How We Met
His Perspective: It all started in our sophomore year of high school. Lauren and I shared the same history class and sat next to each other. Throughout the first half of the year, I had a crush on her and would tease her relentlessly. Eventually, she moved up in her column of seats and away from me so I couldn’t bother her anymore. One day, she had brought in a mask that she had made for an important project in one of her other classes. While she was up and away from her desk I picked it up and held it in front of my face. She stormed over to me and took it out of my hands, and to this day claims it was my fault it got bent. That was the end of our relationship that year.
Fast forward to our junior year of high school, and she and I had no classes together. Luckily for me, we ended up in the same testing room and I was able to mutter a single “hi” to her. The Winter Ball was around the corner and one of my friend’s had suggested I ask Lauren to the dance. I reluctantly decided not to, since I was not very assured she would have said yes. The Junior Prom was going to be held in May. Our mutual friend, Sia had asked me who I had thought about asking and I had told her I had not thought of asking anyone at the time. Then I thought back to that “hi” we shared earlier in the Fall. I told Sia, with confidence that she wouldn’t say anything, I was going to ask Lauren to the prom. She immediately went to Lauren and told her what the plan was. I was going to meet at her locker at the end of the day and ask her to the dance. I took my time getting there that day; Lauren missed her bus and was the last one around. I walked up to her and asked her to the dance. To my surprise, she said yes!
What followed may have been the most awkward two months of my life. Right after asking her to the dance, we walked in silence together out of the school. We parted ways as I headed to my tennis practice and I did not ask her for her phone number or say anything other than “see you later”. Sia ended up sending me her number later that day (only come to find out it was Lauren that sent it). We hung out a couple of times during the weeks leading up to the dance. I had nothing to say when we were with her circle of friends, and even less when it was just her and I. As time went on I opened up and began having small, but meaningful talks. I even thought about leaning in to give her a kiss the night she brought me home from the talent show, but I wimped out and bailed. The night of the prom arrived and we were ready to go. It was so warm on the dance floor and my terrible long hair was out of control sweaty. Nevertheless, we had a great time together. During the first slow song, we shared our first kiss. I was so happy, I remember meeting up with my friends and telling them when we had taken a break from dancing. At the end of the night we went back to our friend’s house and spent the next hour together, my arm around her, just listening to people tell their stories of their prom experience. As my friend came to pick me up, I took Lauren outside and officially asked her if she would go out with me, and the rest is history.
Her Perspective: Adam and I met back in 2009 in our 10th-grade history class. We actually sat next to each other and I wasn’t really fond of him at all! Adam loved to tease me which he now says was because he liked me! (Boys, right?) Anyway, when winter dance season rolled around, Adam overheard me say I didn’t have anyone to go with and he offered to take me. At this point, I still thought of Adam as annoying. Needless to say, I decided to ignore his request. (In hindsight, a pretty terrible decision on my part!). I proceeded to move my seat to the front of the room and we didn’t talk much after that. Fast forward to 11th grade. We shared the same state testing room at the beginning of the year. Adam didn’t tease me as much anymore and I came to realize he was actually a really nice guy! We would occasionally say hello to each other after that. As our 11th-grade winter dance rolled around, a mutual friend tried to encourage Adam to ask me again. However, after the previous year, he was hesitant to do so. I don’t blame him! I was a bit harsh and I’m sure he didn’t want a repeat of the previous year!
A couple months later, prom season rolled around and everyone was scrambling for a date. As was our habit, my girlfriends and I were discussing who we would like to go with. My friend Arissa had been friends with Adam since middle school so we suggested she ask him. I proceeded to tell her if she wasn’t going to ask him then maybe I would! A couple of days later, my friend Sia called to tell me that she and Adam had been talking in math class and he wanted to ask ME to the prom! Adam was actually a nice guy and I felt terrible about the previous year. I excitedly told her if he were to ask, I would accept. After school the next day, I waited for him at my locker and he asked me to the prom. This time I said yes! We decided to hang out with each other for a couple weeks before going to the prom to get to know each other better. We really hit it off and wound up having an amazing time together. We shared our first kiss on the dance floor and he asked me to be his girlfriend. Since then, we have been inseparable. We both successfully graduated from high school and college, started our careers and traveled overseas to some of the most amazing places! Our relationship has continuously grown over the past 7 years and I can’t imagine my life without him!
how they asked
Her Perspective: I am a passionate Harry Potter fan. Not only is it one of the first books I ever remember being read to me but it has also given me joy and comfort throughout my life. For the past couple years, my girlfriend Cristen and I would plan a girl’s trip to the Harry Potter Celebration at Universal Orlando in Florida. This year, we went all out and purchased the VIP package for the 20th Anniversary celebration. We were so looking forward to meeting the cast members. Meagan, Cristen’s future sister-in-law was joining us and we were beyond excited! Unfortunately, Meagan hadn’t purchased the VIP package but said she would roam the park while we were attending the special events. We flew down on Thursday night and got into the hotel late. We had to be up early the next morning for our meet and greet with the cast. After meeting them, I couldn’t contain my excitement. It was the best day of my life! I even joked with Cristen about how today was probably better than the day her fiancé proposed to her. Little did I know what was coming!
