On Monday night's episode of the Fox-TV reality show "Married By America," Stephen Savona was introduced to Denise D., one of two women his friends and family members chose as suitors for the 35-year-old Kingston native. By way of telephone voting, the viewing audience narrowed the field down to one woman, who agreed to marry Savona after an on-screen proposal.

"It seems like I've been waiting for this moment for a really long time," Savona said to his betrothed, who was obscured from his view by a screen. "Although I never thought it would be like this, I hope in my heart of hearts that you are the woman of my dreams. So will you marry me?"

"Life's a journey, and I never thought it would take me here," Denise responded, still not having seen Savona. "But now that it has, I'm ready to trust the moment, and I'm ready to start this adventure with you. So yes, I'll marry you."

Once engaged, the couple got to see each other for the first time, as the screen separating them slowly rose.

Savona, one of five singles looking for love on "Married By America," is a graduate of John A. Coleman Catholic High School in the town of Ulster and co-owner of his family's business, Savona's Plaza Pizza, which has restaurants at Kingston Plaza in the city and on Morton Boulevard in the town of Ulster. He moved to New York City about two years ago, where he continues to work as a restaurateur.

According to the show's host, Sean Valentine, the joining of Savona and Denise D. was the "most decisive victory" for a suitor chosen by the viewers, who voted 3-1 in favor of Denise D. over the other suitor chosen for Savona.

Thankfully, the viewers didn't pick the other contender for Savona's affection, Denise L., because, as the show revealed, Denise L. already was married, a no-no for the show's contestants.

With four other television couples, Savona and Miss D. will travel to Copper North Ranch, a 300-acre spread in Northern California, where they'll live together and get to know each other.

Each week, the viewers of "Married By America" will decide which couple is the least compatible and vote them off the show.

At the end of the five-week run, two couples will remain. Again, the viewers will vote via telephone on which couple truly belongs together. That couple will receive a luxury car, $100,000, and, if they stay together, a house.

But first they have to get to know each other, a process that will begin on next week's episode of "Married By America," which airs at 9 p.m. Mondays on Fox.