How We Met
As she turned the corner of my house and gracefully walked across the lawn headed into the backyard patio, I couldn’t help but to stop what I was doing and stare. It was the perfect summer day, the kind of day you wish for all summer. The sun shining through the leaves upon her golden face, like spotlights from heaven guiding their Angel’s way. The warm breeze gently lifting her dress in the most teasingly romantic motion revealing smooth luscious bronze legs. Bits of her long black silk-woven hair ticking her lips as she swiftly combs them away with her fresh calgel ‘cured fingers, simultaneously looking up from her predetermined path on the grass coming straight towards me.
Her lips glistened a warm Pacific Rose type of hue, her smile so rich and enchanting I could feel her positive vibes from 20 yards away, her eyes looking up, piercing through my soul… This is my memory from the exact moment I met Mary at a summer barbecue. We remained friends for some time and then later we started dating in 2015, the best year of my life. I say the best year of my life, and I truly, undoubtedly, mean that. 2015 was, is, and will forever be written as the year that my life started, that I finally started living… because of Mary. She saved me. I did not think in a million years she would go from a lustful thought, to a lifelong love; and forever, I will be grateful that our stars aligned and out paths crossed, and slowly but surely as was meant to be, we found each other.
We strive to conquer the world together. We love to travel together to the Caribbean, St. Barth’s and anywhere there is a beach almost as gorgeous as Mary. We have ran 6 half marathons together, and finished the full 2016 NYC Marathon hand in hand. We are now training together for the 2018 NYC Olympic Triathlon.
I knew Mary was the one the moment our lips first touched and our hearts collided. She’s my best friend and my soulmate. I wanted the proposal to be absolutely perfect and I wouldn’t settle for anything less.
how they asked
My plan began 1 week before the day I was going to ask her to marry me; 1 week before Tuesday, August 22nd. I write love “notes” to Mary almost every single morning via text, this time they were a bit different. Starting 1 week before heading off to Italy for a trip, unbeknownst to Mary, that would change our lives, my plan was to write the beginning of the love note in Italian and then “translate it for her underneath”, hoping that she would not have time during her busy morning work to google translate it ;) I literally told her in a series of texts in Italian Monday 8/14 to Thursday 8/17, that I was going to ask her to marry me… I thought this was a subtle romantic prelude to the best moment of our lives soon to come!
See below:
Monday 8/14: Real Italian Translation only I knew: Good morning my love! Happy Monday! Four more days until we leave for romantic Italy! I can’t wait to be with you in our own european paradise. You are the love of my life, this vacation is going to change our lives forever for good, you just wait and see!
Buongiorno amore mio! Felice lunedi! Quattro giorni ancora fino a quando non andiamo per romantico Italia! Non vedo l’ora di stare con voi nel nostro paradiso europeo. Tu sei l’amore della mia vita, questa vacanza cambierà la vita per sempre per bene, ti aspetti e vedrai!
Fake Translation Text sent:
Good morning my love! Happy Monday! Four more days until we leave for romantic Italy! I can’t wait to be with you in our own European paradise. You are the love of my life, this vacation is going to be almost as perfect and gorgeous as you, I can’t wait to see the views with you!
Like this: Buongiorno amore mio! Felice lunedi! Quattro giorni ancora fino a quando non andiamo per romantico Italia! Non vedo l’ora di stare con voi nel nostro paradiso europeo. Tu sei l’amore della mia vita, questa vacanza cambierà la vita per sempre per bene, ti aspetti e vedrai! <3 Good morning my love! Happy Monday! Four more days until we leave for romantic italy! I can’t wait to be with you in our own European paradise. You are the love of my life, this vacation is going to be almost as perfect and gorgeous as you, I can’t wait to see the views with you!
;) Sneaky, yes!
