We're Getting Maaaaarried!
Five and a half years ago I knew I met someone amazing and special. Five and a half years later, I get to marry him! I feel so blessed and lucky to be able to share my life with Ryan forever and ever and ever.
Me and My Future Hubby
After calling many of my best girlfriends last night, I realized that an engagement comes along with three main questions:
1. How did he propose?
2. What does the ring look like?
3. When’s the wedding?
So, BlogWorld, I figured I would format this post like my conversations with my girlfriends… only with less screaming, tears, shaking and “Oh my God’s.” 🙂
The Proposal
Each month Ryan and I take turns planning a special date for each other. October was Ryan’s month to plan a date so I didn’t think anything of it when he told me he was planning a surprise date for me for Saturday, October 3. Naturally I asked about a million questions about what we were doing and the only thing I got out of him was that the date had three parts (a day activity, a night activity and dinner).
I received a gorgeous bouquet of two dozen red roses at my work on Friday with a card that told me a bit more about the date. The card said we’d be spending the day at Green Meadows Petting Farm(we’re huge animal lovers) and then I would partake on the “greatest scavenger hunt of my life,” followed by “a romantic date I’d never forget.” As I type this, you would think I might have some sort of an idea… nope! (Let me just say Ryan is wonderful about planning creative dates, so this was not extremely unheard of, though it definitely seemed a bit more elaborate and special than usual.)
The morning of the engagementstarted out like any other Saturday morning. We left for Green Meadows around 11 a.m. and had a wonderful time petting baby ducks, pigs, sheep… we even milked a cow! We enjoyed lunch at Whole Foods before heading home to relax and begin my scavenger hunt.
I was ready by 6 p.m. as instructed and Ryan promptly handed me my first clue to kick off the hunt of a lifetime.
The First Clue
The clues took me all over Orlando, to various places we visit all the time including our gym and the lake we walk Sadie around daily. There were eight clues in all and each clue was accompanied by a card detailing a special event in our relationship such as our first date, first kiss, first “I love you.”
The Clues
Each card recounted Ryan’s feelings at those times in our relationship. Reading how he was feeling during each special event made me laugh, cry and nod my head in agreement with each beautiful word.
Ryan told me we had 7:15 p.m. dinner reservations and since I had to stop to get gas during my hunt, I was taking a little longer than anticipated. He instructed me to meet him out by a lake near our apartment. When I parked my car I saw him sitting in a gazebo and excitedly ran toward him to collect my final clue and card. When I was done reading the last card I looked up at Ryan with tears in my eyes because he once again succeeded in making me cry.
He began to talk about our relationship and how much it meant to him. (He later told me he typed up a whole speech on his computer and wanted to be sure to hit four main points.) Ryan is extremely loving and affectionate but I couldn’t help but wonder why he was talking for so long. I didn’t believe a proposal was possible because we hadn’t discussed it recently and when we had in the past I always said I didn’t think I was ready. I glanced at his pockets to see if I saw anything ringish just in case, and when I didn’t, I figured he must just be acting extra-sweet. His eyes began to water and I started to cry because of his kind words, but I was also feeling a little confused. When he reached for his pocket and got down on one knee, I was shocked. When he asked me to marry him I was overwhelmed and excited and put my arms around him and said “Yes, of course!”
Oh my gosh, we’re getting married! He told me how he put everything together and had been planning the whole day for about a month. He explained that one Tuesday three weeks ago when he had to “work late” he actually drove two hours to meet with my parents for dinner and ask for their permission and blessing. This meant the world to me. He said we had to hurry because we had to make our dinner reservations and I instantly called my parents’ house since Ryan said they knew he was asking that evening. When I didn’t get an answer, Ryan told me to wait until we sat down at dinner to call their cell phones. Having so many more questions and excited thoughts to share with him, I agreed.
We pulled up to Houston’s, a wonderful restaurant on a lake right as the sun was setting and Ryan told me he reserved the dock for our engagement dinner together.
The Dock at Houston's
As we were walking toward the dock, I noticed a group of people sitting in chairs shadowed by the setting sun and jokingly said, “There’s people on our dock. Maybe I should let my ring catch the light and blind them so we can have it to ourselves.” Ryan laughed and as we walked closer I saw a profile I recognized… my dad! My entire family and Ryan’s family were on the dock waiting for us! Once again I began to cry and was overwhelmed with emotion. I was so impressed that the man I am going to marry knew me well enough to understand how important sharing a moment like this with my family is to me. Our families are coming together now, and sharing this amazing moment in our relationship with them made his proposal all the more perfect.
