Weddingbee Blog

Mr. Seashell and I talked about the future frequently—big picture things like goals, ambitions, things we hoped for in a family, and smaller details like things we liked and disliked about weddings, and travel preferences (window vs. aisle, carry-on vs. check-in). We were often on the same page, and shared a mutual excitement for what was to come. We always talked openly about our future, and we always said “when”, not “if”.

When he asked me one morning last May, “So, what’s next? A ring or a condo?” I tried to stay level-headed. With the first time homebuyer tax incentives, and the state of the housing market, I knew it was good timing to get serious about finding our first home. So I said, “Of course I want to say a ring, but I know the timing to buy a home is too good to pass up. If I choose ’condo’ will we still be on track for a wedding next fall?” Mr. Seashell said “yes,” and the condo search was on.

We purchased our condo on August 3, 2009. It was move-in ready, but we took on a number of home improvement projects. Night after night of work on our new home, Mr. Seashell suggested that we get dressed and go out on a “date”. To be honest, I thought it may be a “decoy date” to throw me off for a proposal at a later time. (Kind of like, “See? We go out and do nice things all the time! This isn’t suspicious…) Plus, I figured with all the money we’d spent on the condo, renovating, and buying new furniture, there was no way a ring was coming just yet.

We met downtown at Smith and Wollensky which is beautifully situated on the Chicago river. After our fantastic meal, Mr. Seashell asked me if I wanted to walk down by the river. We walked for a bit, and then he suddenly stopped walking and began saying wonderfully sweet things (the rest becomes a blur…). Before I knew it he was down on one knee, opening a box with a gorgeous ring and said, “Will you marry me?” And I said, “Yes! I love you! I love you! I love you!”

Then we hugged, kissed, and I said, “So now what do we do?”

(Personal Photos)

Was your proposal a surprise?