Our story starts in June of 2007. I was going boating with a couple friends from work; it just happens that we were going boating on Mark’s boat. Mark and I wouldn’t see each other again for a couple months. We started hanging out with the same group of people and saw each other more frequently. Our first kiss was at the Iowa State Fair, a place I hadn’t been for close to 15 years. It’s all history from there folks.

I made one promise to Mark when we first started dating, and it was that I wouldn’t move in until I had a ring on my finger. Well, that got derailed when I was either going to be homeless or have to get an apartment. I was going to have to break the only promise I made in our relationship (little did I know, he already bought the ring). About a week after I moved in Mark and I were talking about the ring and getting married. That’s when he told me he had bought the ring. So, being the girl that I am, I badgered him until he couldn’t take it anymore. The ring just happened to be in a back closet in the room we had put all of my stuff in. He told me that if I cleared him a path to the closet, I could have the ring. I did what any girl would do, ran to the room and started throwing boxes out of the way. If you know me at all, you would know that isn’t an easy feat with the way I pack. Next thing I knew, I was engaged and planning the wedding of my dreams.

We will be flying from Des Moines to Cancun on January 13th, arriving in Cancun at 12:41. We will be staying at the Moon Palace Golf and Spa Resort until January 21st, arriving back in Des Moines at 8:35 pm.

If you will be joining us and have furthur questions please contact me at:

taraandmarkdowd@gmail.com