On the Cover: Meant to be
Sometimes, love is just like a fairy tale — you meet Prince Charming, or someone who looks like a fictional version of him.
“He looks like the guy from ‘Shrek’ — not the ogre, but Prince Charming,” Jaime remembers thinking when she first saw a picture of her future husband, Todd Prior.
“I found my Prince Charming,” Jaime said with a laugh.
Jaime and Todd, who reside in Midland, were married in May 2008, but it all started in 2006 with that photograph.
Jaime’s friend, a nurse practitioner, met Todd, who works as a respiratory therapist and college instructor. The friend decided she wanted to set the two up. They seemed to have a lot in common — they were both outdoorsy and worked in the medical field (Jaime is a cardiovascular research nurse).
The first step was to swap photos. Jaime gave Todd what you would call a standard picture. Todd, on the other hand, passed along a photo of himself from Halloween. In the picture, he’s clad in a fake handlebar mustache, an oversized sombrero and a poncho.
“He thought to not pick a great picture of himself looking studly. He chose to go the comical route,” Jaime said. “I had to meet him after that.”
But, it turns out, the setup didn’t pan out. That’s when fate stepped in.
Jaime and Todd were both at a restaurant with their respective groups of friends. Todd saw someone he recognized from a photograph (Jaime, of course), so he walked over to her and introduced himself, saying, “I think we’re supposed to meet.”
They were physically attracted to each other immediately, and, after talking for a bit, decided they wanted to see more of each other.
The first official date was a modest affair, a quick dinner, because Todd was heading off to Europe for business.
But when he came back to America, the new couple picked up where they left off. They discovered being together felt comfortable, felt right. And Todd said he knew early on she was the one.
“I’d never met anyone like her,” Todd said. “She had all the qualities that I was looking for that I never thought I’d actually find. She keeps me on my toes.”
For Jaime, though, it took a little longer.
“I tried denying I liked him for the longest time, but he saw right through me,” she said.
Todd seemed too good to be true, Jaime said, and she told herself it was easier to say no.
“A girl’s got to be careful,” she added.
Todd remained persistent, and eventually convinced Jaime that his aim was true.
In late December 2007, Jaime and Todd took a trip overseas. Little did Jaime know, Todd had asked her father for her hand in marriage, and tucked away somewhere in Todd’s luggage was an engagement ring.
The couple was headed to Budapest, and then to Vienna on New Year’s Eve. So worried he’d lose the ring, Todd kept it in his fanny pack for the whole trip. Walking around Vienna, he couldn’t keep his eyes off his watch. His plan was to propose at midnight beneath the clock tower. As they took in the sights, they lost track of time. When Todd noticed the time, he grabbed Jaime’s hand and, together, they ran to the clock tower.
“We got there just in time,” Todd said. “The clock struck 12, and I proposed to her.”
She said yes, and the couple started 2008 engaged to be married.
They set the datefor May, giving them only a few months to plan. They picked Petoskey for the destination after falling in love with St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church, which they say reminded them of the old-world churches they marveled at in Europe.
“We were determined to get married there,” Jaime said.
Even though they had only a short time to plan, everything worked out. The ceremony at St. Francis was followed by a reception at Stafford’s Perry Hotel.
The Priors have been married for more than two years now, and they both say they can’t imagine life without the other. Married life is very rewarding, but they say the biggest reward is the baby they’re expecting in October. They have chosen not to know the sex of baby, saying that they just want it to be healthy.
Todd said their family is one step closer to being complete.
Up North Bride Home » Fall & Winter 2010/2011 Edition » On The Cover: Meant to be