S2 E2 | Listener's Stories: Christmastime engagements and wedding decor ideas!
Steph and Sara share some listener’s stories about Christmas time engagements and offer tips for designing a holiday themed wedding!
SHOW NOTES
Need some inspiration for your own engagement? Read on…
Taylor’s DC dream Christmas in DC engagement story
David and I started chatting on Bumble the day after Christmas of 2017. We met for the first time on Dec. 29, and had our second date two days later on New Years Eve at the Kennedy Center. David planned our second date before we even had our first date, and that’s when I knew we were soul mates. We waited to kiss for the first time at midnight. The clock struck 12, balloons rained down from the ceiling, our lips locked and we fell in love.
Christmas in Barcelona (and a surprise engagement)
Ever the prodigious sandbagger, at the beginning of December, Garrick threw me off the scent, telling me there wouldn’t be a proposal in 2017, but to know it was coming soon. Done. We’ll enjoy the holidays in Spain with his family.
After spending 4 relaxing days and 5 wonderful nights with the Kim Hartley clan, it was time to head into Barcelona for the remainder of our trip. Aunt Clusi had arranged 8:45pm dinner reservations for us; a welcome date night in the city at a quiet restaurant after days of family vacation.
Garrick suggests leaving early to walk around and grab a glass of wine before dinner. Excited to explore the city and have some alone time with my honey, we head off. We walk by an Arch de Triumph. Not the French one. There’s graffiti on the wall. [I later find out the Arch was the original proposal plan but the graffiti translated to something along the lines of “F*&^ the tourist! Go Home!”]
We continue walking and find a cute café ‘Trole’ with tables out front, looking onto the square and Arch. No one is sitting outside. The temperatures seem frigid to the Spaniards, but to us it was a beautiful cool evening. Garrick orders two glasses of red. We sit, reflecting on the fun we’ve had so far. Speaking sweetly to each other, as lovers do.
He excuses himself to the restroom and to pay the bill [apparently, this was also the perfect opportunity to get the ring out of his pocket]. He returns. We continue to be lovey. Then he says something along the lines of how amazing he thinks I am, how much he loves me and appreciates how understanding and patient I’ve been and wanting to make it up to me. [At this point he has pulled the ring from his pocket and is presenting it to me.]I’m not going to lie, I don’t remember the specifics, I kind of blacked out. I could not believe this was happening. He was proposing! It was happening! Right then! It had been the furthest thing from my brain, not on my radar at all.
YES! I said of course! YES! He slides the ring onto my finger, muttering this bloody thing better fit. It did!
We are running late for dinner. We hail a taxi. At this point, I still think dinner is just the 2 of us. On the way to dinner, Garrick apologizes for being selfish and proposing while we are traveling with his family and not being able to celebrate with mine. I say there will be plenty of time to celebrate when we’re back in the states.
Upon arrival, the hostess begins taking us towards the back of the restaurant – ‘oh wonderful, we’ll have a quiet table in the back.’ The hostess continues walking towards a private dining room and I see Garrick’s parents and brother – ‘of course we would celebrate with the Andersons. What fun!’
As I enter the dining room, to the right of Rick & Bryony, I see my mom, dad, sister and brother-in-law, standing, grinning ear-to-ear. Beaming. I had been bamboozled. I was in a complete and utter state of shock and surprise. My jaw was on the floor and I was speechless. I just kept looking from my family to Garrick and back again. I could not believe my eyes. What my brain knew to be true was not what I was seeing.
My parents were supposed to be in Indiana, spending Christmas with my mom’s brother and sister. Kim and Mike were supposed to be skiing at Whistler and enjoying a private holiday. Both my mother and sister sent well-crafted text messages keeping up the charade, even making sure to send on east coast time – 6 hours behind Barcelona. Needless to say, the evening was full of lots of love, laughter, delicious food, lovely wine and a splash of cava.
When your whole family appears out of nowhere in Barcelona for your surprise Christmas proposal!