I Do!: Danielle Granieri and Joseph Pereira

A longtime crush has turned into happily ever after for Danielle Granieri and Joseph Pereira.

The two have known one another since they were students at Fulton Avenue Elementary School #8 in Oceanside. They were both baptized and made their First Communion at the Cathedral of St. Agnes in Rockville Centre. Granieri, 32, said they even rode on the same prom bus in high school. But they didn't start dating until their mid-20s, when she returned home following college, where she studied graphic design.

"He told me he'd had a crush on me forever and we took it from there," she said. They celebrated eight years of dating this past February.

The two got engaged on June 7, 2022, while they were on a weeklong cruise to Alaska. Pereira, 32, said he proposed during a helicopter trip to Mendenhall Glacier outside Juneau. Once they landed, the pilot, who was in on the plan, directed him to a good spot then took pictures for them, he said.

Granieri said she had tried to talk Pereira out of the helicopter excursion when they first planned the trip. "I was so scared on the ride there, but I was more relaxed on the way back," she said.

The two wed Oct. 27, 2023, at St. Anthony's Church in Oceanside and held their reception at The Vineyards at Aquebogue.

Everything went according to plan on their wedding day, Granieri said. "It was the first day in four weeks that it didn't rain, the bus to the reception beat the traffic and the venue was stunning. Everything fell into place perfectly," she said. Fun wedding activities included a digital guest book where guests could leave funny voicemails and a 360 photo booth for videos.

"The bus to the reception was a bit like a high school party," said Pereira, an FDNY firefighter. They had 12 bridesmaids and 11 groomsmen, and their wedding DJ was a childhood friend who helped organize friend-group photos, he said.

Granieri had a first dance with her dad and another with her mom. "She's my best friend and helps with everything," Granieri said.

And to honor family and other loved ones, they dedicated a "Generations of Love" table with wedding photos of their parents and grandparents.

The couple now lives in the house where Granieri grew up and are expecting a baby in November.

"We're continuing the cycle started when our parents moved in, hanging out with the family you make yourself. It feels like a small-town vibe," Granieri said.