How We Met
While living in Washington, DC, Dave and Alicia were on the same adult kickball team (yes, kickball). Dave saw that Alicia was wearing a Texas sweatshirt, and he decided that his knowledge of his home state would be great for some sort of pick-up line. The rest is history.
About Alicia
Alicia Anne Donakowski was born in Pontiac, Michigan to Patricia Anne and Paul Lee Donakowski. She mostly grew up in Houston, attended The University of Texas at Austin majoring in Mechanical Engineering, and began working for the consulting company PricewaterhouseCoopers (now IBM). Her consulting career took her many places including relocating to Washington, DC - where she met and fell in love with Dave! She enjoys sports, country dancing, building things, happy hour with her girlfriends, visiting friends and family, and traveling for fun.
About Dave
David Charles Lankford was born in Houston, Texas to Maureen Lankford and Charles P. Lankford III. He most recently lived in Washington, DC for nine years. Dave double majored in International Marketing and Psychology from The American University, worked for five years as an information technology and strategy consultant, and is currently pursuing a new career in acting. Dave enjoys photography, salsa dancing, traveling (he has been abroad to 24 countries), and long walks on the beach.
How Dave Proposed
The day started at sunrise. Alicia and I were camping in Shiner, Texas after partying at the annual Shiner Boch Bochtoberfest. I woke up Alicia and told her that we had to get ready - as we had to be at the airport (in Houston) in four hours. I have never seen Alicia more surprised. All of the sudden, she desperately needed to find a bathroom (a typical symptom of extreme joy) - which was difficult, seeing as we were at a campsite and Alicia couldn't find her contacts.
I realized that if I had no intentions of proposing, I was SOL. Luckily, I had a diamond ring hidden and I had asked her parents permission (which I received) the day before.
We drove the two hours back to Houston. During this time, I prepared Alicia for what she should pack; I informed her that she had 30-40 minutes to prepare herself for our upcoming adventure. Once we arrived at our apartment, we turned into A-Team commandoes, preparing ourselves with military precision and efficiency. Before leaving the apartment, Alicia and I looked back at our living room - it was covered with muddy clothes, a soiled tent, and propane tanks. We didn't care; we left.
Alicia had no idea where we were going. All she knew, once we checked in, was that we had a connection in Atlanta. However, in Atlanta, she discovered our final destination: New York. The Big Apple.
Arriving in NYC, I quickly realized that I was lacking some information: the address of our next destination. I quickly called 411. They were of no use. Then I called my friend Dave Mallen. Voicemail. I called Darpan Biswas. Luck. He answered. I gave him the name of the place we were scheduled to visit next, he jumped on the Internet, and he found the address. It was like Who Wants to be a Millionaire. Darpan was my first lifeline.
Alicia and I hailed a cab, gave him the address, and we were off to Broadway! Well ... off-Broadway ... to see the premiere of The Foreigner, starring Matthew Broderick. The play was hilarious! And sentimental, as The Foreigner was my first high school play (as an actor). After the play was over, I stalled to allow time for the audience to leave - I went to the bathroom and I retrieved our coats and luggage from the coat check. Once the audience had departed, I led Alicia back into the theater and through a secret door that led to the stage.
See, when I first purchased the tickets, I contacted the stage manager of the show and arranged to bring Alicia up on the stage. And so there we were: a spotlight shining down on us, the set behind us. I told Alicia that my dream is to become an actor; that it is a scary dream; that I also have a dream to spend my life with her; that the first dream is not so scary with the second; that I wanted to share both dreams with her. I got down on one knee and brought out the ring. Her eyes filled with tears; she became speechless, smiled, and eventually found her voice again. She said, "Yes."
And from the light booth, came the sound of one man clapping.