Our Fairytale Engagement...Charleston, SC

[thefuturemrslutz]

Hey guys, this is SO SO SO long, but definitely worth sharing...isn't he SUCH a DOLL?

 

The BEST weekend EVER...

In April, during a trip to the beach, Ryan and I had yet another DTR talk...only this time, it involved OUR FUTURE! The whole weekend, Ryan and I were on cloud nine, spending every second of the weekend together. Well, on the last day, Ryan told me how much he loved me and expressed that he was ready to "take it to the next level." So, as soon as we got home, I started looking at rings online! I emailed him 2 or 3 that I loved...BUT, that was the last I heard of it. A few wonderful months went by and I realized Ryan had not mentioned rings or an engagement since April! I was getting a little nervous, considering we had sold Ryan's house and were looking at houses to buy or build. I didn't expect him to propose anytime soon, but I at least thought he would have mentioned it! Well, I finally got up the courage to ask him about it, and I did not receive the answer I was hoping for. He explained to me that he was simply not ready, but it was in our future in the next "3-5 years." I was devastated (and obviously did not realize this was a ploy to throw me off)!!! But I loved Ryan to death, and all I could do was respect his feelings...so I dropped it...

 

Later that month, my friends started asking me what I wanted to do for my birthday. Ryan said he would send an email out to everyone to get a plan together for the bday celebration. 2 of our good friends had a wedding shower planned the day before my birthday, so my idea was to get all my friends together after the shower to go out! Well, after a week of trying to get something together, no one seemed very enthused by this idea...so of course I started to get pouty. And everyone knows Negative Nancy is no fun to be around!! Well, Thursday morning I wake up to Ryan saying "take off work tomorrow, we are going on a trip to for your birthday!" I was THRILLED!!! My pouting had worked! haha jk.

 

Friday morning, we woke up super early to catch our flight. I was SOOOO excited! My only clue was this: it was somewhere neither one of us had been before. In my mind, I had three ideas: Miami, Charleston, or Denver (Widespread Panic and Tool were playing here...that's where that idea had come from). As soon as we got to the airport, I learned it was CHARLESTON!!! ahhhh! I had been begging Ryan to take me there for so long...Of course, all my friends immediately start saying "you are going to get engaged!!!" I absolutely did not believe them after Ryan had been so adamant about not getting married for another 3-5 years...

 

As soon as we landed in Charleston, the day was perfect!!! Probably the best day of my life...at that point. Ryan had booked us a room at the best hotel in Charleston, The Charleston Place. As Ryan checked in the hotel, he asked me to go to the ATM for him (this was all part of the play apparently). After I returned we walked to the cutest lunch place. We had the best conversation, food, and bloody mary's and mimosas! It was one of those moments where you just feel so blessed!! After lunch, Ryan turned to me and said, "can we go shopping?" UM YES!!!!! Such the dream boyfriend!! So, for the next SEVERAL hours we went into store after store after store! After all that shopping, we needed a drink, so we headed to this cute little wine bar. We split a flight of different wines, that were delicious! At this point, I am extremely emotional, after having such an amazing day. We finished up and headed back to the hotel. We had to be ready at 5:15 for a 'birthday surprise." I was FLOORED!! What else did he have planned? At 5:15, we walked out of the hotel to a HORSE DRAWN CARRIAGE!! How funny! It was awesome! It took us throughout the city, by the ocean, all the way to Battery Park. I was eating this up! Ryan was oddly quiet and borderline annoyed...I just assumed it was the obnoxious carriage driver, who insisted on telling us his entire life story!!! Finally, Ryan said "dude, can we get out and walk for a bit?" So, hand in hand, Ryan and I walked through battery park to this huge tree...we just stopped and looked around and kissed and all that mushy stuff! ha All of a sudden, Ryan turns to me and says 'babe, I can't wait 3-5 years to marry you..." and drops down on one knee and proposes!!!! This moment became THE happiest moment in my life! I was screaming and crying and laughing and shaking all at once. The ring was GORGEOUS! There was no way I could have designed something so beautiful and SO perfect for me! It was awesome. We got back to the hotel and Ryan had strawberries and champagne waiting on us. It was so so sweet! Oh, and here is the funny thing: when we had come up to the room to freshen up before the carriage ride, apparently the champagne and strawberries were sitting out! I was obviously too giddy to notice, so Ryan had to shove them under the couch! SO, after my 2 hours of calling my friends, we headed to dinner across the street. The meal, the company, the atmosphere, everything, was AMAZING! It truly was a perfect night. As we were finishing dinner, Ryan is blowing up with text messages. I am like BABE, what are you doing!?!? All of a sudden, I look up, and there is my best friend Amanda and her husband. They had driven 6 hours to Charleston to be part of our special day. At this point, I lost it!!! I had never been so happy in my life. After a night of hanging out on the rooftop of a hotel in Charleston, it was time to call it a day. And OH WHAT A DAY! And it still wasn't even my birthday! I woke up the next morning at 7, so excited to see my new ring and my FIANCE!

 

The entire weekend was absolutely perfect. The BEST part of the whole trip was how much time and energy Ryan had put into planning my birthday/engagement weekend. He had PAGES and PAGES of notes and had every meal, accommodation, event, etc, planned MONTHS in advance! EVERYONE from the concierge to the carriage driver to the hostess at the restaurant to my best friend and her husband was involved! The rest of the weekend, we went shopping, bought some artwork, went to dinner, and had my birthday brunch! The weekend concluded with dinner with his parents and my mom Sunday night. It was truly unforgettable!

 

Now, if that isn't the best proposal in the world, then I don't know what is!!!

[shauna_grant]

Wow!! Congrats on the amazing proposal story. It's every girl's dream proposal!

 

Beautiful !!

[thefuturemrslutz]

aww thanks!!!!

[ddk5576]

Ok..this one made me tear up! Great job making me feel the moment!! Love it! Love Charleston! Congrats!! How's married life?!!

[*Meagan*]

Wow amazing story! Thanks for sharing! And congratulations!!