Our Families
Dinner was fantastic and after dessert (ice cream sundaes all around!), my dad ordered a bottle of champagne for the table to share. We toasted to me and my wonderful fiance (ah!) and our future life together.
The Ring
My ring is 100 percent perfect. Not only is it exactly what I would have picked out, but it fits perfectly, too! It is a princess cut diamond in a platinum band.
Bling, Bling
When’s the wedding?
No idea! I am excited to start planning and told my sister I want to go buy bridal magazines already!
—
After such a whirlwind day yesterday, I woke up this morning and made cinnamon banana and chocolate chip pancakes for me, Ryan and my sister (she spent the night) and will be spending the day relaxing before heading over to my best friend Laurel’s for a mini-celebration with some of my girlfriends.
I can’t believe I’m engaged!
After a Long Night... Officially Engaged!
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CONGRATULATIONS!!!! how exciting 🙂 What a sneaky little planner he is! Your ring is beautiful and you guys are an adorable couple 🙂
Congratulations!! You guys seem like a wonderful team and I’m so happy for you. The ring is beautiful and your husband to be sounds beyond thoughtful!
CONGRATULATIONS! So exciting!!! 🙂
OMG congrats!!! I had a funny feeling when I saw your post with the roses! How awesome! Yay! I have chills.
What a perfect engagement story. Daddy and I talked about it the whole way home. You make such a great couple and we are so glad to have been a part of your special event! Love, Mama
Congrats!
Congrats Ken and Barbie 😉 He sounds like a keeper for sure!!!!
OMG!! Congrats girl! Your ring is soooo beautiful!!
AHHH Congrats!! He is amazing!! I have tears as I read this!!! I wish you both a lifetime of happiness!!! Can’t wait to hear about all the planning!!
AHHH you’re engaged!!! I am so happy that you had a dream engagement! We could not be happier that you found someone special who loves, appreciates, and respects our special and amazing Juju. You and Ryan have such a special relationship and I’m so excited to see it continue to grow! I love you OH SO MUCH! It was wonderful being a part of your special evening…thanks sista friend!
P.s. I really do have extremely high expectations now 😉
Xoxo,
Lil Les
OMG CONGRATSSSSSS!!!!!!!!
i got the chills reading this!!! 🙂
Aww congrats! Looks like you’ve got a great guy for life. 🙂
Congrats!! Very exciting time in your life and you will have a blast planning the wedding you want!
i totally started crying reading that. lol you should make a album of all the picture where you have ur hand up with the ring.
it can be ur new trend like the weird ppl who put the peace sign up when theyre drunk.
LOVE YAA
This story gave me chills!!! He gets major bonus points for all the creativity 🙂
I live in Orlando and Houston’s is seriously one of our favorite restaurants! Good food, good atmosphere every time!
What a fabulous story! Ryan sounds like a really awesome guy! I wish you both TONS of happiness!
awe love love loved the story! congrats. have you guys figured out a date yet?
yep! oct. 30! can’t waiiiit.
You truly have what I consider the epitome of Love! I almost teared up reading this. I wish you nothing but happiness, health, joy and laughter! You two are the real thing, and I only hope to be able to experience what you have one day!
Thanks for the beautiful “story”
Barbara
thank you so much for such a touching comment, barbara. it means a lot!
Oh my goodness gracious, Julie, what a romantic proposal story! I’ve loved reading about your wedding planning over the past month, but I’d never seen this post until tonight! Ryan has definitely set the bar high! When the day comes that I feel that my own marriage proposal may be approaching, I may just have to show this post to my boyfriend! haha. You’re one lucky girl! 😀
I just started reading your blog and love it! What an awesome proposal! You both look like such a cute couple! Congratulations and I hope you have a perfect wedding!
AWH!! I just came across your blog today, and I read this post – it made me well up!!! I think that is the most romantic proposal I have EVER heard of! Congratulations 🙂
That is an amazing story! What a sweetheart you have!
