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Our Engagement Party! All the details...

When Dave and I initially discussed having an engagement party we were torn about how big of an event to make it. We definitely wanted to do something to celebrate becoming engaged but were unsure of how many people to invite, where to host it, and so on. We realized that it could quickly get out of control with a long guest list and potentially be a mini-wedding which is not want we wanted.

We decided to do things sweet and simple and invite only our immediate family. What we also wanted to take the opportunity to officially ask our family members to be in our bridal party. In the end we had a dozen people join us for an engagement dinner and it was absolutely perfect!

We went to Water and Wine Ristorante which is close to us so we asked everyone to meet at our apartment and head over together as a big group. We chose this restaurant because it was a nice place but not too fancy and the food was fantastic! We had a table at the end of the dining room so it felt very private and special for us.

Water and Wine

In the end we are so happy we kept it intimate and everyone seemed to have a great time! We are so blessed to have amazing families and look forward to having more occasions to all be together again soon.

My bridesmaids!

My sister and Maid of Honor

Our families :)

Our bridal party

Tour Our Apartment!

Dave and I moved into our first apartment together in September and it has been an amazing adventure so far!

Me and Dave getting the keys to our apartment

I am thrilled to finally be finished with the decorating, I'm sure I will still be buying knick knacks and little things in the future, but all of the big things are in place.

Design Process

The design theme for the apartment was "cozy neutral." I loved the tan and white colors for big pieces of furniture and thought it would be an appropriate color scheme for us as a couple living together. Neutrals are very warm and inviting in a space and it was important to me for the apartment to feel like home.

Living Room and Dining Room

The apartment has a great open concept design in the living room and dining room. We arranged our furniture to keep this space as open as possible. The couch and love-seat were from Raymour and Flannigan. The entertainment center is from Ikea. The coffee table and dining table were from my parents' house. The dining table was actually my parents' first kitchenette. To give an accent to a very muted color scheme, I chose an abstract patterned throw blanket and area rug. I hope this gives the room a nice contrast with the big pieces of furniture. I also chose glass lighting fixtures and a glass coffee table to break up the white pieces of furniture and give the illusion of the space being more open.

Our living room and dining room

Kitchen

The kitchen is fantastic! It offers lots of counter space and was recently renovated with granite countertops, dark wood cabinets and stainless steel appliances. When we took our first tour, my jaw dropped when I saw the kitchen!

Bedroom

The bedroom stayed in the same "cozy neutral" color scheme. The bed and frame also came from Raymour and Flannigan and the bed spread and vanity came from Bed, Bath and Beyond. The mirror came from my room at home, orignally bought from P.B. Teen. The cabinets came from Ikea and the space worked out perfectly so that they could be used sort of as "end tables" as well. 

When we first saw this apartment, there was no furniture inside, it was a completely blank slate. I am so proud of how we made this apartment into a home, it took a lot of time, work and energy but it was all worth it in the end.

Our Proposal Story...

Dave and I met in April 2011 at a Relay For Life event. It didn’t take long for me to realize that this is the right guy for me. Dave is everything I had ever hoped to have in a partner and more. He is the most generous person that I have ever met, there is not single thing he wouldn’t do for me just to see my smile. He has the most infectious laugh and an awesome sense of humor. I could go on for hours talking about all the things I love about him.

In March 2013, Dave and I were planning our first vacation together and we decided Disney World would be the perfect place. We had the most amazing time! It has been almost 2 years since that trip and we still laugh at inside jokes we made and flip through pictures and reminisce at how much fun we had that week.

Me and Dave in Disney March 2013

When we were ready to book our next vacation, Disney World was a no brainer! We chose the first full week in December after Thanksgiving so we could experience Disney during Christmastime and bypass most of the holiday crowds. What I didn’t know was that Dave was planning to propose on this trip and had been making arrangements ever since we booked the trip back in September.

On our first day in Magic Kingdom, I felt like a little kid on Christmas morning, I could barely contain my excitement! Unfortunately, Mother Nature had her owns plans in mind. For the entire morning, there was a heavy mist, not a typical Florida down pour that clears up in an hour. It was just enough to make us really uncomfortable and throughout the day I needed to buy a hoodie and a new pair of shoes!

You can actually see the ponchos and puddles behind us!

Dave had a plan to propose in the Rose Garden overlooking the castle. It is a beautiful sight and somewhat private which is why Dave liked it so much. He wanted to ask a photopass photographer to take a picture of us and then propose. Unfortunately, that day was also a filming for Disney’s Christmas Day parade. Ariana Grande was performing at the Castle and they stuck a giant camera right in the Rose Garden! Poor Dave! He had hoped to propose first thing in the morning but now was at a loss as to what to do next. The whole morning turned into an awkward episode of trying to stay out of the misty rain, which refused to stop, and Dave desperately trying to figure out where to propose.

By 2pm we were both frustrated with the day, I was ready to go back to the hotel and get warm and dry and Dave was still struggling to find the right place to propose. As we were heading out of Magic Kingdom Dave said how about we take one more picture on the train platform. It’s an area that overlooks Main Street and straight down is the castle. It’s a sight to behold if you’re a Disney fan. So we went up to the platform and there was one woman already standing there. Dave asked the woman if she would take a picture of us and quietly tipped her off that he was about to propose. I can only imagine how nervous she must have been!

Our last picture as boyfriend/girlfriend

Dave and I took a picture and as I was about to get my camera, Dave turned to me and said, “I have something I want to ask you.” I realized immediately what was about to happen was filled with more joy and excitements than I’ve ever felt in my life. Dave dropped to one knee and asked me if I would marry him. Even while writing this I still tear up. I was so happy I could barely get “yes” out (I think it was more of a squeak) so I kept nodding my head vigorously.

"I have something I want to ask you"

I have dreamed of this moment for my whole life and when I met Dave I knew that moment would be with him. Though it might not have gone quite according to plan, it was more perfect than I could ever have imagined. We made a memory in Disney that I will treasure forever. Dreams really do come true.