LIFE

She told him he was bad luck. He married her.

Betsy Price
The News Journal

THE INTRODUCTION: Delaware native Christina Samluk and Virginia Beach native Jeremy Ayers met at a beach volleyball tournament during the Neptune Festival in Virginia Beach Sept. 26, 2009. She was 27, working as pharmaceutical sales rep for AstraZeneca and playing in the women's division with her friend (and future bridesmaid) Brenda Mowen. Brenda was playing in the coed division the next day with her husband and wanted Christina to stay to play in that, too. But Christina didn't have a partner, so they went to talk to the tournament director. Jeremy, who was 27 and working in real estate, overheard the conversation and introduced himself. They watched each other play throughout the day, even though Christina insisted he was "bad luck" because he made her nervous. That night, Christina, Brenda and her husband went out with Jeremy and his friends to Mahi Mah's, Waterman's and Lunasea. She liked that he was laid back; he thought she was beautiful. Jeremy even found Christina a partner, his friend Shane. Jeremy and his partner would go on to win the coed event; Christina and Shane placed third.

THE FIRST KISS: That night, as they were walking along the beach, Jeremy was singing and it started to rain. They looked out on the ocean in the moonlight, and it was like a scene from a movie. Cue the perfect kiss. For the next two weeks, they talked on the telephone and texted.

THE FIRST DATE: Two weeks after they met, Jeremy came to Delaware for the weekend. They went dancing at Kid Shelleen's, walked along the Brandywine and went to Rockford Park. Christina introduced Jeremy to scrapple at the Newport Diner and El Diablo burritos. They dated steadily from that point on. The first year, they drove back and forth between Delaware and Virginia Beach. Then Jeremy moved to Delaware. They moved in together and added to the family with a son, Jacob, now 2. Jeremy already had a son, Paxton, now 6.

THE PROPOSAL: By Feb. 10, 2013, Christina expected a proposal but didn't know when it would come. The November before, Jeremy had secretly gone ring shopping with her mother, but once they were at the store, her mother picked out things she liked and Jeremy picked out things he liked -- and Jeremy finally called Christina and asked her to come to the store to pick out what she wanted. But on Feb. 10, Jeremy handed Christina a Hallmark Forever Bloom rose, which is designed to bloom with the press of a button, with the ring hidden inside. But it backfired because Christina didn't realize that and thought it was a music box. She kept trying to turn it on and finally assumed it was broken. He ended up taking it away from her to show her, and while he did, he got down on one knee. Even with the confusion, it was romantic and intimate, Christina says. She said yes.

THE CEREMONY: They married at St. Anthony of Padua Church May 24. It was the church that Christina grew up in, and where her Grandmother Matilda Samluk played organ. Opera singer Kelly Curtin enthralled guests with "Con Te Partiro" by Andrea Bocelli; "All I Ask of You" from "Phantom of the Opera" and "The Prayer" by Celine Dion and Andrea Bocelli. Paxton and Carl Seibel, Christina's nephew, carried a "Here Comes the Bride" banner during the procession and an "And they lived happily ever after!" banner for the recessional. In all the excitement, ring bearer Jacob decided not to take a nap, and then lay on the church floor instead of walking with Matron of Honor Marissa Seibel, sister of the bride. Usher Jesse Samluk, brother of the bride and Marissa's twin, came to the rescue and carried his nephew and ring pillow up the aisle. Jeremy's brothers John and Eric and sister Krystal also were in the wedding.

THE DRESS: The bride wore a classic white satin Casablanca A-line gown embellished with crystal and lace on both the belted bodice and an extended cathedral train.

SOMETHING OLD, BORROWED AND BLUE: Christina continued a family tradition in which all the women who married in that family carried their Grandmother Louise Fidance's white handkerchief with blue crocheted edges. Christina also carried her Grandma Matilda's Blessed Mary pendant.

SOMETHING NEW: Diamond and pearl drop earrings, a wedding gift from Jeremy.

THE RECEPTION: The reception was at the Sheraton Wilmington South and included a photobooth and a chocolate fountain. The cake was made by Desserts by Dana and featured flowers from Christina's bouquet as well as handcrafted seashells. Because he had no nap, Jacob fell asleep before his parent's first dance. He woke up as they finished to join in the clapping and then went back to sleep. But those naps seemed to re-energize him, and he strutted his stuff on the dance floor later that night. The bride and her father danced to Stevie Wonder's, "I Just Called to Say I Love You." During the chorus of the song, Jeremy started to sing and got everyone else to do it, too, a remarkable moment, Christina says. The funniest moment came during Jeremy's dance to "Nobody" by Keith Sweat to get the garter. He did a penguin dive on the floor to go under Christina's dress to come out with the garter. Mother of the Bride Michele Samluk-Medori danced with her three children to the Intruders' "I'll Always Love My Mama" at the end of the night, the perfect ending for Christina.

THE MOST POPULAR GIFT: Because they already had a furnished home, they registered on honeyfund.com, making the most popular gift cash that went towards their honeymoon and home renovation projects.

THE MOST SENTIMENTAL GIFTS: There were two. Christina's best friend and bridesmaid Cetta Shahan gave them a framed black and white picture of Christina as a little girl her her Grandma Louise in which Christina is holding a buttercup under her grandmother's chin. The frame included a recipe for her Grandma's butter cookies. And her best friend and bridesmaid Brenda Mowen surprised her by showing up at her bridal shower, held a month before the wedding. Brenda had recently moved to Clearwater Beach, Florida, and Christina didn't expect her. "I totally did a double take when I saw her," Christina says. "I was so surprised and honored to see her there."

THE HONEYMOON: The newlyweds went to St. Lucia, where they snorkeled, learned to scuba dive, visited a shipwreck, went ziplining and played lots of volleyball.

THE FAMILY TREE: The bride is the daughter of Michele Samluk-Medori and Enzo Medori of Landenberg, Pennsylvania and Mari and John J. Samluk of Wilmington. The groom is the son of Mary Ayers of Virginia Beach, Virginia, and John Ayers Sr. of Floyd, Virginia.

WHAT'S NEXT: The couple lives in Wilmington with Paxton and Jacob and their dogs, Remy and Gemini. They are renovating their house, which they hope to sell so they can buy a bigger one. Christina is a Padua Academy graduate with a bachelor's of science degree from the University of Delaware and a master's in business administration from Widener University. She is still pharmaceutical sales specialist with AstraZeneca. Jeremy earned an associate's degree in computer networking from Fall River College. He works as a server at Harry's Savoy Grill. Both Christina and Jeremy coach volleyball for Delaware Juniors Volleyball Club, and Christina coaches at Delcastle High School. She played volleyball in high school, and while Jeremy played football, basketball, baseball, golf and soccer in high school, he did not play volleyball, but loves it. They hope to have more children in the future.

To have your ceremony considered for this feature, you must fill out a questionnaire and send us a photo. Please email Sundaylife@delaware online.com or call (302) 324-2884 for a form. This is a free service, and we cannot guarantee a specific ceremony will be chosen. Couples also may have their ceremonies appear in Celebrations, (302) 324-2781.