After seeing your blog linked to a few times on different blogs, I decided to check it out.. And OH MY GOSH! WHAT AN AMAZING PROPOSAL!!! Absolutely beautiful… All the best with the wedding planning, to have gone to all of that work for you shows that he must be a great guy, and you must be a great girl! So beautiful… I don’t even know you, and I’m sitting here with tears in my eyes after reading that *lol*
thank you so much! 🙂 i definitely felt very blessed.
I just found your blog and am in LOVE with it…and now I’m in love AND crying from this post. Damnit. haha
I don’t know how I missed this post earlier — Lucas proposed to me on a scavenger hunt, too! He did it at Azalea Park…after a very sneaky plan to send me to the spa (while he was doing an alleged fantasy football draft) followed by dinner at the chef’s table at Emeril’s.
It was so unique and totally amazing.
Congratulation on your amazing engagement! My friend Ashley is a huge fan of yours and we sit reading your blog while “studying” for our final that is in 2 hours. She told me about your engagement and i am bawling my eyes out reading it in the library of our university in Canada! Congrats again to you both!
From Emily & Ashley
this made me cry
🙁 sooo jealous!
Wow this made me cry. What an amazing way to et proposed to. So so sweet. You are one lucky woman! 🙂
Such a sweet story, Julie! Oddly enough, my husband proposed in a VERY similar way in Nov.2006- I went on a scavenger hunt around my hometown with my best girlfriend. Each clue was a note about a different point in our relationship (the nights before and after our first date, first I love you, etc.). Finally I found him in the gazebo of a garden where my parents got married. I was so surprised and overjoyed! When he said he’d made dinner reservations, I was so busy bouncing around in the car staring at my ring, that when we pulled into the parking lot of the restaurant where my parents and grandparents had their wedding receptions, I didn’t even notice the cars of practically everyone we knew. We walked in the door and I immediately burst into tears as I realized he’d brought so many of our friends and family together to celebrate.
(Other random coincidence: I’m a KD, too 🙂
Thanks for writing- I just love your blog!
This is so fun to look at… We looked at rings together for the first time this weekend and I am just giddy from the inside out! I am basically bursting with excitement even though I know things are so early… I LOVE how you have documented every step of the process so you have these memories to share.
I’m supposed to be doing homework, but instead I am reading your Wedding page. This is such a romantic thing for him to do…I actually teared up when I read it :)!
So, after following your blog for a while now. . . I decided to read the proposal story. I love it, it made me cry! It reminds me so much of my own and it felt like I was going through mine all over again! Ryan did such an awesome job!! Love your ring!
I recently got engaged, and my friend recommended your blog for inspiration. She actually shared the “Behind the Door” post, saying it is so beautiful. Thank you for sharing that, I can’t wait to incorporate that in to my wedding! A great way to have some contact with your soon-to-be husband without actually seeing him. Perfection!
I have been reading through your wedding related posts for the past hour and am feeling more and more excited to start planning our future wedding day!
Just wanted to say that everything from your engagement to your wedding seems lovely. Thank you for sharing everything, it is a great for all of us newly engaged girls to read your tips and inspiration!
For some reason, I just now saw this post, but my gosh, I’m happy I did! This is THE cutest engagement story I’ve heard!! You are one lucky girl!
I am so touched by your engagement story. I love hearing about how the question was asked! I just finished helping my sister plan her wedding.
I started reading your blog recently and absolutely love it! Not only your food and fitness information but also the pictures of Sadie. My boyfriend and I have two cats and a dog. We love animals and if we had more room I am sure we would have more.
I have also been really enjoying your Blog Talk Tuesdays posts. I am starting a website and a blog about baking and cooking and you offer such great advice.
I am also amazed/impressed with the marathon running. I too have a love/hate relationship and need to get back into a regular running schedule.
Long story short, I love your blog! Thanks for sharing.
OMG this is by far thee sweetest engagement I have ever read! I am so happy that you got to marry the love of your life and hopefully I will get to marry my college sweetheart!
Our stories are a like in a way since we met each other his freshmen year of college (my senior year of high school). I came to visit the school we both attend now for a weekend (I’m from NY he’s from MI). We’ve been dating for 2 years now and I know its him 🙂
Anyway, I just wanted to comment on how sweet this story is! Thank you for sharing.
I love that last picture 🙂