How We Met
Alexa and I have now been together for six and a half years. From the first days in the car line of high school in 2012 until today as we prepare to finish college, we have shared the joys and the struggles of life. Whether it was the awkward stages of growing up or the tears associated with seeing each other part ways for college, we have truly grown up together.
Alexa brings a smile into every situation, radiating a joy that is contagious. Words are unable to describe her precious, genuine personality, but she is truly beautiful both inside and out. There is no one else that I would rather share this life with.
How They Asked
Over the past months, Alexa and I have known that the time was coming soon for us to take our relationship to the next level. However, with me studying in Germany for a few months during the fall, I left her constantly wondering when that special time and date of the proposal would come. After she returned empty-handed from a trip to visit me, I knew her suspicion had to be growing. With an eventful return to the States right at Christmas, I knew we would both be very busy, but I wanted to surprise Alexa with the proposal and night of her dreams. I chose that special evening to be December 31, 2018, the night of my parent’s anniversary, New Year’s Eve, and a time when we typically go out for a date night celebrating another year together.
After sharing over six years of life together, I was overwhelmed at the thought of trying to pick one place to propose that had meant a lot to us. So many restaurants, landscapes, and events came to mind. Finally, it hit me. Our first date six years earlier (with our parents as chaperones and our very own chauffeurs, of course) was spent roaming around Falls Park in Downtown Greenville, South Carolina. Since that moment, we have frequently returned for date nights or days spent enjoying the park. There, we have shared in many conversations, walking through the highs and the lows of life together.
Following a few (actually seven) trips to various jewelers in our area over the summer, I narrowed down the options. I found a setting I loved, but the right diamond for Alexa was proving hard to come by. While making the final decisions on the ideal diamond in Germany, all the best options still seemed to be back at home in the US. With the help of the Internet, a kind and considerate jeweler, FaceTime, and my sweet parents, we worked it all out, and I finally found the perfect ring.
In time, the details seemed to fall right into place. On December 31, I would take Alexa to a rooftop area overlooking Downtown Greenville, where we would be met by a TV on the balcony where she could watch a video I had spent months preparing for her. The video, I hoped, would share the many thoughts, emotions, and memories flooding my mind that I would be far too nervous to tell her on the day I planned to propose. At the venue, her favorite photographer, Sophie Brendle Lindler, would take pictures while our families watched from a distance. After a romantic dinner at her favorite restaurant, Ruths Chris Steakhouse, we would eventually head to a celebration with many family and friends. My months of preparation had finally led us to the big day, and I was anxious but even more-so excited to ask the love of my life to marry me.
Finally, after laughing and crying through the video, shocked over the many emotions of the moment, Alexa said “YES!” We are beyond excited for the months and years ahead.
