{love this | love story | valerie + scott}

Valerie & Scott meet over 10 years ago where there were both servers at Marie Calendars during undergrad school. They started as friends and through a little push from Val’s sister and WOW, the video game, their friendship soon flourished. Once school was done Valerie headed back to Orange County, but Scott made sure to stay in touch. “Scott would send me cute emails and we continued to play WOW, I remember one time he called to say he was in the area and invited me to Sushi” Val smiles. They continued seeing each other trading off every other weekend from OC to LA, with Val eventually moving to LA.
“I love that Val drinks dark beer, her drive to succeed, willingness to try new things, and the fact that she puts up with my idiosyncrasies, oh and her craft for making things.”
When asked where their first date was they both looked at each other in puzzlement, “I don’t know when our first date was, we just sorta hung out a lot and one thing led to another” Scott declares. After some thought, looking back and forth at each other and reminiscing, their first date comes back to them. “We watched the Dodger game and ordered pizza at Scott’s house.” Val laughs.

They went to many group activities with other friends, but Val and Scott remember their first group outing to Disneyland. “Scott bought me a rice crispy treat” “chocolate covered rice crispy treat” Scott chimes in “and he kept trying to ride all the rides with me.” “I love Scott for his taste in beer (even though I can outdrink him), his passion for travel, that he teaches me new things, his excitement for Buzz Lightyear and his love for his grandmother.
Val & Scott remember their engagement the best, not because it was the most recent, but because it was an adventure. In August of 2007 Val and Scott were going to Hawaii on a cruise around all the islands. Scott decided this is when he was going to propose to Val. He first asked Val parents for their blessing, “I couldn’t figure out why he wouldn’t let me go with him to visit MY parents, why can’t I go with you” she kept asking Scott.

Scott planned a custom 5 course dinner with a private chef on Maui beach at sunset and told the coordinator his plan to propose. The day has arrived and they are at the beach and Val looks at Scott “Why did you make me wear heels if we are going on the beach?” she grunts. “It’s just right here not far” as he points at the table wondering why there are three chairs set up. They head over to the table greeted by the chef who says I think you have the wrong table sir, Scott says no, gives him his name and the chef proceeds to say no, I just spoke to my client and they are 20 minutes out, there must be another table behind those rocks. So, Scott and Val (still in heels), hike around the beach trying to find their table, all while the sun is starting to set. Scott is getting nervous and Val is wondering why he is so nervous and thinking well if he is going to propose this is it. Scott calls the coordinator and explains that the chef isn’t here, she says oh let me call him right away. After a few phone calls back and forth the coordinator finally explains she can’t get a hold of the chef and apologizes, offering a refund and tells them to go to any restaurant they like and she will pick up the tab. “Well so much for my plan this isn’t going to happen now!” Scott thinks to himself. So they head back to town and go to a restaurant that the coordinator suggests. “When we get there the hostess asks do you have a reservation. No we tell her. Ehhh as her face scrunches, sorry we are completely booked, but there is another restaurant down the way.” A little past 8 and after a 25 minute wait the weary pair are finally seated at a table.
Scott thinks even though his plan didn’t work he still has the opportunity while they are in Hawaii to propose. He decided to just carry the ring with him. “I tucked the ring in the camera bag and never let the bag off my shoulder” he laughs.

The next day they drive around the island on Hana Highway in their rented convertible, passing one of the popular waterfalls, 3 Bears, they continue on to other hiking and sight seeing locations. On the way back to the ship Scott sees that 3 Bears is almost empty thinks this is perfect! He takes Vals hand and says “Come on lets go see this waterfall” Val feeling tired and gross says “No I am tired and done!” Scott convinces her to go and as they get down to the waters edge it is beautiful and empty and Scott knows this is the moment. “I tell her to look over at that waterfall while I grab the ring and get down on one knee” Scott says with excitement. “As I turned around I gasped, I thought you feel in the water” Val sequels. Scott asks her to marry him and she says yes, however, she can’t believe that was the moment “I was so gross and sweaty and dirty” she shakes her head.


Val and Scott were married on April 3, 2010. The best advice Scott and Val have for couples is to communicate! Val jokes “I have a bottle of vodka in the freezer too”. Be adventurous and try new things together, it will bring you closer, they both add.

Val and Scott love to drink beer (this is why Aldo loves them), every night they watch a TV show together. They enjoy Dodgers games, darts, shuffle board, and video games. “We are so competitive, we have to watch what we play, neither one of us likes to lose” Vals states. “We also like to bake, especially around the holidays, it’s a family tradition” Scott adds.