Tanaya and Ernest
More About Us
1. What New Mexico city do you live in?
We both grew up in the small northern New Mexico town of Eagle nest and we now currently live in Albuquerque.
2. How did you meet and how long have you been together?
Since we both grew up in Eagle Nest we initially met in middle school. It wasn’t until May 2003, at my twin sisters wedding, that we first had feelings for each other. We spent a lot of time with each other over the course of the wedding weekend because Ernie was the best man and I was the maid of honor. We started dating shortly after the wedding and have been together for four and a half years.
3. What do you both do for fun in New Mexico?
Both Ernie and I both love the outdoors of New Mexico. Ernie loves to hunt, fish and hike. I enjoy waterskiing and talking my puppy on long walks. We both also enjoy riding our four-wheeler, snowboarding and camping around the state.
4. Tell us about your occupations:
Since moving to Albuquerque two years ago I have been working for bank of America as a sales and service specialist and also attending school full time at UNM. Ernie has been working for the New Mexico Lottery for the past two years as an investigator. Ernie conducts background and non-criminal investigations and also assists with warehouse operations.
5. What has been your most memorable moment together as a couple?
Our most memorable moment together would have to be when Ernie returned from a ten-month tour in Iraq. I planned to meet his parents in Eagle Nest so we could pick him up together. When I arrived and knocked on the door Ernie answered. We were so happy to hold each other again and we knew from that point that we would be together forever.
6. What would you like voters to know about you?
We would like voters to know what a privilege it has been to be a part of this contest. Sharing our story with the people of New Mexico has really sown us how deep our love for each other is and how our relationship has grown over the years. We would also like to share what we think is our most unique characteristic as a couple, our height difference. Ernie stands at 6’4” tall and I am a short 4’10”. Not only does it make for some interesting photos, it also turns some heads.
7. What do you look forward to the most during your dream honeymoon in Italy?
Being that I am half Italian it has always been a dream for me to visit Italy. Knowing that Ernie would be there with me to share that experience would make it a trip of a lifetime. Just the chance to experience the culture, lifestyle, and romance of one of the greatest countries in the world with the person you love the most would be one of the most breathtaking and memorable moments of our lives.
8. Tell us why you deserve to win the $50,000 New Mexico Dream Wedding:
We think that the sacrifices that we have made over the course of our relationship best represent why we would deserve the New Mexico dream wedding. Through the sacrifices of a long distance relationship, or being half a world away from each other, our love has grown even stronger. We have also sacrificed to take care of my mother during her time of need. We had to sacrifice and drain our wedding fund so I could attend school and had to drain it again to fix a broken-down car, not only once but twice, and then repair one that had been vandalized. Everything that we have been through reminds us of how strong our love is for each other. Through all the sacrifices and through all the good times and bad Ernie and I know that our love for each other cannot be broken no matter what comes our way. This is why we feel that we deserve the New Mexico Dream Wedding.
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Photography provided by: Kyle Zimmerman Photography
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