How We Met
May 2009, I was a 14 year old freshman in high school and was sleeping over my best friend’s house. We were excited as I was going to meet her new boyfriend, Brett, for the first time. I was sitting on the couch trying to get in contact with Soldier Boy as any 14 year old girl in 2009 would (via the phone number in the “Kiss me through the phone” song) and 16 year old Doug walked in the door. He was so shy that I think he said 5 words to me MAX all night. We stayed in and played board games with a few other friends. When they left I realized Doug left something and I ran out of the house. Doug was so overwhelmed he backed his car into a tree. Luckily there was no major damage. Later that night my best friend told me that Doug had asked for my number but she had told him that he’s not my type. I decided that I wanted him to have it anyway.
We dated on and off for the next six months and on January 29th, 2010 Doug stood outside my fourth period class with the words “Will you be my girlfriend” written in his hand. We made it official. A year later, on New Years Eve, Doug decided it was time to say I love you for the first time. He ran up to me and opened his hand to the words “I love you” written inside. In 2011, Doug graduated from high school and went to Florida State University. We did long distance for about 6 months but ended up breaking up in January 2012. We were constantly being told to “not put all of our eggs in one basket” and that “puppy love never lasts” and finally let it get to us. We didn’t talk for about 4 months.
In that time I graduated high school and started at FSU. It took about 2 weeks before we went crazy and got back together. To this day we think this is the best thing that has ever happened to us. We know what its like to not have each other and do not want to go back. In 2015, We graduated Florida State and moved to start jobs in New York City. We were sitting on a bench in Hoboken, NJ when we got the call that we were accepted for our first “real” apartment together (spoiler alert: this is where he proposes). In January 2017, we purchased our first home. 8 years after we met, on August 30th 2017, Doug got on one knee and made me the happiest girl in the world.
how they asked
Doug had been receiving mysterious packages and acting very weird that week so when he told me to dress nice for an after work dinner with friends I had an idea of what was coming. Despite my suspicions I kept quiet. One of my best friends Raevin and I left early from work to get our nails done. Doug and I were going on a cruise that weekend so it was perfect. When we were done Doug asked us to meet him in the Hoboken Train Station for dinner. We met here often, so again.. perfect! When we arrived my friend walked me over to the pier and I knew exactly what was happening. I didn’t have my glasses on so all I could see was a silhouette of Doug and the beautiful NYC skyline. As I got closer I could start to hear a violinist playing “Say you won’t let go” by James Arthur.
Doug was standing there in a navy suit surrounded by red rose pedals. He pulled me closer and after what I imagine was an amazing speech he got on one knee and asked me to marry him. I was so overwhelmed that I cannot remember a thing he said. I (obviously) said YES!
Everyone on the pier started cheering and clapping. Raevin and her boyfriend were able to FaceTime my sister in Florida so she could share the moment with us. After the proposal he had a photographer there to take a few pictures of us with the NYC skyline. I thought we were done and that it was time for the four of us to go to dinner. We arrived at our favorite restaurant and were shown to the back room where all of our closest friends in NYC were there to surprise us with balloons and champagne. It was incredible.
