Artistry

  • Music: DJ Paula Shrum

  • Officiant: Gay Lee Einstein

  • Photographer: Stephanie Messick

  • Reception Venue: Early Mountain Vineyard

  • Shoes: miumiu

Home/Get Advice/They Went From Running Buddies To Husband And Wife

They Went From Running Buddies To Husband And Wife

Updated March 23, 2024
by Rachel Silver

It all began with a run! Running is both Anna and Elias' passion, and before meeting each other they had never found their running match. Elias knew soon after meeting Anna that he had found someone special. The story of their proposal is only made better by getting to watch it in their wedding video by Citrus Ceremonies.

From The Couple:

How They Met

from Anna’s perspective…

After Elias got out of the Marine Corps., he took on his first civilian job at Florida Atlantic University. I just so happened to be going to school there and working in an adjacent office as a student employee. After a few conversations we learned that we were both pretty avid runners and lived really close to each other. Figuring we already shared running routes, we decided that being running buddies wouldn’t be such a bad idea (This may have been more my idea because I hated running long distances by myself.)!

We call our first 10 or so runs together our “first dates” because we ran for about an hour, stopped for ice cream, and then Elias would run me home before running back to his place. After hours of chit-chat and getting to know each other while running around the coast of South Florida, Elias asked me on our first “real (not running) date” and we’ve been together ever since!

How Elias Proposed

from Elias’ perspective…

About a month into knowing Anna I was sure that I had never met anyone like her and that something big was going to happen. I knew I was in love and that I should do something about it, but I’m also dumb so I didn’t right away. About 2 years later, Anna and I took a trip to Philadelphia and I spent the entire weekend wondering why she wasn’t my wife yet; daring myself to just get down on a knee to propose with only a smile and a promise. I made it through that weekend, but I immediately started saving, thinking about proposals, and researching rings. During this same period, Anna and I made it into the Marine Corps Marathon and in a eureka moment I became set on making that the day I asked her. We had logged 1000s of miles on the hot road together and there is no one I would ever want to suffer and succeed with more. I got the family in on the plan and flew her dad up for the day. We started the race that morning and I nervously checked the ring in my back pocket every few steps for 26.15 miles. Once we saw my parents on the side of the race, I faked a cramp and finally made the leap. Anna said yes and I officially became the luckiest guy in the world. Maybe I’m not that dumb after all.

 

  • Cake: Albermarle Baking Company

  • Ceremony Venue: Early Mountain Vineyard

  • Cinematographer: Citrus Ceremonies

  • Dress: Theia Couture

  • Flowers: Whimsical Floral

  • Groom: Calvin Klein

  • Hair: First Look Artistry

  • Makeup: First Look Artistry

  • Music: DJ Paula Shrum

  • Officiant: Gay Lee Einstein

  • Photographer: Stephanie Messick

  • Reception Venue: Early Mountain Vineyard

  • Shoes: miumiu