The force was with them
DATE: May 7 HER STORY: LaToya Holmes, 29, was born and raised in Gaithersburg. She is a former Prince George’s County police officer who now owns H&D Fitness, a personal training business in Clinton. Her parents, Sadie Holmes-Lillie and Anthony Lillie, live in Damascus.
HIS STORY: Norman Romney, 29, was born in Washington. He owns a real estate investment company. His parents, Norman Romney and Paulette Romney, live in Bowie.
THEIR STORY: LaToya and Norman met in February 2010 when both were working as police officers.
LaToya responded to the station where Norman worked to search a female suspect because his department did not have any female officers available at that time.
A co-worker attempted to get them together by telling LaToya that Norman asked for her number, which wasn’t true.
“I thought; ‘He couldn’t talk to a woman himself,’ ” she recalled.
A few weeks later, the two bumped into each other and realized they lived in the same apartment complex.
By May, they started dating. By August, they were an official couple. The couple live in Upper Marlboro. THE PROPOSAL: The Sunday after Thanksgiving in 2014, Norman suggested the two have a date night.
They went to dinner and a movie in Gaithersburg.
After dinner, Norman suggested they walk around a nearby lake before the start of the movie.
After getting about halfway around the lake, Norman said he wanted to sit down on the bench for a while.
The two talked for a few minutes before Norman got down on one knee and asked her to marry him.
“I was actually shocked,” she said. “We had been together for five years and we talked about marriage. But the day and time it happened, I was shocked. I didn’t think he was thinking about it at all.”
LaToya didn’t cry when Norman asked her (she’s not a crier, she said). Instead, she threw her hand over her mouth and stood there for a minute.
“I continued to stare at my ring during the movie,” she said.
VENUE: One hundred and sixty guests attended the ceremony and reception, which were held at the Frederick DouglassIsaac Myers Maritime Park in Baltimore.
FLOWERS AND DECOR: Events With A Touch Of Class designed the bridal flowers, floral arrangements and reception decor. The wedding color scheme consisted of burgundy, ivory and silver.
HER DRESS: LaToya wore a strapless lace gown with a beaded top from David’s Bridal.
BRIDESMAIDS’ DRESSES: The bridesmaids wore a burgundy floor-length dresses from David’s Bridal.
MEN’S ATTIRE: Norman and the groomsmen wore steel-gray Vera Wang tuxedos from Men’s Wearhouse.
FOOD AND DESSERT: Black Tie Caterers provided the food. The main course consisted of chicken piccata, crab cakes, string beans, red parsley potatoes and hot buttered rolls.
Melissa’s Cakes By Design created the three-tier yellow cake with cream cheese frosting and frosted roses.
The cake was also topped with fresh red roses.
MUSIC: Donnie Young of D&M DJ Production provided instrumental music during the ceremony and the reception.
SPECIAL TOUCHES: The couple honeymooned in Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic.
“Everything was so much fun and so much more beautiful than I would have ever imagined,” LaToya said.