I've been meaning to write this post since last year but really wanted to make it special and have never found the time. So here I am less than 3 months from the wedding day finally sharing how it all started!
Brian and I have been together since high school so we have quite a few traditions. One of them is going to Disney to see the Christmas lights. So on December 17th 2014 we planned to do just that. I love getting dressed up any chance I get so of course I got myself all dolled up for our annual date and took some pictures before leaving, thinking I would write an outfit post later!
Well this isn't exactly a fashion post but my skirt and top are both from Forever 21. :)
So we went around and saw the beautiful lights. Wow this is really making me want Christmas! Can we just skip fall and go straight to winter please?
We had a great time but I did notice Brian acting a little different, we had been together for just about six years at this point so of course we had talked about getting married (a lot!) and approximately when we should get engaged (we wanted to wait until we were done with college), so I can't say I didn't always have getting engaged in the back of my mind - hey I'm a girl, what can I say?!
I really was trying to STOP thinking about the future at that time though because we were about to go into our last semester of college and I really wanted to enjoy it and live in the moment, something I often struggle to do. I'm a planner so I constantly talk about the future and what's next. I know that is really bad and so I was (and still am) trying to live more in the moment. Ok - that was a tangent!
So back to the story... I noticed Brian was maybe acting a little odd but tried not to let my imagination run wild and just enjoy the night. After the 'tour de lights' we got some popcorn (Disney popcorn is irresistible!) and headed toward the car. Brian suggested we keep the night going and head to some of the hotels for more viewing of decorations.
Our first stop was Grand Floridian - my favorite because of their HUGE Christmas tree and life size gingerbread house! We got inside and started looking around, taking in all the wonderful sites and smells. I stopped in the gift shop to check out the Lilly Pulitzer they had in stock (again, I'm a girl, I can't help it!). We went up to the second story balcony and this is when I started to know something was up. Brian wanted to take more pictures, clearly I wasn't into it.
Random selfies.
And kept checking his watch. Now is when my heart started pounding, my mind was racing, and the story gets a little blurry. The moment I had been waiting for for six years was finally here! Somehow we ended up standing by a Christmas tree next to the Jazz band that was setting up. Brian took my hands in his and said the sweetest things! I knew people were starting to gather around us but I couldn't focus on that, I could only focus on him and try to grasp what he was saying when all I could think was "ohmygod ohmygod ohmygod"
He got down on one knee and popped the question! I think I said "Yes!!" before he even finished getting his words out! The people around us (quite a little crowd at that point) were clapping and Brian whispered in my ear to listen closely to the band. They were playing our song! I later found out allllll the planning that he had been doing and couldn't believe he had kept it all from me for so long!
As another surprise our parents, his sister, and my best friend emerged from hiding and we were all able to celebrate together. As if that wasn't enough he had also arranged for a photographer to be there so once in a lifetime moments like these were captured:
And we were able to take our engagement pictures right then! I don't think I realized how happy I looked until I saw the pictures days later. It was such a crazy experience and I was so happy, excited, in love, and every other amazing emotion you can think of!
Oh my gosh, how could I almost forget the ring?! It. is. perfect! I am so happy I get to wear this thing every day for forever! We had kind of discussed what I liked but he knocked it out of the park! Later when he finally got to tell me all his planning secrets I found out that he had my ring completely custom made - it is one of a kind! I can't believe he designed something so beautiful and put so much time and effort into making it perfect in every way! Love you Brian!
Since then more than a little planning has happened and a few other life changes (graduating college and starting full time jobs!) have taken place. Now our big day is in less than three months (CRAZY!) and I am getting so super excited! I just can't wait to spend the rest of my life with my best friend, I'm so lucky to have had him in my life since I was 16 years old. I honestly don't know where I would be without him and I never want to find out!
I hope you enjoyed our little story! Can't wait to share the wedding details with you all soon!
Don't forget to Sparkle!
XO ~ Katie
P.S. I LOVE all this mushy love stuff so if you've written about your engagement story, link it down below! I'd really enjoy reading it!
