Elizabeth Lourenco and Jeffrey Severson of Turlock, who began their romance as high school sweethearts, were chosen to have their proposal photo featured in the film “Christian Mingle.”
Director Corbin Bernsen announced earlier this year that he was looking for proposal photos to feature in his movie “Christian Mingle,” which was filmed in part in Turlock. Bernsen wanted to use the photos in the title sequence of the film. The photos could be in the moment or set up, traditional or creative, as long as they captured the enthusiasm of the moment.
Of the multitude of photos submitted, 20 were selected to appear in the film.
“I was surprised when I heard our photo was selected,” said Lourenco. “I thought it was a joke at first.”
Lourenco and Severson first started dating when they were students at Turlock High School. The couple has been together for eight years and became engaged this summer during a trip to Maui.
Severson took Lourenco on a nighttime stroll on the beach. He led her up to an empty tiki-lit luau stage and dropped to one knee.
“I said ‘yes’ of course,” Lourenco said.
The photo was taken the following day by Severson’s sister Kiku Severson, who wanted to capture the happy moment for the couple and had her brother get on one knee again and surprise Lourenco.
The individuals in the photos selected to use in the movie will get credit in the film, artwork from the film signed by Bernsen, and a DVD copy of the movie once released.
“Christian Mingle” is the story of a woman who turns to the dating site ChristianMingle.com to find her Mr. Right. She meets her perfect guy, but complications arise because she has overstated to him the role that faith plays in her life.
“We're so excited for this picture to be in the movie because our love story is very similar to the movie, in the sense that I am Catholic and Jeffrey was not when we first met in high school. After six years of dating, Jeffrey was baptized in the Catholic church. There were a lot of aspects of this movie that made us excited to be apart if it,” Lourenco said.
“Christian Mingle” will be in theaters in October.
Lourenco and Severson will be walking down the aisle July 2015.
