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Couple vows a special Valentine's Day By Amber Fossen Ashland Daily Tidings Cupid's arrow has struck and stuck for two young Ashland lovers. Joshua Rose and Rachel Crenshaw's love was nearly instantaneous. Crossing paths not once but twice, the pair didn't let the opportunity to know one another pass the second time around. Their first kiss in Lithia Park marked the beginning of a union meant to last forever and their Valentine's Day kiss tonight will seal the union. "We pretty much complement each other completely," the bride-to-be said. Rose, 24, and Crenshaw, 20, will exchange vows and combine spirits at Windmill Inn in a 7 p.m. Valentine's ceremony. Although the couple dated for more than two years, they both knew early on that marriage would be on the horizon. Joshua Rose and Rachel Crenshaw talk about their wedding Thursday inside the gazebo at Lithia Park. The couple planned to tie the knot tonight at Ashland's Windmill Inn. Ashland Daily Tidings/CHRIS MILLER According to Crenshaw, the couple initially met while she worked at the Ashland Albertsons as a skilled demo cook. After tasting Crenshaw's cooking, Rose was sold. "The first thing that came to my mind when I saw her was 'Will you marry me,'" Rose said, recalling their first encounter. For Crenshaw, this was just one of many proposals received due to her flair for cooking. "I just thought, 'Oh great, another guy,'" she said. Two months later, while dining at Denny's, Crenshaw noticed a familiar face approaching her table. It was Rose. He was there to serve as her waiter, and later, as her husband. "We weren't even looking for each other but we popped into each other's lives," Rose said. After several months of dating, both knew it was serious. Soon casual talks progressed into discussions about the future and the possibility of marriage. "We just started talking about it (marriage) and it was natural," Rose said. One day while shopping, the pair discovered "the rings" and knew - they were ready for forever. It was time to pick a date. "We were originally going to pick Aug. 16, which is two days after my birthday and the anniversary of when we first got together," Rose said. However, the couple changed plans after considering the number of family and friend birthdays surrounding that time. After some consideration, the day for lover's was chosen. They just had to deal with the complicated matter of pulling a wedding together. "I had a lot of fun with it. It was just the financial part that was really hard," Crenshaw said. In six months, an entire wedding for 150 guests was planned, Crenshaw said noting it was quite a feat. "My family is really excited," Crenshaw said. "And my friends, they all see us as married anyway so they're excited for us too." With families on both sides coming into the valley, and last minute details receiving attention, the bride and groom are as ready as they'll ever be. "I'll have a Valentine forever now," Rose said. LINKS: DAILY TIDINGS: Main | News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Opinion | Columnists | AP News | Subscribe | Archives | Weather | Classifieds | Contact Us | Privacy REVELS: Main | Calendar | Dining | Movies | T.V. OTHER: Road Cams Copyright 2003 Ashland Daily Tidings 541.482.3456. 1661 Siskiyou Blvd., Ashland, OR 97520. Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. - Advertisers -