Ronisha & Antonio

Ronisha Patrice Simmons and Antonio Dion Leonard are pleased to announce their plans to marry on July 30, 2011.

Ronisha, the daughter of Richele Denise Cooper & Bruce Edward Simmons, is a native of Charlotte,NC. Her alma mater is the Art Institute Of Charlotte and she is a teacher at First Step Childcare.

Antonio, the son of Kathleen Jett & Antonio Leon Leonard, is a native of Charlotte, NC. His alma mater is the University Of North Carolina at Pembroke and he is a manager at Bojangles Restaurant.

"I met Antonio at Albemarle Road Elementary School" states Ronisha. "We left elementary and went to middle school together. When we would pass by on the schoolyard we would always fight each other.

When it was time to go to high school we ended up going to rival schools. I went to Butler and He went to Independence.

A mutual friend said that he had a friend that he wanted me to talk to on the phone. I didn’t even realize it was him. One day we decided to meet. When we saw each other we both burst into laughter and he gave me a big hug. 

We were about to part ways because we both had to go off to college. A couple a nights before I left, Antonio took me out on a date to my favorite restaurant (Applebee’s).

I ordered my food and noticed he was a little more nervous then usual and for some reason the manager kept looking at me. Periodically he would come over to our table and ask me how I was doing. I told him I was fine.

Our food was ready and the manager and a couple of waiters were standing around the table smiling when they brought my food out. I noticed the dish they had given me had a lid on it.

I told the manager this was not what I ordered and that I had something similar to what he gave me but this wasn’t it. He said are you sure? Just lift the lid to be sure.

I wouldn’t do it. I told him that I ordered this dish all the time and this was not even what the meal came in. They started to laugh.

I kept trying to tell them that it wasn’t my dish so Antonio opened it instead. Inside was a diamond ring sitting a box. I was so excited and the same time embarrassed because the staff knew the whole time.

He asked me “Would You Marry Me.” I told him yes as he placed the ring on my finger. The Manager and his Staff started screaming and clapping for us.

We both agreed that once we were able to get through college, that after graduation we could start working on our wedding plans. And here we are planning our wedding together a strong nine years later." 

EDITOR'S NOTE: Share your engagement or wedding stories with our readers. Email editor@qcitybride.com