How We Met: Mary Beth and Jay first met in January of 2007 at The University of Texas at Austin during an ice storm. Jay had just moved into University Towers (an off campus dorm) to continue his education during the spring semester. Mary Beth had already been living in the dorms for a semester, but a few international exchange students moved out and Jay took one of the open spots. Jay was placed in the dorm right next to Mary Beth on the 8th floor.
There was a huge ice storm that began the night before the first day of class, which inevitably canceled class for the next few days. The 8th floor residents threw several parties to celebrate the canceled school days and being stuck inside. During this time, Jay and Mary Beth spent a lot of time getting to know each other and their fellow dorm neighbors.
Over the course of several months, Mary Beth and Jay spent more and more time together, becoming best friends, and eventually decided to start dating.
how they asked: Mary Beth and Jay have always been fans of scavenger hunts. Throughout their relationship, they would celebrate birthdays, Christmas, and Easter with creative scavenger hunts around the house. For the proposal, Jay knew he had to take the scavenger hunt to the next level.
Mary Beth’s birthday was around the corner, so he asked two of her friends to come into town and take her to lunch. Right before they left the house, a limo arrives and Mary Beth is instructed to get in. Her friend Maggie hands her an iPad with a video Message from Jay. The video tells her that he has planned a special day for her, and that clues are spread across the city, ultimately leading her to him.
On the adventure, she visits their first date restaurant, her favorite spa, a boutique dress shop, the UT Tower, the UT football stadium, and several other places. The trip finally leads her to the Dorms where she and Jay first met. There, on the rooftop, Jay proposes with the sun just beginning to set in the background. Her friends join them on the roof and they share stories from the day. However, the day doesn’t end there!
As they get back in the limo, Jay says they should grab a drink and celebrate. They pull up to the W Hotel in downtown Austin, where 50 of their closest friends and family surprise them. The next day, Jay surprises Mary Beth with a trip to Florida, to relax on the beach and celebrate the proposal.
Now, almost a year later, Mary Beth and Jay are getting married in Austin, Texas on August 29th, 2014.
Credits: Ken Macias – KMACFLIX // Bartletts // C. Jane // Cynthia’s Manhattan Limousine // Waterstone Salon and Spa // Jeff Smith and Andrew Reese // Zax // University Towers // W Hotel Austin