Preface - Lauren is a long time college friend, I was at her wedding, and one of the first ones texted when she got engaged... however this is the first I've heard this story! Thanks for sharing Laur!
In her words:
"My whole life I grew up thinking that I was one of the Disney princesses... I have parents that have been maried for 43 years, and two brothers who I watched marry and start families. Naturally, having watched all of this unravel before my eyes I started planning my wedding when I was 10. Not until I reached high school did I realize that the proposal and engagement are just as important as the wedding and marriage. As you know, I fell in love with my boss during college. Scott owned an infamous bar on the Uconn-Storrs campus, and within a few weeks of me bartending there I made a move in the bar's kitchen and that night he moved into my apartment; I knew there was something amazingly special about this guy. I wasn't sure if it was the fact that he smelled like a chicken philly (with pepers, onions, mushrooms and american cheese) every night when he got out of work, or the fact that he was my father's clone (shark week, dirty jobs, basically anything on the Discovery Channel would capture his attention for hours when given the chance). For my birthday that year Scott bought me a dog (my Bailee girl) and after graduation we bought a condo together. Obviously my family was nervous at the thought of a young guy, who owned a bar and worked there 80 hours a week constantly surrounded by college girls. Soon enough Scott won them over and they had complete trust and faith in him. After a few months of condo living I knew where I stood in the relationship, but never really knew how he felt, or if he was sure that I was the one. I decided to start dropping hints about our future... leaving the exact ring I wanted (the Tiffany Ribbon Ring, size 4.5) as the desktop background during football season, and kept telling him how sad Bailee was that her parents weren't married yet. Months went by and nothing... no suspicious behavior or any hints that ring shopping was in the future, just some bickering here and there about timing. During the college break that year we planned a trip to Sedona, AZ with my brother and sister-in-law. We spent four amazing days with them hiking, taking a hot air balloon ride, going to wine tastings... NOTHING!!! After my brother and sister-in-law left we had three more days just the two of us. We decided one night to go to a four star restaurant, dress to the nines and splurge on buffalo steaks, a couple bottles of wine and just have fun. The restaurant was set in the middle of the red rocks, the sun was setting so the whole restaurant seemed as if it were on fire and the food was amazing. Scott wasn't feeling well and went to the bathroom, and instantly I was bummed out... way to ruin the most amazing night so far! He returned and I, always the nag, brought up the conversation of "where is this relationship going?" I went to take a bite of my stake while waiting for a reply, and when I turned my head back for the answer I saw a little black box sitting in front of me. He slid the box closer and said, "So, now what do you think about the future?" I just sat there staring at the ring I had made the wallpaper on the computer, and it wasn't until I heard the couple next to us say "Congratulations on your engagement" that it hit me. We quickly got our bill, left the restaurant and began calling our family and sending mass texts to our friends. We got back to our condo, poured some champagne and watched snow falling in Arizona from the jacuzzi. It was then that I looked and Scott and said, "Why couldn't you have proposed in the hot air balloon... don't you think a restaurant is a little cliche?" He then told me how he had many proposal ideas: 1) After lying to me about helping his mom move and being gone all day one Sunday (when really he was in NY ring shopping and got stuck on the train) we got in a huge fight and I left the condo to go out with friends. When he got home he saw my car there and snuck inside, called Bailee and had put the Tiffany bag in her mouth to bring to me. He was going to propose that night to show me just where he had been... I just happend to be at a bar. 2)Then he decided Arizona it was, and at the right time it would happen. He had wanted to pop the question on the hot air balloon, but forgot the rinbecause I told him not to bring his wallet, he forgot to take the ring out of the safe!!! 3) Then he decided on the right time... he wanted to propose at a popular lookout during a sunset and then celebrate at the restaurant, but because it took so long to get ready and I kept worrrying about being late for the reservation we never made it to the sunset. Long story short, I blew my own proposal(s). For a while I was upset that things didn't work out in a "Fairy Tale" way, but when we got married I realized I did marry my Prince Charming, and I still got the happily ever after. And now, three years of marriage later I still joke with him that he never truly asked me to marry him, and he replies, "We ended up here, didn't we?"
That's the truth of it... not every proposal is romantic, perfect, or well planned, Nor is life. It's not about the size of the ring, an extravagant engagement or an over the top wedding. It's about deciding that this person is the one you want to be your best friend, through all of lifes challenges and blessings. And when I said " I do" I knew it was forever! No regrets!
-Lauren LaBelle
*Mandy, thank you for giving me the chance to recollect on that memory... life has been stressful, and it's nice to sit back and remember where we started from and how far we have come as a couple. We don't like each other every day, but I know I love him and know he is the one for me! Thanks!"
