Melissa Gregory was born in Highland Park, Illinois on May 22, 1981.
Denis Petukhov was born in Kirov, Soviet Union on October 6, 1978. Denis became a U.S. citizen in February 22, 2005.
Melissa and Denis met through an Internet message board for figure skaters. Melissa had set a deadline for herself that if she didn't find a skating partner by September 1, 2000, she would quit skating and go to college.
In June, 2000, Melissa's mom mentioned to Melissa that Denis had posted on the board that he needed a partner.
Since he arrived on August 31st at 11:00 p.m., their first time on skates together was September 1, 2000. Due to the way they skated together, Denis didn't bother to skate with the other gal and never used his return plane ticket home.
In spite of their language differences, within two weeks, Denis and Melissa fell in love with each other. They were engaged four months later on Christmas, 2000, when Denis proposed to Melissa.
They each asked for their parents' blessing before getting married.
Denis and Melissa were married on February 2, 2001 in Las Vegas, Nevada at the Flamingo Hotel. It was just the two of them, and a best friend who was the best man and their witness. It was an evening ceremony in a gazebo with lots of blooming orchids.
Melissa's wedding dress was a sweetheart shape design with a lace-covered top. The off the shoulder gown had a very long train.
Their February wedding date was the 50th wedding anniversary of Denis' grandparents.
Honeymoon:
Denis and Melissa did not take a honeymoon. They went back to training on the ice the day after their wedding.
Residence:
Melissa and Denis live in Hartford, Connecticut.
Occupations and Interests:
Aside from their skating together, Melissa and Denis enjoy hip-hop dancing. She likes to read, cook, and shop. Denis likes to fish.Melissa, about their skating partnership: "“We knew right away. We went out on the ice by ourselves without any coaches around—our coach was coming later. By the time our coach got there, we knew we wanted to skate together. It was a done deal before anyone ever saw us.”
Source: US Olympic Committee
Melissa, about meeting one another: "God brought us together. We stuck at it, and now we know that it was meant to be."
Source: Blades on Ice
Source: US Olympic Committee
Denis, about his quick marriage proposal: "When you know, you know. There's no reason to wait."
Source: Romance of Dance
Source: U.S. Figure Skating
Melissa, about working together: "It's so easy, being married, working together, always with one another. He's my best friend. he shares my goals. The stuff that's big to him is big to me...What makes how we skate so special is that we carry our marriage connection with us. We try to bring it to the ice. We don't try to downplay it. It makes us closer and our relationship is stronger because of it."
Source: Northshore Magazine
Denis, about sharing with one another: "The ability to share our triumphs and sorrows together and all our dreams is like nothing else. We wouldn't have it any other way."
Source: Northshore Magazine
Denis, about Melissa: "Like a normal man, I checked her out, and I liked what I saw."
Source: America's Sweethearts
Melissa, about their Las Vegas wedding: "we decided to do it all by ourselves because we wanted it to be very special."
Source: Blades on Ice
