Chris & Porsha
are getting married
March 12th, 2016
are getting married
March 12th, 2016
Chris is an IT guy who loves fiddling around with cars and enjoys hockey, football, and good food! He's a goofball and is always cracking jokes. Luckily for Porsha, he's a phenomenal cook, despite typically leaving a giant mess in the kitchen. He tinkers with anything that moves and usually finds a way to put it all back together again. He is very goal-oriented and rarely sets out to do anything without planning every single detail. This is a stark contrast to Porsha's tendency to want to embark on last-minute, fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants adventures, but they find always find a way to have a blast! Chris is extremely excited to start this next adventure with Porsha as his wife.
Porsha is a graphic designer who graduated from the University of South Florida-- Go Bulls! She enjoys rowing, spending hours and hours on Pinterest, and (recently) baking! She loves food but (admittedly) can't cook, loves adventure but always gets lost and is never anywhere on-time. Porsha has an ever-positive attitude, and always manages to find the single ray of sunshine through the rain and clouds. She can't wait to begin the next phase of their lives together!
Chris and Porsha first met while attending high school in Lecanto, Florida in the Fall of 2004. They had a number of classes together throughout the years and as time went on, they developed an intertwined web of friends. After attending a number of group events separately, they became close during their senior year.
In Fall of 2007, Chris and Porsha attended their school's homecoming dance together-- as friends, although they may owe the original idea of becoming a couple to the photographer who asked whether they were a couple or just friends.
Sometime after midnight on March 1st, 2008, it was mutually agreed upon that Chris and Porsha were, indeed, a couple!
In June of 2008, Chris and Porsha both graduated from high school! This came with the realization that Chris would be attending USF in Tampa, while Porsha attended UCF in Orlando-- time for a long-distance relationship!
After one whole year apart, Chris' unmistakable charm lured Porsha to move to Tampa and enroll at USF. They found their first apartment together-- a 1-bedroom, 1-bath apartment on the THIRD floor of their building. They moved in during the summer, naturally!
Well, after successfully living in their first apartment and performing a test-run with an indoor plant, they both believed that they had proved they could handle a pet! After a midnight drive out to St. Pete, they were proud parents of a tuxedo-clad kitten named Neo!
Over the years, Chris and Porsha attended numerous weddings (including his own brother's in May of 2014, pictured above) and after much discussion and planning, the proposal seed was planted!
On June 7, 2014, Chris proposed to Porsha. He was on one knee with a small box in his hands. ``I have to ask you a question,`` he said. Porsha immediately began tearing up with happiness. Chris opened the box, revealed the ring, and asked ``Porsha Michelle Lemos, will you marry me?`` Porsha, now hysterical, took the ring, slid it onto her finger and threw her arms around him. ``You know, you still have to answer me,`` he said. ``Yes, absolutely yes!`` was Porsha's reply.. and the rest is history.
I've known Dennis since my family and I moved from New York to Florida in 2001. While I began fiddling with computers at a young age, I blame Dennis for a vast majority of my nerdiness. Dennis was always a big influence on me growing up-- he's cooler than the other side of the pillow. He enjoys music, Firehouse Subs, skimboarding, Fireball whiskey, fast cars, longboarding, hockey and Counter-Strike. He has a bachelor's degree in meteorology and still can't help me understand why a ``50% chance of rain`` forecast is any different than any other day. It either rains or it doesn't, am I right?! 🙂
Megan is my oldest and dearest friend. I have known Megan since we were children. When my family moved to Florida, I was devastated that I would lose all of my friends. Many of my early friendships did fall apart, but Megan and I always kept in touch. We spent many summers under the sun getting fried to a crisp on sandy beaches in addition to countless days of sub-arctic temperatures and cups of hot cocoa. She is an animal-lover and has two spunky sisters. She is always up for an adventure and is the Ethel to my Lucy!
John and I crossed paths early in high school, but let's be honest, we didn't really like one another at the time. We were involved in bands with our friends and there was always drama surrounding that. During my senior year, John and I became pretty close and we haven't looked back since. We shared three different apartments over the course of 4 years and as such, each have sufficient blackmail material to bury each in a world of embarrassment. John's always had a great attitude and is a true lifelong friend that you can rely on to be there for you at a moment's notice so long as he isn't busy tampering with traffic control devices or channeling his inner Ben Roethlisberger (he's a Steelers fan, so pass him your condolences when you see him) by fracturing another bone playing flag football.
Sierra is family, and if anyone knows the Portuguese, they know family ties are stronger than any bond. She and I are seven years apart but we couldn’t be closer. She spent many nights “chaperoning” my dates, being dragged along to school functions, and friendly get-togethers. Over the past 7 years, Sierra has become an incredible young woman. She is a world traveler, an award-winning coxswain, and soon-to-be college freshman! She is strong-willed and has a smart head on her shoulders. Do not get into a battle of wits with her because, I promise you, you will lose!
