how we met
We met at Florida State University in a complex that was popular for tailgating called “Indian Village.” Bryan lived there with his friends and was throwing a tailgate for the football game that day. My friend and I were walking to our friends tailgate and stopped when we got invited by a guy (we assume our friend John) to join their tailgate in a game of flip cup. My friend and I didn’t know anyone there, but it looked so fun we figured why not! Bryan was my flip cup opponent and the game started with a lot of fun smack talk about winning. When the tailgate was over we exchanged numbers and parted ways. Funny thing is that neither of us remembered each others names so in his phone he saved my number as “tailgate girl” and I saved his as “flip cup kid.” The next time a tailgate rolled around I got a text from “flip cup kid” saying “Hey tailgate girl, come tailgate today.” That began our tailgate love story, the importance of FSU football, friendship, and then turned into a relationship.
how they asked
Leading up to the proposal was an exciting Thanksgiving weekend. We spent the weekend in Saint Augustine with Bryan’s family with plans to leave for Tallahassee the next day for the Florida VS Florida State rivalry game weekend. Little did I know, Bryan and his family all knew about the proposal and were secretly distracting me while his parents loaded up the car with the engagement necessities. (ring, champagne, photos, and other celebration items). Once we all arrived in Tallahassee we met up with my parents, extended family, and close friends who also were going to the game. I saw the weekend as a fun family filled football game holiday weekend. Once again, little did I know my parents also knew Bryan was planning on proposing at the tailgate after asking for their permission to marry me.
It was finally game day and we were all so excited bursting with FSU spirit. We began the day having lunch at a bar watching earlier football games on TV. Funny story about out engagement day is that Bryan didn’t know I was in the bathroom and left me at the bar. He clearly had a lot on his mind preparing to propose. I came out of the bathroom and called him asking where he was. Our family tested him as he hurried back to come get me apologizing thinking I had already left for the tailgate. (This was why in our video he started the proposal with, “So I know I left you at the bar and I’m sorry for that.” So we all go a chuckle about that).
After spending some time on campus and setting up our tailgate spot, Bryan and his best friend John began prepping for the proposal by setting up a table for flip cup. They divided teams and told me I had to play. Since flip cup is popular during tailgates I expected nothing different. I was also told to be on the end so Bryan and I were opponents, which is our thing so once again, nothing unexpected. The game began and I was cheering my team on.
Thinking my team was winning, I was quite unaware that our friend John was “losing” on purpose so that I would end the game flipping my cup. Thus, I ended the game and once the cup was flipped I noticed it had something written on the bottom… The words “Marry Me.”
I was shocked and for a minute thought I was imagining things. Then I looked up and everyone was gathered around smiling while Bryan was looking at me holding a box in his hand. He walked over towards me, went down on one knee, and proposed.
I couldn’t control my tears of joy knowing that the man I loved most in the world wanted me to spend the rest of my life with him and that our dearest family and friends were there to be a part of this special moment. I obviously said yes and our family showered us with champagne, chocolates with our pictures on it, and a beautiful photo of us in a frame for everyone to sign congratulating us.
It was so perfect because we were in Tallahassee where we had met, tailgating which is how we met, and it was through flip cup which is also how we met. It could not have felt any more perfect for our relationship. And to top it off, Florida State won that night!
