2009 Meet The Five Finalists Jennifer & Tristan
Jennifer & Tristan
Couple 2
More About Us
1. In what New Mexico city do you live?
We live in Albuquerque.
2. How did you meet and how long have you been together?
Tristan and I met by a complete stranger at cowboys. The coolest most romantic part is a week before we met I had been at a local restaurant down town with some girlfriends talking about different subjects when I had decided to make up my "dream guy" . As my friends rolled their eyes, I spilled about how his name was going to be Tristan and he would have blonde hair blue eyes etc. Well a week or so later I met up with a friend to go to cowboys, She was a dancer and I really wasn't , so I was going to leave but as I was leaving I was stopped in my tracks by the most beautiful man. I was immediately drawn to him. So I agreed to stay a while longer hoping for some eye contact. Well this stranger I guess saw me starring or looking over at him and she tried to convince me to talk to him. I was shy and refused. She got my name went over to him, grabbed his hand and clasped it with mine and she said "if you ever get married, you better invite me " and left. He smiled and said "Hi my name is Tristan". We've been together ever since going on for about two years.
3. What do you both do for fun in New Mexico?
Tristan and I try to get the most out of beautiful New Mexico by exploring the outdoors as much as possible. Horseback ridding in Corrales, anniversaries in Santa Fe, picnics in the Jemez, road trips to our favorite town Madrid. We love grabbing a local Alibi and finding different benefits and events going on such as the Greek festival or the doggie dash and dawdle, supporting the humane society, art shows supporting local New Mexican artists, shopping in Nob Hill at our favorite shops like Toad Road and eating at our favorite cafes like Flying Star. We find it very hard to be bored here in New Mexico. We love the food, the culture and the weather. We are very proud to say we live here in the Land of Enchantment.
4. Tell us about your occupations:
Well I was a waitress for two and a half years at the historically known Kelly's Brew & Pub. I've recently started training for another great company Wells Fargo. I tend to do best in jobs where I have a lot of personal interaction with people. I love meeting new people and enjoy giving tourists ideas and suggestions while working at the restaurant. I'm also a full time student at CNM studying for a degree in Nursing. My goal for the future in a career in nursing is, I want to make a positive impact on whoever I can, helping and giving my love and support to whoever is in need. I chose this field for my consistent passion to meet and interact with people hoping to make their day a little better.
Tristan works really hard as a Project Engineer building the Santa Fe water Treatment Plant for Western Summit of New Mexico. Tristan takes a lot of pride in his work. His company is very family oriented and they all treat each other with a great deal of respect. They have often gone and spent their weekends to help Shinning Stars Preschool to build table and chairs for the kids. Although Tristan works long hard hours I have never once heard him complain about going out to do side projects such as these. He is the least selfish person I have ever known. No matter how many times I see him walk in the door from work (even when he's dirty) I never fail to light up and run to the door.
5. What was your most memorable moment together?
This is the hardest question but we have both agreed on my homecoming from Hawaii. Tristan had gone out to visit me and bring me back home while staying out in Hilo with me for my last week .We had an amazing time as a couple out there. We took long walks on the beach, rented a little cottage, went snorkeling. The last day we were there, before going home, we were talked into going cliff jumping so we decided to be daredevils and go do it. When we arrived, the first cliff was 30 feet and I belly flopped. It felt like landing on the hard ground but that wasn't the worst part. The second cliff was around 15 feet but for some reason I was more scared (instinct maybe). Tristan jumped before me and was waiting in the water with open arms ready to grab me when I jumped. I finally jumped and we were both frightened by how strong and fast the current was getting. I couldn't fight it and neither could Tristan. Before we knew it I saw Tristan disappear off the edge and I soon followed. This time we fell off a 60 feet waterfall. Tristan thought I was safe and didn't fall over but I was not a strong swimmer and I had fallen into the boiling pot and was stuck under water because of the suction of the active pots. I thought I was done for and was saying my prayers. I had no breath left to breath and nothing to hold on to when I was rescued at my last breath by my roommate who jumped off the cliff to save me. I saw Tristan as he noticed what was going on and his face was in terror. We were stuck. I had never so scared. Tristan and a couple of friends finally pulled us out by a big thick piece of bamboo. By this time the ambulance and assistance was there. They said "so we’ll see you in church on Sunday". The fireman said just a week before, a person died in the exact same spot we were. I spent the next five hours in the emergency room with Tristan by my side full of tears. We never will and never have taken anything for granted ever since we both know how lucky we are to have each other and our family. You never realize how lucky you are until you almost loose it.
6. What would you like voters to know about you?
We would like voters to know how much we appreciate and how grateful we are to have made it to the top five. We both are very genuine and down to earth people who love each other very much. Tristan and I feel we met each other by fate. Our story on how we met has been a conversation starter and each time we tell it seems to take us back to that moment. We can't explain how excited we are about all of this. It's another chapter to our love story here, in what truly seems to be a Land of Enchantment. The experience alone is a dream come true. Thank you to all of the participants in the New Mexico Dream Wedding Giveaway including all you voters. We are forever grateful.
7. What do you look forward to the most during your dream honeymoon in Maui?
Wow a dream honeymoon in Maui. Well we won't be jumping off any cliffs! But will definitely the recapture of our first experience in Hawaii. I remember we went to check out the fancy resorts and actually even went swimming at one but the whole time we both were thinking "imagine if we actually got to stay at one of these beautiful places and we were on our honey moon''. People at the resort would ask us if we were on our honey moon. We got shy and replied no. I remember walking by this wedding chappel and thinking to myself 'well if he asked me now we can get married here and actually have a honeymoon in Hawaii''. We both loved being together in Hawaii - and Maui, well we have never been there but I'm sure it's beyond our imagination. To go back to Hawaii as husband and wife would be unbelievable and would mean so much to us.
8. Why do you deserve to win the 2009 New Mexico Dream Wedding?
The way everything has come together for us from how we were destined to meet to how we fell in love and everything were we've done together is just surreal to us. I've been a hopeless romantic since I can remember and had very high standards on what my life partner would be like and Tristan has exceeded that standard above and beyond. He's my partner, my teammate, and my best friend. We have decided to get married here in New Mexico for every thing we desire to capture in our wedding is the description of our home state. Beauty character, romantic, unique and love. We love our state and will continue to support our local shops restaurants and charities. We will always work hard to contribute and give our part to New Mexico as well as to anyone in need. We are very blessed and lucky people and can only imagine what if would be like to have the wedding of our dreams provided for us, it would mean the world to us and we would be so honored.
