how they asked: May 2, 2015 What makes me and Jimmy a one-of-a-kind couple isn’t the fact that we’ve been together for 10 strong years, but because we were also childhood sweethearts. We knew each other since 4th grade – and Jimmy was even my first kiss!
May is always a big month of celebrations for me and Jimmy. Both of us celebrate our birthdays in May as well as good amount of our family and friends. So when Jimmy sent me an invite on my calendar for a birthday brunch a week-and-a-half early in a new restaurant in Manhattan – it wasn’t anything out of the ordinary. We are huge foodies and love to discover new restaurants and cheap eats.
Jimmy picked me up the morning of Saturday May 2nd and we were on our way to the new Riverpark restaurant along the East River in New York City. After we parked in the deck and headed up into the lobby exiting the elevator, I immediately noticed the beautiful view of the East River and with the Brooklyn back-drop. Jimmy said: “We’re early for our reservation, let’s go outside and take pictures.” I naturally agreed because he knows I couldn’t resist the thought of taking cheesy pictures with that view. We get to the railing (the restaurant is elevated overlooking Franklin D. Roosevelt Drive) and Jimmy is shuffling for his phone while looking back-and-forth the courtyard, as if he was expecting someone…
Next thing I knew, Jimmy was down on one knee, ring box in-hand, asking me to marry him. I said yes and cried tears of joy. After we kiss and hug, Jimmy points to our photographer friend, Marvin, owner of Buko Media, who was there incognito behind the bushes and captured the whole thing on camera! Then, Jimmy calls out my sister’s name, “Denise!,” and up she pops from behind the bush along with my parents, my dad waving furiously and mom crying.
The surprise didn’t end there – Jimmy saved the best for last; for 30 days, Jimmy kept a secret Instagram account from me @jimmy_and_dawn0120 Every day for over a month, he took candid photos of me and our family, who was in on the secret, while holding up a customized sticky note that said “Dawn Elise Will You Marry Me?” His #FinalAttempt was the day he proposed. Now, we can celebrate the day Jimmy and I got engaged in the month of May.
Photography by Marvin Orendain
Restaurant: Riverpark