On September 21, 1999, a contest was started in the RinkWorks Message Forum: whichever two Message Forum regulars got engaged to be married to each other first would win. The prize would be a signed bathmat (here at RinkWorks, we like silly prizes) and the official title of "Official RinkWorks Couple."

On November 29, 1999, the prize was claimed. Those known as "Darien" (Brandon) and "Minamoon" (Amber) on the Message Forum were engaged to be married on this date -- interestingly, also Amber's birthday. (Apparently Brandon had read the RinkWorks feature How To Be Romantic and understood from it that one date is easier to remember than two.)

And so, it is with great pride that I announce Brandon and Amber as the Official RinkWorks Couple.

Brandon's first post to the Message Forum was made on September 24, 1998. Amber's first post was made on May 24, 1999. Interestingly, both of these posts mention world domination in one way or another, and I'm not convinced they haven't decided to start with my web site.

Brandon is from Massachusetts; Amber is from Pennsylvania. Both attended the same New York college where they met. Brandon was actually the one who introduced Amber to RinkWorks, although they were simply friends at the time; it wasn't until early October that they started dating, not long after the contest began. Coincidence?

After moving up their original wedding date of October 17, 2002, they were married on October 25, 2001. Currently, they reside in Massachusetts.