An Engagement Story - Side B

After writing my side of the engagement story, I thought it would be fun to see what J. had to say about the story.  You can clearly tell that he planned this whole event and knew many more details than I remembered - HEY! It was a blur!  It sure is fun to hear the same story from a different side of the spectrum!  Beware, he is a bit wordy - Enjoy!
 
His Side of the Story...
I had planned out my proposal to B. months in advance and had set in motion several different aspects of it. I had everything planned out to a "T" except for one crucial point. I waited for my mom to come into town with her husband because out of all of her children I would probably be the only one that would be able make sure she was there (Happy Mothers Day Mom). The four of us had dinner reservations which I had set up with the owner a month prior. The owner who I worked with was such a sweatheart and was excited that I had choose her restaurant for the dinner the night I was to propose. 

As I left my apartment to meet my mom, her husband, and B. by the car to go to dinner I had to keep one hand in a pocket to hide the form of the ring box I was carrying. I tried to make it look all GQ-like (according to groomsman, Craig). We started to drive to dinner and as we approached the the park next to the restaurant, I pointed out to Bri that I thought our friend Tom was in the park. I had talked to Tom about playing a special song for the proposal. Tom was set up in the gazebo with our friends Colleen and James waiting for us to arrive. When I pointed Tom out to B. I thought she would be excited to see him since she works with Tom. To the contrary B. ignored my advances to notice and get excited to see Tom in the park. 

As my first attempt had failed to get us to the gazebo I tried to have my mom's husband park farther away from the restaurant so we could walk past the gazebo. B.'s response to this attempt was "No, John you see that black awning ahead that is where we are eating you can pretty much park right next to it". DRAT! Foiled again by my future bride. Finally, as we were getting out of the car I asked my mom if she would like to meet someone who both B. and I knew who was actually a talented musician. My mom semi-saved me by saying "I will meet who ever you want me to meet honey". Just as I took a breath of relief B. looked at me and for the first time the entire time we had been dating she said "But J., our reservation, we will be late for our dinner reservations". At this point in my mind all I could think was who was this women I was about to marry. B. was never on time and never cared about being late but of course when I am trying to lead her to the spot I wish to propose she has learned the importance of being on time lol. I went ahead and lied and said that I had changed the reservation time because I knew we would be late to which my beautiful fiance responded "Well then I could have dried my hair all the way".

We slowly walked towards the gazebo and I took B.'s hand and smiled. B. looked at me and said you are acting silly and all I could say was "your right". As we approached the gazebo Tom, Colleen, and James waved and said hi. We walked up the steps and entered the gazebo, I started to introduce Tom to my Mom and John and as I did so I could tell B. was looking for something. Finally she turned her head and looked behind us and found Megan walking on the path trying to get in position to take a picture of what was about to happen. B. looked away from Megan only to take a second look at her and as only the women I plan to marry would she flicked off her future maid of honor. 

Megan had walked B. right into this night and not told her a thing and for that I thank Megan and apologize that it got her flicked off. As Tom began to play "Marry You" by Bruno Mars I leaned into B. and whispered into her ear and said "The journey we have been on these past two years was made amazing only because I had her with me. But now that journey was coming to and end and I would like to ask her to go on a different kind of journey with me". I turned B. and got down on one knee and pulled the ring from my pocket. I asked B. if she would marry me? Her first response was a smile mixed with an overwhelmed look to which she shook her head up and down. Much like a flight attended on a plane explaining the duty of those sitting in the emergency exit row I told B. that I needed a verbal on this one. B. then said that three letter word that every future husband hopes to hear when asking this important question "Yes". I got up and kissed my fiance feeling as though we were the only two people in that gazebo although of course we were surrounded by six other people.



Aww how romantic! He is such a sweetheart! Has your fiance written out his proposal story?
--B.

An Engagement Story - Side A

I figure it is probably best to start the wedding blog with the story of how the wedding planning had all started - the proposal story!

We were planning on going to dinner with J.'s mom and husband since they had just gotten into town, for our master's graduation ceremony.  I was rushing to get ready and ran over to J.'s apartment with about 10 minutes before our reservation. When J. walked out, there was something weird about him - I don't know what it was, but his hand was in his pocket - hiding the ring box!  We pulled up to the parking space for dinner and J. suddenly was all excited to walk over and say hi to a friend of ours who just happened to be in the park next to the restaurant, and suddenly I was the one worried about being late!  J. told me that he had changed the reservation to 8:30pm because he figured we would be running late. Good enough excuse I guess.  

We started walking over to the gazebo and I was looking for my best friend (and now MOH!) Megan's car the entire time.  One of the "rules" I gave to J. prior to the engagement was that I would like to have a photographer to get a photo of it happening, and Megan then turned that into a "rule" that she must be there to be that person.  I knew that if I found Megan's car this was it, I didn't end up finding her car, but I did turn around to see her darting from tree to tree trying to run up and capture the moment with her camera!  J. introduced his mom and her husband to our three friends sitting under the Gazebo and told them that one of them had won the universities talent show and opened up for Gym Class Heroes when they were on campus.  J. then asked him to play something for us (because he just so happened to have his guitar...).  He started playing "Marry Me" by Bruno Mars (one of my favorites) and J. whispered into my ear then got down on one knee and I said yes!
 
After the proposal...
Afterward, J. had set up dinner to include Megan and we all went to the restaurant where J. had worked with the owner, to set up a dozen lilies with a note that read: "I knew you would say yes. I vow to love you for the rest of my life." We toasted to our engagement and at the end of the night were given a chocolate desert that was personalized in chocolate with a firework sticking out of it sparking everywhere. For the rest of the night (like I am sure will happen now for the rest of my life) J. was dragged around campus to show all of our friends my engagement ring (most of who already knew all about it and never said a word!).


It was an unforgettable night and one that was clearly very thoughtfully planned!  What is your engagement story?