Tuesday 8/15: Real Italian Translation only I knew: Good morning my love! Happy Tuesday! Three more days until we leave for romantic Italy! I can’t wait! Get excited! In a week I will ask you to marry me, you, the love of my life and best friend and I couldn’t be more excited about it! I have been holding it in now for way too long making these plans and I can’t wait to finally talk to you about it! I love you so much! Positive Jary vibes only!
Buongiorno amore mio! Felice martedì! Tre giorni ancora fino a quando non andiamo per romantico Italia! Non vedo l’ora! Ottenga eccitato! In una settimana ti chiedo di sposarmi, tu, l’amore della mia vita e il mio migliore amico e non potrei essere più eccitato! La sto tenendo ora per troppo tempo a fare questi piani e non vedo l’ora di finalmente parlarmi con te! Ti amo tanto! Solo vibrazioni positive Jary!
Wednesday 8/16: Real Italian Translation only I knew: Good morning my love! Happy Walrus Wednesday!! TWO more days until we leave for romantic Italy! I can’t wait! Get excited!! This time next week you will have that gorgeous new piece of jewelry on your finger sparkling so bright in the Italian light, i can’t wait to see your smiles! I love you so much Mary! You’re my life. Forever.
Buongiorno amore mio! Mercoledì meraviglioso felice !! Ancora due giorni fino a lasciare la romantica Italia! Non vedo l’ora! Ottenga eccitato !! Questa volta la prossima settimana avrai quel bellissimo pezzo di gioielli sul tuo dito frizzante così luminoso nella luce italiana, non vedo l’ora di vedere i tuoi sorrisi! Ti amo tanto Maria! Sei la mia vita. Per sempre.
Thursday 8/17: Real Italian Translation only I knew: Good morning my love! Happy Thursday!! ONE more day until we leave for romantic Italy! ahhh! I can’t wait! Get excited!! This time next week we will be staring at your gorgeous ring and loving life all over the Amalfi coast! I can’t wait to see your smile each and every morning as you wake up engaged! Your mom and aunt last night kept talking about it in front of you, whispering, calling the engagement Christmas! I thought you were going to hear! I love you so much my girl! Have an amazing day!
Buongiorno amore mio! Felice giovedì!! Un altro giorno fino alla partenza per romantica Italia! ahhh! Non vedo l’ora! Ottenga eccitato !! Questa volta la prossima settimana staremo a fissare la tua splendida anima e amare la vita in tutta la costa amalfitana! Non vedo l’ora di vedere il tuo sorriso ogni mattina mentre si sveglia impegnata! Sua madre e la zia la notte scorsa continuarono a parlare davanti a te, sussurro, chiamando l’aggancio Natale! Ho pensato che avresti sentito! Ti amo tanto la mia ragazza! Passa una buona giornata!
Fast forward to Tuesday, August 22, 2017 6:30pm in Positano, Italy…
Mary thought we were going down to the beach early to grab an apertivo before dinner and take a cute photo with the background of Positano. As we walked down the beach my real plan began… she stumbled upon a package on a beach chair that was just sitting there out in the open. As she looked closer with confusion as to why this package was just abandoned, she noticed it had a tag on it and it was address to her: Mary. She looked at me and smiling and confused and began to open it. It was a watercolor painting I had commissioned of that exact moment that was about to happen, me on one knee proposing with Positano in the background! She started to tear up and I pulled her into position and got down on 1 knee to recite a little love note I memorized for her. As she began to cry and shake her head Yes, two hidden photographers (Mary and Maurizio – Flytographer) captured the entire beautiful moment!
We then had an hour long photoshoot on the beach and in the village of Positano followed by a romantic dinner that I set up on a private terrace overlooking Positano beach. As we walked down the stairs and approached our private candlelit terrace with pink and white roses all around and pink pedals sprinkled over the cobblestone floor, our very own Italian musician playing the mandolin and singing iconic Italian repertoire greeted us to be seated and he then serenaded us all evening long as we danced intimately and drank champagne to celebrate with lobster, lots of pasta, and of course wine! Truly a fairytale evening; simply perfect, for my gorgeous Queen.
