How We Met
Regina and I met on HER app in September 2017. I (Lisana) had just moved into my new apartment in Miami in August. The first week of September came and my mom had flown out from California to help me furnish the apartment. The day she flew in, I got the news that Hurricane Irma was supposed to hit Miami in a few days. Being from California and having lived in FL for less than a year, we had no idea what to do. We ended up evacuating with my sister and another family 2 days later, which landed me back in San Diego, CA. After a few days at home and bored one night in my room, I decided to go onto HER app looking for something “casual” LOL (Regina always makes fun of me about this) as most people know dating apps geo-locate where you are currently searching.
I saw Regina on the app and it was like, WOW can she be real?! I decided to reach out which I would normally never do. I thought she lived in San Diego, but she has just been there for a few days with her family for a birthday trip and was already back in Mexico City. We ended up talking for 2 weeks straight before we decided we had to meet in person. I was still in So Cal and didn’t have my passport so we decided to meet in LA for a weekend. We got a hotel room and made plans with the thought that this is going to be even more amazing in person or a total bust. It was truly the most incredible weekend of our lives!!! From then on it was a long distance relationship. Regina came to visit me the following month in Miami and again in November for Thanksgiving. I went to see her in Mexico in December. After 6 months of long distance, we decided to have her come live with me in Miami the end of March! :)
How They Asked
I (Lisana) had decided of March 2018 that I was going to propose to Regina in September. We had a trip planned to Mexico city, where she is from and it was going to land during our 1 year anniversary together. Between seeing family/ friends and a work event she had planned I knew I could fit in the proposal in her homeland and include her best friends and family. I had already decided the year we met that I was going to take her back to the pyramids to propose because it was a very special experience the first time we went and its the place we made our eternal commitment to spend the rest of our lives together. I reached out to her siblings and her 3 best friends about the idea as well as to include them as apart of the plans.
Since her father has already passed, I asked each one of her sisters and her brother for her hand in marriage. I was able to get the name of a wedding photographer and videographer through one of her best friends and put plans and dates into motion. I decided on the 24th of Sept because it was our anniversary, also it was a Monday so I knew the pyramids wouldn’t be as swamped with tourists. There were definitely so hiccups and moments that I remember thinking..” OMG, she knows!” or this isn’t going to go as planned! From realizing my passport has mysteriously disappeared 2 days before our flight, one of the photographers canceling the day we flew out and making sure all the timing and people were on the same page!
LOL, I decided to carry on the ring in my purse because I didn’t trust it in my luggage, but I was so scared going through security thinking I am going to be selected for a search and the surprise would be ruined. I carried the ring around in my purse for the whole first week we were in Mexico! The day finally came, one of my best friends had flown in from LA to be apart of the surprise since she was sort of matchmaker. Keep in mind- Regina knew about all the plans except that the professional photo shoot was her anniversary gift to get content for our joint IG page. The morning of the pyramid field trip, my best friend Rachel and Regina’s friend ended up joining us (knowing what was really happening) and we met the camera squad at the site which is about 1 hour outside of Mexico City.
They were able to distract Regina and one of the guys tapped a small voice recorder to my stomach to capture my words when I asked. For the first what seemed like an hour, we were just walking around the grounds taking photos and video. As we got closer and closer to the pyramid of the moon, I was more and more nervous but ready for the big moment. I had the ring in my pocket next to my daily vitamins LOL We finally climbed the pyramid and the signal I was supposed to give the camera crew was in regards to the weather so that they could be ready to capture the moment!
We stood close to the edge and as Regina stood in front of me, I opened my mouth to start and my whole body started trembling! The second I got down on one knee I felt like I had blacked out, it was such an out of body experience, that I almost forgot to say, “Will you marry me?’ LOL, I had told her that I wanted to bring her to this special place because it was where God I had placed in my heart that this would be the woman I spent the rest of my life with! she said YES!
The second part of the engagement surprise was taking her to the Four Seasons Hotel in Mexico City for dinner and a one night stay. I had asked a couple of her other friends to join and be there waiting, as well as her 3 sisters and her brother would be showing up for dinner. This was extremely important and special because her mom has taken time in being “OK” with the whole concept of our relationship, but wasn’t apart of the plans, so having the support of her siblings was really emotional. Even her oldest sister came who was also not 100% comfortable but did want to show her love and support. We took more photos and videos and right at the end her family entered the courtyard and Regina was shocked! We all had a private dinner together and it truly was the best day of our lives!
I want to thank all of our family, friends, and the camera squad for making this the perfect proposal!
J
