The Military Wedding Give Away Winners

21. Jan, 2011

Congratulations To Clint & Candice Winners of The Military Appreciation Give Away

Clint & Candice at The Grand America Bridal Extravaganza Receiving Their Certificate

We want to congratulate Clint and Candice for being selected as the winners of the military wedding give away. Their story is a great one. We had many worthy military service men and women enter the contest and the judging was very close. Special thanks to those vendors participating in the give away for their generous donations and especially to Celtic Waters for arranging this give away for this wonderful couple. We wish them the best in their future together.

Here Is Their Story

My Military career and my future wife are, indeed, connected. My best friend Sterling and I enlisted into the Utah National Guard when were both 17. It wasn’t too long into our career when we went on our first deployment. The deployment was a state-side mission in Tooele, UT. It was good for Sterling and I. We were deployed, but a still able to see our friends and family on the weekends. He and I started hanging out with his sister Candice. Candice and I had flirted with each other in high school and were good friends, but nothing more. During that time, I took Candice on one date. The date was cut short by Sterling chasing us down to ensure we wouldn’t be left alone.

After my first deployment Candice and I stayed friends, but never sparked a relationship. In 2004, my military career was halted by a car accident. I was hit by a drunk driver fleeing from the police in a stolen car. My pelvis was crushed, and I was left in critical condition unsure if I would ever walk. After three years of recovery, I found myself walking with the aid of a can and heavy pain medication. Through it all, my pal Sterling was there for me. In 2007 my unit was once again called to deploy, this time to Iraq. I knew I wouldn’t be able to go while using my cane and on pain medication, so I began a two month speedy recovery to ensure I would go to Iraq with my best friend.

Sterling and I went to Iraq, and we were joined by his little brother Justin. Justin and I also became great friends. About a year after the three of us had returned from Iraq we moved in with each other. I lived with my two best friends, and I got to see Candice (who was now living in Arizona) when she came to visit. Candice and I had been flirting with each other for over a decade now, but had I never made a move. New Year’s 2009-10 Justin and I decided to visit Candice in Arizona. We spent the night dancing. Candice and I had a wonderful time together, but we were not there as a couple. So who we were going to kiss at the New Year was left up in the air. As midnight approached, Justin had noticed the fun Candice and I were having. He told me he would be alright with me kissing Candice tonight. Perhaps I was just waiting for her brother’s blessing. So at the stroke of midnight Candice and I shared our first kiss, and have been dating ever since. I found out later that Justin had told Candice he would be okay with her kissing me at midnight as well. That was nearly one year ago. Last week I purchased an engagement ring. I plan to ask Candice to marry me. Without my great brothers in the military, I would have never been friends with Candice, nor would we have ever kissed.