05/04/2003

Karen Bielawa and John Macek

St. Patrick's Church, Somerset

3.29.03

About a year and a half ago, John Macek picked up Karen Bielawa at her house at 6 a.m. under the pretense of going to a golf show in Hartford. Once underway, she found out they were actually enroute to Disney World.

That night they ate at Cinderella's Castle -- "everything was perfect, right down to the glass slippers that John placed on my feet," says Karen. (Actually, they were those clear plastic slip-on heels with sparkles, but it was close enough for Karen.) At exactly midnight, John proposed on the beach where Karen had first told him she loved him, two years earlier.

They had met at another beach -- Pierce Beach in Somerset, where, the summer between high school graduation and college, they both worked for the Somerset Recreation Department. "I was the gate girl, collecting money. And John was the repair guy and kept the park clean.

"It was casual on my part, but not on his. He was never forward, even though he knew from the start that he wanted to date me. I was in denial for so long. My friends all knew he was the one for me, but I just didn't recognize it."

Karen, now 25, is a sales representative for W.B. Mason. She graduated from Stonehill College with a degree in elementary education. John, 24, is in sales for Fox 64/Channel 12. He graduated from Providence College with a degree in biology.

"John is such a romantic," says Karen. "On the night he proposed, he set up three different spots where I had to look for the red roses he had hidden away for me. At Christmas, he makes me hunt for my gifts."

Karen is obviously a romantic as well. She starts a letter describing their relationship: "Once upon a time there lived a princess who believed in dreams, romance, and fairy tales. Like all romantic tales, the princess's dreams could never really come true until she met her prince. However, as with most fairytales, the story of two lives destined to be together begins long before they ever meet."

Soon after meeting, they realized they had something in common: Their fathers had grown up in the same neighborhood in Fall River, and had been friends since they were very young. John's parents attended Karen's parents wedding and vice versa.

Karen and John believe in fairy tales. Referring to the reception, Karen's mother says: "Everything had to be magical -- we wanted to create our own magic kingdom." During the cocktail hour, the pianist played Disney songs. Minnie and Mickey Mouse stood next to the guest book. Table assignments were denoted by Disney characters with Karen and John's being Tinkerbell. And there was glittery pixie dust sprinkled everywhere.

Karen concludes her story: "At last, the princess had found her prince, and they lived happily ever after!"