Ladies, He finally put a ring on it!

Our engagement story:

July 13th- Nick and I are walking back from the gym and Nick checks his mailbox, inside we find this flyer from the jeweler where I knew Nick got my ring.  The flyer is for a movie inspired photo contest and the winner gets 50% off one item!   I was all for it!   As the day went on I started to think about the logistics of it all, who would take the pictures, when would we take the pictures since Nick was leaving for Atlanta in a few days...   So I ended up telling Nick all of my concerns and that I really didn't want to do it anymore because I didn't want to have to stress about it.   He just kept telling me it would be fun and we would be able to figure it out.

After brunch he asked if we should get some props for this photo shoot.  I said "no, I really don't think I want to do it".  Nick let it go.  He asked what we should do the rest of the day.  I had secretly been hoping he would propose and I knew that if he had nothing planned for the night it wasn't going to happen so I kind of had a little melt down.   We would be seeing my family in a few days and I did NOT want to go home with out a ring (my family was very adamant about not letting him in the house if I wasn't engaged).  Poor guy...  I was crying and he just kept saying "just a little more time, be a good sport" blah blah   I was not having any part of that...

Finally he calmed me down and we decided to go to the Virginia Derby

We had a great time and won $20!

When we got home from the derby I could tell Nick was really bothered about something.  I kept asking him what was wrong and he just brushed it aside.  Finally after 30 minutes of coaxing he said that he really wanted to do the photo contest but he felt stupid about it since I didn't want to participate in it.   

I felt terrible,  poor guy just wanted to take some pictures!   So I agreed to do it and we planned on getting our props and taking some pictures after church.

July 14

I wake up and Nick is on the computer looking at pictures for us to use as examples.  He says that he is going to go pick up some muffins for us.  HECK YEAH!  He comes back a million years later and we eat breakfast.  Then, Nick gives me my anniversary present,  a gorgeous yellow dress from banana and beautiful earrings.  

Nick then says we need to pick up his friend Jordan for church.   Light clicked on "Jordan can take the pictures for us!!"  Everything seemed to be working out for these photos. 

We stop by Jordan's house and Nick says, "I will go inside and get him"  So I wait in the car for about 15 minutes... men... always take longer than women to get ready...

Jordan comes out with Nick and I asked hum about being our photographer.  He agreed.

After church we picked up our props and "costumes" and headed off to our first picture site.  

Inspiration:  The Notebook

Walking to the James River

We arrive and there are people all over the place.  Here are Nick and I looking like we popped out of the 50s and have our random friend taking awkward water shots of us.

But 20 pictures later we snagged some cute shots of us

Mr and Mrs. Smith

We headed over to a construction site.  Two workers were hanging out and we asked them if we could take some pictures... They agreed.

I step out of the car in Nick's white shirt and rain boots and Nick is wearing boxers, a T shirt and hiking boots... we got a few looks from oncoming traffic.

But this one was my FAVORITE!

We took one more picture that was from Breakfast at Tiffany's but it didn't turn out very cute. 

Nick brought up maybe doing the pub scene from PS I love you but I didn't see how we could get that one done so I nixed it. 

After that picture Nick starts rushing me to get ready to meet our friend Seth at the Tobacco Company for dinner.   Nick says I should wear my new dress to dinner.  Uhm wear my gorgeous dress to eat a cheese burger? I dont think so!   So I tell him no, I don't want to get it all dirty and he isn't dressing up.  Nick just keeps saying he really wants to see me in it.  So I put the dress on and try to do something with my frizzy hair in the 8 minutes he gave me to get ready.

We start walking over and I can feel Nick's hand shaking and I start to suspect something is up.  So we walk in the restaurant and find the only available seat left and its in the far corner.  As we sit Nick says he needs to use the bathroom, then Jordan says the same thing.   Now I know something is up.  I look down and I have picked off all the nail polish on my right hand... great.... if he does propose my hands look terrible!

Jordan returns and starts asking me all about the menu and I can tell he is trying to distract me. I look up and see Nick across the room and he turns his back towards me really quickly.

A few seconds later the guitarist on stage starts to strum.   Then someone starts to sing... I look up and its NICK.  He is singing Galloway girl from PS I love you.

WHAT!??

As he is singing he motions for me to come over to the stage and he starts singing to me, I start to cry

Then he stops singing and starts to propose... leading to more crying 

the crowd is cheering and laughing and awwwing

and then I said "Yes"  or I nodded yes because I couldn't really talk

It is an oval halo setting

The photos do not do it justice, it is so sparkly and gorgeous

So we sit back down and I start to talk about the competition and that I think we have a good shot... 

come to find out Nick made the whole thing up.  He made up the flyer and got it postmarked so I wouldn't suspect anything

Then he told me that he emailed the guitarist and had her learn the song.  They were suppose to practice Saturday but I threw my little temper tantrum and then they were suppose to practice that morning when Nick went to go get "muffins" but the guitarist couldn't make it.

Nick's plan was to get me to the restaurant by 8:30, but since we took a while taking pictures we were running late... so he told her that I would be in a yellow dress and we would be there around 8:50 but at the same time her friend texted her that she [friend] "wouldn't be able to make it tonight"    She read it wrong thought Nick was cancelling!  So she goes up on stage and tells the audience that someone was suppose to propose tonight but couldn't make it, then in we walk a minute later.

But everything worked out :)

We spent the next hour or so calling or texting our family and friends and then made it Facebook official!

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