After the meet and greet, we went back to our hotel room to drop some things off and freshen up. Around 1:30, Cristen and I headed back to the park to meet up with Meagan. Cristen proceeded to speed walk through the park. I had to run to keep up with her which if you saw Cristen is hysterical because she is about two feet shorter than me! She said she felt bad making Meagan wait so long! So I picked up the pace and ran a little faster! We got to the castle at around 1:50 and Meagan asked if we wanted a picture in front of the castle. All of a sudden I became aware of someone standing next to me. When I looked up, I realized it was Adam. I knew right then what was going to happen! Needless to say, I alternated between saying “Oh my god!” and bawling my eyes out. Adam calmly hugged me and asked if I was ready. He then proceeded to get down on one knee and pulled out the 6th Harry Potter book. He opened it to the chapter entitled “The Unbreakable Vow”. (You see in the Harry Potter books, an Unbreakable Vow is a magical spell in which one witch or wizard makes an oath to another. If either of the two breaks their terms, they die. Needless to say, the significance of his declaration was not lost on me.) Below the chapter heading, Adam had cut out a two by two-inch square where a beautiful sparkling ring was hidden. He then proceeded to take out the ring as he asked me to marry him. It was the most thoughtful and beautiful thing I had ever seen. I couldn’t say yes fast enough! Random people in the park gathered around to watch and cheer for us! It was the most perfect moment; so romantic!
After all the hugging and happy tears, I turned around and saw one of my best friends from California. At first, I didn’t process seeing her. How could she be there? I couldn’t believe it! I continued to shake uncontrollably as the excited screams started and the happy tears kept rolling! I was absolutely shocked at all the thoughtful details Adam had planned to make my day perfect! I couldn’t have asked for a better proposal or man.
His Perspective: Back in September Lauren’s grandmother had given me her engagement ring. I had a feeling it was going to happen but I was still speechless when she handed it to me. I took it to the jeweler and had the diamond removed from the ring and put in a new setting. Once I had the ring, I showed it to our friend’s Cristen and Dave. I was going to need their help in order to pull off a proposal that was good enough in my book for Lauren. A side note to be aware of, Lauren is a freak when it comes to Harry Potter. She has read the books countless times and will always vote to watch it when it comes on. Originally the four of us had plans to go to Orlando for a Harry Potter weekend at Universal Studios. Dave and I (without hesitation) ended up backing out of the trip because it was going to be too expensive for the four of us to go and see everything. It ended up being Lauren, Cristen, and Dave’s sister Meagan going together.
Now we are at the end of October (and this trip is in January) and Cristen suggests I surprise her in front of Hogwarts Castle at Universal. I had been thinking of it as an option, but hearing Cristen say it made it sound like there was no better way of doing it. It took a little bit of sneaking around under Lauren’s radar but we planned it out, booked flights, a hotel room, and park tickets for Dave and I within a few weeks. We also managed to have one of Lauren’s best friends from California, Hannah, plan to be there for the proposal as well. For the next few months, Lauren had no clue that I was going to be making an appearance in Florida.
Before we flew down, I began carving into the sixth Harry Potter book to a chapter titled “The Unbreakable Vow” in order to display the ring in a special way. I cut deep enough so I was able to use the book as a display for the ring when I eventually asked her. Everything was ready to go, and it was just a matter of waiting until the end of January.Lauren and Cristen flew down on Thursday the 25th and I had acted as if it was just another normal week for me. On Friday morning, Dave and I woke up at 3 am for the earliest flight to Orlando. When we arrived we took a cab to the same hotel Lauren was staying at. We were lucky enough to check in to our room six hours earlier than the listed time. Hannah had met up with us about an hour after we checked in and together the three of us took a boat ride from our hotel to the park. Cristen was clever enough to share her location with us, change our names in her phone, and make excuses to get away from Lauren in order to keep us updated on their location so there was no way we would meet up.
We met up with Meagan in front of the castle and planned out the best position in order to capture the best pictures of the moment. All we had to do was wait for Cristen to lead Lauren to the castle. Dave, Hannah, and I hid behind one of the vendor’s stations as Meagan waited for them out in the open. Once they made it to the castle Meagan offered to take their picture. As Cristen and Lauren were standing next to each other, I walked in from the side so that Lauren could not see me, and got in close enough so that Lauren would turn to see who was standing next to her. When Lauren saw me she immediately knew what was going to come next. The look on her face is one I will never forget. I will always remember that feeling of knowing she truly had no idea I was going to be there that day. She started to cry out of sheer excitement and after a while of hugging her I asked her “are you ready?” She was still in shock at the time, but nodded as I got down on one knee, opened the book and asked: “will you marry me?” After saying yes and sharing a kiss, the crowd that had built up erupted in applause. I knew I had just pulled off an amazing proposal, but I also know I could not have done it without the help of some amazing friends.