01:00 AM EDT on Sunday, July 18, 2004

Suzanne Ribero and Henry Balassone Jr.

Lake View Pavilion, Foxboro

6.19.04

She was "a 37-year-old who had never been married, and following a devastating break-up several years ago, was determined never to fall in love again." That's how Suzanne Ribero describes her attitude when she met Henry Balassone. She was an administrator at Cortland Place, an assisted living residence in Greenville. Henry, now 38, delivered the facility's medical supplies.

"I always noticed when he was in the building, once, sometimes twice daily. I was very attracted to him, but figured he was already married with six kids. At my age, the good ones usually are. He would always come in wearing a smile, his sunglasses propped on his head, with a special hello for me wherever I was. He melted my heart, but I was convinced he was spoken for."

Sacha Austin, Suzanne's 24-year-old receptionist and friend, knew Suzanne was attracted to the "Vanguard Guy" and took it upon herself one day to ask him a series of questions: "Are you single?", "Ever been married?" "Dating anyone seriously?" When he asked why she wanted to know, Sacha said, "My friend Suzanne thinks you're cute."

An hour later, Suzanne had a voice mail message from Henry Balassone. She returned his call, not realizing that "Henry" was the "Vanguard Guy." She had never gotten his name.

"Henry later told me that he had thought I was attractive but also made the assumption that I was married. I credit Sacha's big mouth for introducing me to the greatest love I have ever known."

For their first date in June 2002, Henry picked Suzanne up at Cortland Place after work, with all the residents watching. They went to Kris Ann's in Johnston for dinner, and when he took her back to her car, they sat and talked for four hours.

"I knew I loved Henry at the end of our first date."

Today, Suzanne gets ready at the Johnston home the couple has recently purchased. Henry's sister, one of the bridesmaids, presents Suzanne with a gift from Henry: bride and groom teddy bears with a card saying, "27 and 28 are getting married! Love, Henry."

Suzanne explains the joke: When they had their blood tests done, they took numbers to be served. She was 27, he was 28. The woman taking Suzanne's blood asked why she was having the test done, and then shouted to the staff: "Hey, 27 and 28 are getting married!"

Suzanne lifts her wedding dress and slides a blue and silver garter up her leg -- it says "Dallas Cowboys" on it."Henry's a huge fan, our whole basement is decorated in Cowboys motif." The garter is a surprise for him.

She reaches for a bottle, sprays it on her neck and wrists. It's Sicily, a fragrance from Dolce and Gabanna. "Henry saves those perfume tester pages in magazines, then buys me his favorites."

Since their meeting, Henry has been promoted to an inside job with Vanguard, and Suzanne is now administrator at Tamarisk Assisted Living in Warwick.

"I believe in fate, and I believe it was my fate to be at Cortland in Greenville at that moment in time, and meet Henry on his delivery route."