Weddingbee Blog

I haven’t gone into detail about the night that Mr. Elephant proposed, but I know that’s always a fun story for me to read when it comes to other people’s engagements. So here’s our story:

About six months into our relationship, Mr. E and I started talking about marriage and our future together. It was never very deep conversations early on, just comments here and there about our wedding, a house, and later on kids. As we got closer to our two-year mark, we started talking about it more seriously. We stopped by jewelry stores while in the mall to look at different types of rings that I liked, so he would have an idea when it came to picking out mine. We noticed things at our friends’ weddings that we would want to do in our own.

I thought that he might surprise me for Christmas of 2008 with a proposal, but it didn’t come. I believed him later when he said he wouldn’t do it on a holiday because that was not him, so the thought never crossed my mind as Valentine’s Day 2009 came and went. I figured it would come when he was ready and that by not getting my hopes up, I wouldn’t be disappointed.
Fast forward to the end of March 2009. My dad was still working on assignment in Atlanta and was coming back to Texas for a visit. Since Mr. E’s parents wanted to eat with my parents again, we thought that it would be a good time to do so. Since our two-year anniversary would be the day after we got back from our big trip to Disney World, followed by my family reunion seven-day cruise, we decided that we would exchange our gifts for each other at the dinner. I figured that it would be at some normal restaurant like their last meeting at Red Lobster, but Mr. E suggested the Rafrain Brazilian steakhouse where I took him for his birthday the year before.

The first parents’ meeting at Red Lobster

I thought, wow, that’s kinda fancy for a parent meeting, but OK, if you want to. We had just recently purchased a new suit for Mr. E for the cruise we would be going on in April, and he suggested dressing up so that he could “break in his new suit.” Hmmm, dressing up for dinner? Dare I get my hopes up again? Would this be it???

That morning, Sunday, March 29, 2009, Mr. E said he had to go into work for a couple of hours, which isn’t weird since he does work on weekends the majority of the time. I did think that it was weird that he was going to work in jeans and a t-shirt since he normally wears dress pants and button down shirts, but he explained that he was just cleaning up some stuff in the back room so customers wouldn’t see him. I noticed that he was taking a roll of wrapping paper and his carry-on bag with him, so I asked if he was going to wrap my anniversary gift while he was at work and he said “yes.” So off he went, and I continued with my normal Sunday routine

He returned from work and we got ready and met our parents over at the steakhouse.

We had a wonderful meal, and before dessert (which was a surprise for Mama Elephant since her birthday was two days later) we decided to exchange gifts. I went first and gave him a card and his gift, which was an iPod touch, iTunes gift cards, and a case.

Now it was my turn, and I was super excited to see what this “big surprise” was he kept talking about. The first package was the iPod armband that I had hinted about for working out. Next was a very thoughtful scrapbook he had secretly made (with pictures from my laptop) of our two years together. I cried when I got to the last page, which was a love letter about how I have changed his life; the letter said to get ready for the adventures on the high seas (which I didn’t get at the point but later would when he explained that he intended to give me the book on the cruise).

For the last box, Mr. E told me I would need to stand up. By this time, I knew what was happening and couldn’t stop crying. (I’m getting teary eyed as I write this.)

He helped me open the box, which contained a custom soup can (to go with our running joke of him getting me soup for Christmas) with a label with his last name that read “Asked your Dad and he said yes, asked your Mom and she said yes, asked my parents and they said yes, asked Aunt Bunny and she said yes. Now I’m asking you…….”

He dropped down on one knee and said “I’m going to make this easy on you—will you marry me?” With tears in my eyes, I said “Yes!”

I hope I can prevent that ugly-cry face at the wedding.

We celebrated with champagne and dessert with our parents, and then made a LOT of calls to friends to share the great news!

We actually drove over to our friends BM Aggie & Groomsman Runner’s house to celebrate with them and ask them in person to be in our bridal party. It was a wonderful night that I will never forget!

I’ll have to get better at those ring shots.

Was your engagement in front of strangers?