Same-sex marriages took effect July 1 in Delaware, and one Philadelphia couple spent last weekend tying the knot in the First State, where their wedding journey began.
Eric Alayon, 34, and Joe Rudisill, 35, met online in 2005 and, eight years later on Aug. 10, were joined in a wedding ceremony on Poodle Beach in Rehoboth Beach, Del. — the exact place where they decided to take their relationship to the next level.
“Rehoboth Beach has been a special place for us; we vacation there every year,” Alayon said.
Alayon, who grew up in New Brunswick, N.J., works as an interior designer, and Rudisill, who is from Gettysburg, works as a government economist.
When the two initially met, they were both struck by appearances — but soon found out they were drawn to each other for much more than looks.
“I just thought that he was cute,” Alayon said. “We talked for a few days online, then decided to go on our first date to Pod, and the rest is history. We just clicked.”
“When we met, we just seemed to balance each other out,” Rudisill added. “We always thought of ourselves as complete opposites, but we have grown into similar people while we have been together.”
Alayon described Rudisill as book smart and someone who is good with numbers, adding he is more of the artsy one with street smarts.
“Joe manages our accounts while I maintain the house and our little four-legged family: three Jack Russells and our cat,” Alayon said.
Unlike many engagements, neither of them did the official ask; they jointly decided Aug. 10, 2009, on their four-year anniversary while in Rehoboth, to get married.
After eight years, the two found that communication is the key to making sure everything is smooth-sailing in the relationship.
“We make a point of talking about our feelings,” Rudisill said. “We have never gone to bed separately.”
Alayon noted that they successful relationships take continued investment.
“We make sure to still have date night on a regular basis. You have to take the time to rekindle your relationship and remind yourselves why you are together and what you love about one another. After eight years, we are still just as crazy about the other as the first day we met.”