how we met
We met through a mutual friend. The way that story goes is that the mutual friend originally had feelings for me, and wanted Doug to be his ‘wingman’ to get me. He and Doug met me in the high school cafeteria (I was a freshman and they were sophomores) to have lunch and Doug had agreed to talk him up to me. From the moment we met there, we instantly liked each other and Doug knew he couldn’t help his friend get me. I knew the guy had feelings for me, but I didn’t reciprocate them, so later down the road I was able to let him down easy. After that we were all friends and regularly had lunch together for months. Doug and I gradually grew closer to each other, began talking more, texting, and the day before we started dating we finally admitted our feelings to one another. March 4, 2011 is when we started dating, and even the first time we said those 8 letters and 3 words to each other. Now we’ll be saying 2 words and 3 letters on March 4, 2018. And we owe it all to a friend I almost would have never met, had my class not been switched that school year.
how they asked
Haley: This is the story of how my high school sweetheart proposed… And I didn’t even see it coming. For me, it was just a normal day at work, working a double on a Friday, serving the band and other customers on a waterfront in South Beach. It was a long day and all I wanted was to get home and see my boyfriend because the night before we had a huge argument that we weren’t able to dissolve before bed. We never go to sleep angry but that night we accidentally fell asleep separately in the bed and couch without time in the morning to resolve anything either. For him, it was a normal day at work, until at some point he was on hold for a while with a customer and got to thinking he wanted to propose that night (he’d already been planning to for months with my best friend and now maid of honor). He already had the ring for at least a month and exactly two weeks before I caught the bouquet at a wedding we attended. Little did I know I really was next.
So as he is at work planning all this, telling all the people that knew it was coming of the change of plans, etc. So that night, just after midnight, I open the door to our apartment and as soon as it does I hear music and see rose petals along the floor in candlelight. My first thought was, “this seems like a lot for an apology..” As I’m slowly walking in, the music is still playing and he is serenading me to “Can’t Help Falling in Love,” by Elvis Presley.
Then I noticed a camera recording me and began to piece it together as I also saw my best friend emerge with another camera and I just lost it. I started to cry because I knew that this was the moment. This was really happening. And it was perfect and beautiful.
And then my next thought was I never realized how long this song was before! As he finally finishes singing, he recorded a little extra instrumentals to play as he proposed, and tells me that he loves me so much and after last night he never wants to spend another second without me, and then he popped the question.
Douglas: When I decided I wanted to propose to Haley, there was a lot of planning that took place. I had the ring for a long time, but couldn’t decide what was the perfect way to propose. Finally, one day I was sitting at work, and suddenly I thought, “today’s the day, propose to her in the apartment when she gets home.” I knew that it was time, and I was more than ready. Haley’s best friend was in on it the entire time, and dropped everything when I told her it was happening. She came over and helped me with arranging the flower petals and reassuring me that no matter how I proposed, Haley would love it. She hid with the camera and when Haley walked in the door, she started the music. The rest is history.
special thanks
Photographer: Tracey-Ann Jarrett PhotoNotions
Reception Venue: Matheson Hammock Park
Floral Designer: Bloominescent
Painting: Canvas and Confetti
Hair and Makeup: Dolled Up Makeup
Beauty: Leysa Hair & Makeup
Stationer: Lilliput Design Studio
Event Planner: Maureen C. Weddings & Events
Bakery: The Starfish Cottage