Happily ever after, a UNMC romantic comedy

Tao Li, M.D., couldn’t believe his luck. He’d gone to the Student Life Center, to get his picture taken, for his UNMC ID badge. And there, also getting her ID, was a beautiful girl. And she smiled at him.

That smile! Had another woman in the history of the world ever smiled like that?

“It’s really a sunshine smile,” he said the other day, dreamily, looking over at her and seeing that smile again.

He couldn’t believe his luck.

He’d gone and married that girl.

Tao Li, M.D., and Minghui Chen on their wedding day.

Tao (Dr. Li, but since this is a blog about falling in love, we will call him Tao) and Minghui Chen had each come from China. Their hometowns are about three hours apart by train. They never would have met, if they hadn’t been at UNMC, getting their ID badges, on their first days as Ph.D. students in 2009.

(Tao studies public health. Minghui, neuroscience.)

It wasn’t long after that first encounter that they ran into each other in the Sorrell Center.

She walked past him, walked on for a while, then turned. She said hello, and flashed that grin again.

“That’s the magic moment, I think,” Tao said.

Paul Paulman, M.D., says, Everybody stand back!

Why did she smile at him?

“I don’t know,” she said. “He impressed me. I feel that he’s kind of special.”

But it took him a while to get the hint. It wasn’t till about a year later (they had different circles of friends) that they had their first “official” date: “One-zero, one-zero, one-zero,” he said. “That’s August 10, 2010.”

Minghui rolled her eyes: “Oct. 10,” she said.

Oh!

They laughed, the way only newlyweds do.

A toast by Li-Wu Chen, Ph.D.

And while it took Tao a while to get that he was supposed to make his move, when he did he wasn’t shy about doing so. Showing up to that first date, he announced he was there to meet his “girlfriend.” That’s extremely bold, in Chinese culture. But somehow, his boldness put an extra charge in the air.

And it turned out, “Very quickly,” Tao said, “we know we are the right ones for each other.”

More best wishes, from Wally Thoreson, Ph.D.

So they were headed that way anyway. But when Tao went on an exchange program to Taiwan this past summer, they were apart for two months. And when he came back?

No more waiting. That was it.

They’d been Skyping with each other’s parents, and so on a 10-day trip to China, they had a wedding in Tao’s hometown and two receptions in Minghui’s. But when they came back, they wanted to make it official in America. They wanted a wedding in Omaha, the hometown they now shared, where they met, and lived, and loved.

So they started planning their Omaha wedding: “People told us that usually American people will spend a whole year getting ready,” Tao said.

So, how long did they spend?

“Two weeks,” Minghui said.

He’s a wild and crazy guy. And she loves him.

“So we Googled a lot about how American weddings should be like,” Tao said. “And Dr. Audrey Paulman gave us a lot, a lot, a lot of ideas and suggestions.”

They chose colors, and vows. They wanted a sand unity ceremony.

“My advisor’s son played violin for us,” Tao said.

They got a minister from their Bible study group, and they sent out invitations with a week to go. They hoped, with everyone’s busy UNMC schedules, a few people might show up. Instead, everyone did.

It was beautiful. And when it was over, they went outside to surprises: “They decorated my car in a very American way,” Tao said.

It was a fairy tale day. And at its ending, they had only just begun.

And there was a horse-drawn carriage, to ride off into their new lives together. There they were, so great together; man and wife. The lucky guy and the sweet girl, who met getting their ID badges in their first days as Ph.D. students at UNMC.

12 comments

  1. Sue Anson says:

    My heart was warmed as I read this account of your love story. What a beautiful story! Congratulations!!!!!And…WELCOME TO AMERICA.

  2. Fran Neff says:

    Tao and Minghui, congrats on your wedding! Here’s to many, many years of special smiles!

  3. Tom O'Connor says:

    Awesome story, Kalani! Congrats to Tao and Minghui!

  4. Twyla says:

    Congratulations Tao! I remember when you first came to UNMC (you, Wei, Vickie, Ben and Esther). It was so nice meeting you that day. Best wishes to you and your new bride!

  5. Katina says:

    Congratulations! Thank you for sharing your story and I wish for you many years of lovely smiles and happy times.

  6. Lisa says:

    Isn’t life very unpredictable and wonderful. Congratulations on your marriage and wishing you a lifetime full of wonderful experiences together!

  7. Laura says:

    To be honest, I went into this thinking it would be a little bit corny. Instead, I found myself choking back the tears. What a great, great story!! Thank you for sharing!

  8. Miao says:

    Congratulations to the lovely couple!

  9. Tao and Minghui says:

    Thank you all very much !!!
    This is such a great gift for us !!!
    Thank you !!!

  10. Peggy says:

    This was such a beautiful story. Thank you for sharing and Congratulations to the happy couple.

  11. Purushotham Reddy says:

    Congratulations to Minghui and Tao!! Wish I was around 🙂 Have a wonderful married life ahead!

  12. Vincy says:

    Feel happy and warm to share your love story!!! The Prince and the Princess will live happily ever since!

    永结同心,白头偕老,恭喜恭喜!

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