our story

Danny and I have a story that I enjoy telling over and over again. It begins with my sweet husband being born and raised in San Jose, Costa Rica. Danny grew up in a very close, very big extended family: his mother has five sisters and one brother, his father has a sister and a brother, grandparents, over 25 cousins and with two brothers of his own, he knows what it means to put family before anything else (other than our Lord and Savior). He was raised with an appreciation for music and the beautiful beaches and wildlife that surrounded his city. Danny’s family also instilled in him a great love for Jesus Christ. He attended an all-boys high school in San Jose and developed a passion for basketball and guitars. He graduated at 17 years old and went on to attend the Costa Rican Institute of Technology, where he majored in business administration. Danny worked extremely hard in college, taking a 45-minute bus ride to and from class every day. Halfway through his senior year, Danny heard his friends talking about an internship opportunity in the States. Not quite ready to graduate and be thrown headfirst into the real world, he decided to apply for the internship which would last for seven months. Only weeks before the internship was scheduled to begin did he find out that he was accepted. This would be the single most defining moment of his life, as both of us would soon realize.

I am a Southern girl, born and raised. My mother likes to say that I came out of the womb singing and dancing. I liked attention and performing in front of my family from a very young age. My great-grandparents were born and raised in Bologna, Italy. They immigrated to the United States in the early 1900s and my maternal grandmother, affectionately known to us as Mamaw, was born in Natchez, Mississippi in April of 1918. She had eight brothers and sisters, most of whom were born in Italy. Given my Italian heritage I was raised in the Catholic church and I attended Catholic school as a child. I was in many performance troupes and choirs growing up. From children’s choirs to youth performance companies to ballet, I did it all. I loved acting and I loved singing. After graduating high school, I attended the University of Alabama, where I was a member of Phi Mu sorority. I loved college but after two years I was getting a little worn out. One afternoon in February of my sophomore year, I was at a friend's house. They were talking about how they would love to spend the summer working as princesses at Walt Disney World. That got me thinking: how would I spend my summer? I had to get away. I went online and found that Disney World actually had college internships that lasted for about seven months. Done. I was sold. I applied for the internship and waited anxiously for weeks until I finally received my acceptance letter. My life would never be the same.

Danny and I met after being assigned the same work site (Star Tours) at MGM Studios. I still remember my first words I ever spoke to him. It really was an instant connection and before I knew it we were spending all of our time together. We were able to experience the happiest place on earth together while growing more and more in love. And the rest...is history. I like to think Disney World really is a place where dreams come true.