Nick Cordes is always up for a challenge, including the challenge of true love.
Cordes, 30, a 1998 Madison High School graduate, and his fiancée, Leigh Daniel, are the winners of the “Today Show” Throws a Wedding contest.
The couple, who coach track at Ashland University, won the contest on the show’s live broadcast Wednesday morning.
The dream wedding will air live on the show July 15. All wedding details, from the gown to the cake, will be submitted to the viewers’ online votes.
Four couples competed for the grand-prize wedding. The couple won the wedding prize by popular online vote.
“You did it!” the couple posted on their wedding Web site (http://www. ewedding.com/sites/bbauerau). “That’s right. You guys did it. Thank you all for making this dream a reality. Thank you all so very much for everything.”
Cordes and Daniel received a giant wedding invitation to their own wedding from “Today” show co-host Meredith Vieira and news reader Ann Curry.
The couple began their relationship like William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet: in a forbidden romance. Their NBC biography reveals the couple met in the Olympics Development Program in Chicago and their contracts clearly outlined rules against dating other athletes under contract.
“When their relationship became too apparent to deny, Nick and Leigh were promptly kicked out of the program. The lovebirds packed their bags and headed into the real world — broke, lost and scared — but together,” the bio reads.
Daniel, 30, holds two Division I national track championships.
Cordes, who grew up in Chagrin Falls and Mentor, is an Olympic Marathon Trials qualifying runner. Ashland University is his alma mater.
The couple has been together for 5 1/2 years.
Daniel said she and Cordes are ready for matrimony. Cordes proposed to Daniel at the end of her workout on a stationary bike, the NBC bio reveals.
“I knew he was the one when we made it through a rough time together and emerged a stronger couple,” Daniel said on their wedding Web site.
Cordes said Daniel is “interesting and challenging.”
“We have been through so much that it would be impossible for there to be anyone else out there who’s a better fit. I love her,” he said.
For now, the couple is looking forward to a long marriage and also are enjoying their experience in the national media spotlight.
“It really has been a great time in our lives,” the couple wrote on their Web site. “We had a lot of fun, got to meet some other great couples through the contest, and are so pleased that all of you care that much to take the time to vote.”
Now that their wedding details will be decided for them, the couple is just ready for July 15.
“We can finally change the date on the site from (to be decided) to July 15!” they wrote.
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