Welcome back! This week we are excited to share another personal story… but this one is not about traveling (sorta) but about our proposal story! Since we LOVE hearing everyone’s story, we thought you would want to hear ours. Hope you enjoy our sappy love story!
Let us start out with a little background just in case you’re not familiar with our love story. Ryan and I met in September 2014 online and he caught my attention just by simply asking “what kind of photography do you shoot?” (Definitely a good way to start a conversation with a photographer). We had our first date and I was hesitant to go on a second… but he convinced me we should. From there, we started hanging out every day we could. A couple weeks later, we decided to become an “official” couple.
I had been talking about going on a vacation for about 6 months… so a close friend (Krystle) and I had decided we were going to take a cruise the following fall. We were going to do a nice girl get away. At this point, Ryan and I had only been together a short time, so I was not making any longer-term plans with him. Ryan convinced his friend Keith that they should do a “guys vacation” while I was on my cruise. Not going to lie, their European vacation sound SO much better than my cruise.
When all was said and done, Krystle and I scrapped the cruise and joined Ryan to Europe (Keith was not able to go with us). As the development of our vacation was underway, so was our relationship. We had taken the next step and moved in together in May of last year. As time went on, we had talks about our future.
As the trip grew closer, I thought it would be awesome to get engaged in Europe (and so did family and friends) but I also know Ryan is a private person like myself. We knew our trip was not going to be a romantic getaway.
A couple of days before we were flying out to Paris, we went shopping for some last-minute items. I of course wanted to look at the shiny rings. As stated earlier, we had been talking about our long-term plans. I pointed out a ring and said, “Oh I like the way that one is a square. It’s different.”
Our trip came… and the first 7 days passed. I wasn’t surprised he had not proposed, as we didn’t have any alone time or even any spare time. Our vacation was jammed packed and non-stop!
Traveling through Ireland, we stopped at Blackrock Castle. Had lunch… watch a “Planetarium” show and hunted for a rock from my mom’s Irish Castle Starter Kit (please check back for our Ireland blog soon for an explanation of this). All three of us were being complete tourist taking our photos in front of the castle.
We were on a strict time frame to make sure we made it to Blarney Castle, so after a few minutes of we started to head back to the car. Ryan pulled me back out of the car saying he wanted to get a photo of just him and I in front of the castle and that he wanted it a certain way.
I sat down the grass and of course made interesting faces at him as he set everything up. He sat down next to me with a small, ornate brown book. He opened the book and began reading:
It’s been a while and now I know
That I can never let you go.
From the first time we met and your first hello.
I knew you’re the one where my heart will grow.
You are my dream, the angel from the sky.
Who showed me what life is and how I can cry.
How I can have someone who I can always rely.
To be there forever and never say goodbye.
The one I can hung when I am in need.
The one who give love… that no one can exceed.
The one who’ll shed tears… If my heart ever bleed.
The one I have wanted… to share my life with…
So now I ask you this… Will you please take my hand.
And be the person… who will always understand.
I want to grow old with you…
I still remember how chocked up he was and how some words were barely audible as he tried to hold back his emotions. While he was reading the poem, he was also taking photos of us.
The poem was handwritten and Ryan NEVER hand writes anything. On the last page was the remainder of the poem:
I’m down on one knee…
You’re the only one I’ll ask…
Will you Marry Me?
Inside the center of the page was a hand cut square and a beautiful, shiny ring laid inside.
Of course, I said yes… and I sat there for a few moments just looking at this ring in the book. Ryan then said “You can put it on… and I hope it fits because it’s not the right size but they did not have your size in stock when I went Monday.” The ring fit perfectly and yes he went back to the store and bought me the ring I loved the day before we left for Europe.
No… for the record I did not cry… but I had a smile from ear to ear. This was so unexpected. Honestly, I figured he would wait till we were home since our anniversary was just a few days away.
Ryan jokes that his job was to make sure I have an amazing story to tell… one that will make other guys go “oh crap… I have to beat that” when their girlfriends tell them mine. I would say he was successful. I couldn’t have asked for anything better and I have a picture of how truly happy I was that day.
We hope you loved our sappy story as much as I do! How did your proposal go?!
Have a Great Day,
Nicole & Ryan
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