The Perfect Vacation!
August 5th, 2008 @ 1:03 pm by Miss Champagne
As I mentioned earlier, the trip to Naples, Florida with Champ our sophomore year of college was where I really fell in love with my best friend. So it only seemed fitting that five years later we would visit the same spots, swim at the same beach, and enjoy the same company we had enjoyed so much before. When Mr. C asked if I would be interested in heading back to Naples, my heart fluttered a little in hope that this would be “THE vacation.” So off we went to Naples!
We hung out at the beach, walked around the town, shopped, and this time around I was actually 21, so we enjoyed a few of the local place in Naples, including Yabba’s, a local restaurant that turns into a fun dance spot at night. It’s amazing how much a vacation changes when you become “of age!” A few nights into the vacation, we decided to have dinner on the beach.
We grabbed gyros from a local Greek diner, a few Coronas, and headed to the beach. I just happened to grab my camera and got this shot of Champ walking onto the beach before our big moment. So as we were eating, I noticed Champ was shaking so much that he couldn’t hold his gyro. Then, completely out of character, he wrapped up half the wrap and said he’d finish it later. I knew something was up… he always finishes his dinner!
He got down on one knee, and said so many incredible things, all of which I can’t recall. 
I wish I could have pressed pause on my life for two seconds just to really take it all in… I was so happy! 
Here we are after I stopped crying hysterically—I’m a crier!
So we headed back to our house to celebrate and I think I must have taken a million pictures that night. Ever notice how all the pictures you take during the week after your engagement, you position your hand so that you can see the ring? Well I’m no different! I think every picture has this same pose with my hand on his shoulder—so awkward now when I look at it. (And, um, please ignore the boobage—whoops!)
The vacation continued with a fan boat into the Everglades where we saw huuuge alligators. They came so close to our boat! We even managed to find an old restaurant/’gator shack we had visited five years earlier on the side of the road where we ate frog legs and ‘gator. I guess you could say they both kinda taste like chicken.
We went to the zoo (remember, Champ is a big zoo nerd!) where we saw even more ‘gators and we ended the perfect trip with an amazing view from 1500 feet. We went parasailing!
So at the end of that week I could claim three things: I ate alligator, I had a tan, and I kissed my future husband at 1500 feet!!! Perfect, perfect vacation… but I’d still like to go back and pause that one surreal moment.
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14 Responses to “The Perfect Vacation!”
Sounds like one heck of a vacation!!!
What is up with not being able to remember the perfect proposal words you know he spent a long time perfecting?! I have NO CLUE what Adam said when he proposed. There was something about not being able to imagine his life without me in it…. and thats all i got. Thank God he was on one knee or I might have been too deaf/forgetting/dazed to even answer!!
AWWWW it looks like it was perfect! you two are so cute together!
I went to high school in Naples. This really brings back some memories. It’s been a while since I’ve been back ’cause I don’t have family there anymore.
I can stop saying uhmm typing it you guys have a relly nice smile!
What a great vacation! And all I could think while looking at these pictures were, “Wow, the Champagnes are a gorgeous couple!”
P.S. - I too, can’t remember what Mr P said to me while he was proposing.
Naples looks like a beautiful place with lots to do! It was a beautiful engagement story. I love great vacation-engagement stories. Thanks for sharing!
Awwww!! Such a cute story!
I too wish for that magical pause button - as I only vaguely remember the sweet engagement words Mr. Pom shared with me. Sadface.
Aw your proposal was so sweet.
Neither me or my husband can remember what was said during the proposal. I guess the excitement just takes over. I kind of wish I remembered but at the same time its cute that we were too excited to focus!
@Carolyn: did you ever go to Yabbas? How cool is that place at night? who knew?!
@Miss Hot Cocoa: we’re not nearly as cute as your marshmallowey icon… i wanna eat you
Ohh..Naples! My parents have a house down there (they are there part time) and we chose to get married in the area because it’s so pretty. We ended up getting married on Marco Island after scouring every resort around there!
Miss Champagne, DC/Vail/Colorado
Age and Occupation: 26, Eye Doctor
Fiance's Age and Occupation: 27, Attorney
Engagement Date: March 13, 2006
Wedding Date: February 2009
Blogging Since: July 30, 2008
Venue: Small church ceremony with mountain-view log cabin reception
About Me: I'm a small town mountain girl with a city heart. Found my way to the east coast, and Mr. Champagne kept me here so we're planning a wedding from afar in my hometown Vail, Colorado. I'm secretly obsessed with reality TV, Wii games where I can shoot a gun, country music, and Caesar: Dog Whisperer. I also spend time pretending to golf, backseat driving, having one way conversations with our MinPin Maxwell, loving champagne, and wedding perfecting… I mean, planning. I use way too many repeated symbols and letters when I write, and I'll love Mr. Champagne endlessly…
My husband proposed on the beach in Naples, too
We were living in Tampa at the time and would often visit his grandparents for the weekend. They live in Olde Naples for part of the year. He kept asking me if I wanted to go to the beach to see the sunset. I totally caught on b/c he was acting really weird. When we got to the beach the wind was blowing like crazy, sand was flying everywhere and we couldn’t even see the sun setting. Despite the weather, it was incredibly sweet. When we came back to the condo his grandparents were really confused but excited. He hadn’t told them b/c he thought they would accidentally give it away.