How We Met
Todd and I met through mutual friends in college. More specifically, at a Christmas party in 2011. Being from the same hometown, we ran into each other a few times here and there. However, it wasn’t until the summer of 2014 that we really began getting to know one other when Todd and his roommates threw BBQ’s in their backyard. Finally, timing fell into place, and Todd took me out on our first date on September 4th, 2014.
how they asked
Todd and I lived together for about a year before he proposed. Throughout that time, Todd never seemed interested in getting married. Any time I would drop a hint about getting engaged, I was always shut down. We never talked about our idea of a dream wedding or my ring style. I knew we loved each other deeply, and he made me feel confident that we would spend our lives together. However, I had no idea when he would be ready to pop the question. It was a complete surprise!
I went on a roadtrip to Colorado to visit family with my mom. I was only an hour down the road when Todd sent me a text saying, “I seriously feel like I’m in high school because I legitimately already miss you.” I would be spending five nights away from him which was by far the longest time we’d been apart in a year. The last day of the trip I called Todd and told him to order pizza and enjoy his last night as a bachelor before I came home. Little did I know how literal that would be…
The next day consisted of an eleven hour drive back to Mid-Missouri. Todd told me he probably wouldn’t be home when I got there because he’d be working which was a bummer. I was so ready to see him! I pulled into our two car garage hoping to see his car in the spot next to mine but…nothing. So I lugged my bags over my shoulder and began heading in the house.
When I got inside, I heard music playing. “He’s home!!!” I thought to myself. It took me another second to realize it was our song…the one that played on our first date, “Wish You Were Here” by Pink Floyd. I headed up the stairs and when I turned the corner, there he was. Standing there, flowers in hand, with a look on his face I will never ever forget. The only thing I could think about doing was wrapping my arms around him. The rest is history, and luckily recorded on video ;)
After getting down on one knee, Todd gave me a hand-written letter filled with our love story and reasons why he wants to marry me. Essentially, it was the speech he would not have been able to get through. The minutes that followed were filled with hugs and tears and lots of “I can’t believe this is happening!” Later, I got dressed up and we took a limo around town, visiting and calling our family and friends with the big news, and drinking rose’.
Some may think proposing at home is boring, but to us our home is a special place where we grow in love every day. I can’t express how perfect that moment was for me. It was private and intimate which is everything I ever wanted. Thankfully, Todd recorded the proposal on his phone. I put that footage together with bits and pieces of the letter he gave me so we can relive that night again and again. We are so excited to celebrate our love and begin our lives together!
how they asked (Todd’s View)
I have never had a picture in my head of where a proposal should be, but I always knew how I wanted it to be. I knew I wanted it to be a complete surprise, from the location, to the timing, down to the ring. I began ring shopping two or three months before the proposal. I asked Allyn’s best friend to come along the first time to help me steer my in the right direction. No one else, family included, had any idea I was even thinking about proposing. I continued ring shopping and found a local jewelry designer I felt comfortable working with. I met with them several more times to help create the perfect ring. While all this was going on, I kept brainstorming how I would propose to Allyn. When I got the call that the ring was ready, I realized I still had no clue how I was going to ask.
Allyn was out of town when I went to pick it up from the jeweler. When I saw it for the first time, I knew I couldn’t wait any longer, and the perfect proposal came to me. I would ask her the minute she arrived back to our home the next day. This house is a special place for she and I, and I wanted the proposal to be private and intimate. First, I needed to ask her dad’s permission. The morning of the proposal I drove up to her dad’s farm to help him out with his cows. After working on the fences for a few hours, we took a water break in the house. After some small talk to build up courage, I asked if I could have his permission to marry his daughter. He said, “Of course!” which felt great. Then I realized I had a lot more to do before Allyn got home. To get ready, I bought her a bouquet with her favorite flowers, peonies, got the house cleaned up, and put on an outfit I know she loves.
Then I asked our neighbor if I could hide my car behind his house. That way Allyn wouldn’t think I was home when she pulled in the garage. The neighbor guessed what I was up to and offered to drive us around in the limo he drives as a side gig after our big moment. Another thing that worked out perfectly was that Allyn got home from her trip on the fourth of June, 2016. Our first date was the fourth of September, 2014. Now, we will be getting married on the fourth of March, 2017!
I knew I wouldn’t be able to make it through a speech while proposing, so the last thing I did before Allyn arrived home was write her a letter telling her all the reasons I want to marry her. We read it together just after I popped the question. Some of those words are featured at the beginning of the video. When something is meant to be, it always seems to have a way of coming together. I spent months thinking about how to propose, but only a day actually planning it. In the end, it was the perfect way for our forever to begin.