Where should I start? Kevin and I first met as a result of being in the same weekend bowling league in high school. He was a beast and attracted all the ladies by picking up 7-10 splits. He could barely fit them all in his car on the way home. Fast-forward to college, and we shared a room on-campus at USF our freshman year. It was an experience of a lifetime. Football games at Ray Jay, late-night gaming, and trips to Ben and Jerry's just before they closed at 2AM solidified our friendship. We wound up sharing an apartment a few years later with John and had some extraordinary times-- beer pong, sushi, Call of Duty, the pool table in our converted man cave/garage, and Mountain Dew were the staples of our existence. We threw some of the best parties known to man. Kevin graduated from USF with a bachelor's degree in chemistry and now lives in LA. He enjoys football (Go Pats!), basketball, karaoke and pretending not to be a nerd even though he's addicted to playing Starcraft 2.
Audrey and I have been friends for ... forever. She was my best friend in high school. We spent practically every second of all four years together, and-- no surprise, traveled to the University of Central Florida together. Growing up together, we prepared for every school dance and suffered through countless hours of extra-curricular activities. We parted ways sophomore year of college-- she departed for Gainesville and I to Tampa. She studied radiology and now works for Shands Hospital. Audrey is driven, focused and just plain gets things done. We get together as frequently as our busy schedules allow and still have hours and hours of girl talk regarding boys, clothes, make-up, co-workers and, recently, wedding plans!
I first met Derek in high school, but we were way too cool to talk to one another. I used to catch rides to school with another good friend of mine and we parked next to this guy with a VW (Derek) every morning. I'd see him around, but again.. we were too cool for one another. Skip ahead to 2011 and Derek began dating John's good friend Caitlin (see bridal party to the right-- Caitlin and Derek are now married!), and we all started hanging out. Derek and I clicked pretty quickly over our shared interests of cars and car audio. Derek is a great friend and is the type of guy that may not talk very much, but when he does say something it's either phenomenal advice or absolutely hilarious, so listen closely!
Caitlin and I went to high school together. At the time we didn’t run in the same circles, but over the past few years we have become two of the closest friends. She keeps my craziness in check and tries REALLY hard to make sure I stay on time. She is crafty, thrifty and one heck of a cook! I was on the other end of a happy call when Derek proposed, and was overjoyed when she asked me to stand by her side as they exchanged vows. Caitlin was also involved in Chris' proposal plans and I am so happy she will be standing with us as we exchange ours.
Jonathan was my idol growing up as my older brother. There's a bit of an age difference, and so at the age of 5 or so, he was 18 and eclipsing the 6-foot mark. He was a towering figure that was far better than I was at basketball, always beat me at Mortal Kombat on Nintendo and was always hanging out with his friends and going to see rated-R movies. He was a cool dude! He joined the military and was stationed overseas but always found time to write and call me to keep in touch. I've always been extremely proud of him. He's now a K9 law enforcement officer, protecting people and finding the bad guys, but when he isn't doing that, he's busy being a great dad, a pretty darn good fisherman, and wondering why the Jets can't seem to make it into the postseason. If you see him, make sure to discuss that with him!
I’ve known Kaitlynn for as long as I have known Chris. Coming from an Italian family, Chris is very close to his niece. She and I became friends quickly and I have had the pleasure of watching her grow into a beautiful, smart and spunky young woman. We have shared many Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners together, enduring her crazy fathers' jokes! She enjoys weightlifting for her school and is, unfortunately, a Gators fan!
Grab your sundresses and floppy hats and join us for tea and games to celebrate Porsha's marriage at the Tilted Tea Cup!
The boys are back in town! Chris and his friends are getting together and are bound to get into trouble.
It's ladies night, and that means it's time to mix and mingle for Porsha's last days of being single.
After all the t's are crossed and the i's dotted, the wedding party will sit down for lunch at Texas de Brazil. Contact Chris or Porsha for reservation time.
Join us by the water on a Saturday evening in March as two friends exchange vows and become husband & wife.
Make sure to bring your dancing shoes as we party the night away! Dinner, drinks, and a whole lot of fun will be had.
The Grand Hyatt Tampa Bay is approximately 2 miles from The Rusty Pelican & the Tampa International Airport and offer complimentary airport shuttle service. Their waterfront property offers a variety of recreational activities including lighted tennis courts, a basketball court, two outdoor pools, fitness center, private beach, and a boardwalk. It is also home to three outstanding restaurants. Restaurant 1823 Kitchen & Bar offers casual dining. An inspiring array of fresh and irresistible seafood, with an enchanting bay view from every table can be found at Oystercatcher’s. Armani’s, an award-winning restaurant, presents the most delectable Northern Italian Cuisine from high atop the hotel. Click the picture to reserve your room!
The Westin Tampa Bay is a refined 16-story oasis, set against the backdrop of stunning Rocky Point Island, spanning from Old Tampa Bay and the scenic Courtney Campbell Causeway to the skyline of the Westshore business district and downtown Tampa. Their guest rooms feature contemporary décor, spacious work areas, the Heavenly Bed and Heavenly Bath, in-room safes and spectacular water views! Their complimentary shuttle service can provide transportation to and from The Rusty Pelican, Tampa International Airport, as well as many local shopping areas, dining, and entertainment venues. Click the picture to reserve your room!
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