engagements

Future Mrs.

Posted on by jazzedout

It’s been a while since I’ve updated, but that’s mostly because I sometimes have difficulties writing about the various occurrences in my life. I said I’d do better about this, but I haven’t! Hopefully I can jump back on the horse soon.

In other news, I got engaged about three weeks ago to the love of my life! We had been discussing it since October of last year but, I was still somewhat surprised by his proposal, which was very sentimental and sweet.

It was our two-year dating anniversary and he took me to a park we had visited very early after we initially started dating. We walked around a bit, taking note of the beautiful scenery around us and reminiscing on the first time we visited the park. Aside from the park being less crowded that day (we visited on a Monday afternoon this time instead of a Saturday afternoon), everything seemed the same. We must have wondered around for about an hour until he suggested we take a brief rest on a bench overlooking the man made lake (which is the focal point of the entire park). I assumed he legitimately needed a break, because it was unseasonably warm that afternoon. He had brought a backpack to stuff our water bottles in.  Little did I know, that wasn’t the only reason he brought the backpack…

As we sat down, he started talking about how great of a day it had been and how wonderful being together has gone. He handed me my bottle of water and said a bunch of other really sweet things, like how this has been the best two years of his life and then he paused, stood up from the bench and then got on one knee. He continued on to say that he wanted that to continue that and wanted to spend the rest of his life with me and I blurted out, “ARE YOU PROPOSING?!” and then he popped the question.

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After the heartfelt proposal, we shared some moments of hugs and kisses, took photos of the ring on my finger and continued on the main trail to get back over to his car (which took almost another 45 minutes because we temporarily got a bit lost on the trail–he was trying to find a private spot to propose).

Later on that evening, we visited our first date spot and started texting friends and families to let them know the good news. Everyone sort of suspected it was going to happen eventually, but they were all still happy to be informed. After sharing the news with close friends and family, we then posted it on social media.

Fast forward just about three weeks and we’re just now starting the wedding planning process. According to The Knot, the official start date of wedding planning season is (well, WAS at this point) March 1st, which just so happens to be my birthday (haha).

We haven’t quite nailed anything down or signed any contracts, but we’re looking to get married around our dating anniversary next year in February with about 100 guests. While I’m looking forward to it, I’m already a bit overwhelmed with planning. There are so many things to consider and so many things to do that it gives me a headache (I see why people just elope–j/k). There are so many websites, books, articles and unsolicited advice from EVERYONE. Not to mention, the pressure of making sure both of our families are happy with whatever we come up with.

The Teacher has been mostly agreeable so far and has stated that he just wants to do what, “makes me happy”, but I have a feeling he’ll have some opinions as time goes on. As a teacher, he’s naturally full of them anyway.

Welp, that’s it in that regard. I do plan to start blogging regularly if for no other reason than to document what’s about to be an interesting ride in planning a wedding.

A Pre-Proposal?

Posted on by jazzedout

Yesterday, post some fun activities, The Teacher (as he’s been doing for a few weeks now) playfully removed my ring from my right ring finger. He jokingly pretended he was going to throw it across the room or intentionally lose it. My response to this silliness has simply been:

If you lose it, just make sure to buy me another one.

Except this time, he didn’t just hand it back.

You seem to really like this ring. Is that what you want? Another ring for Christmas?

At this point in the conversation, I wasn’t entirely sure what definition of “ring” he was really referring to. His tone seemed to be a bit more serious than previously, so was he referring to THE ring?

I nervously laughed and just said,

sure–I’d like a ring for Christmas, if that’s what you feel like buying.

He smiled and agreed to add it to his mental Christmas list for me, but then continued on to say:

…But I was planning on giving you ANOTHER type of ring around our anniversary.

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I remember turning over slightly to look him in the eyes to see if hew as serious (I was previously laying my head on his chest).

Oh? Is that so? And just what TYPE of ring?

He smiled and went into this explanation on how he had been planning on giving me a ring (THE ring) a few months from now because it will mark our 2 year anniversary and what better way to celebrate our commitment to one another and to move to the next level in our relationship than to get engaged.

overcome with happiness

I was admittedly a bit taken aback and apologized if I spoiled what I assumed was something he wanted to be a surprise. He claimed that the “act/event” of giving me the ring itself would still be a “surprise”, but that he wanted to inform me several months in advance because he wanted to know my ring preferences. Admittedly, outside of the fashion rings I occasionally wear, I’ve really never thought about it and I’ve especially not discussed my ring preferences with him at any point.

I’m both shocked and relieved, if that’s even possible. Lately, I’ve had a bit of the marriage mouse nipping at me and reminding me how everyone and their brother has been getting married and having babies and I’m not getting any younger (social media is to blame for that). Don’t get me wrong, I’m very happy with the state of my current relationship, but sometimes an overload of those life events can get in your head. I’ve very recently (maybe in the past few weeks) started to think about what it would be like to be married to The Teacher and now I realistically get to put real thought into it. Like, will I change my last name? Where would we get married? Who would we invite? I’m almost afraid to get excited about it, so maybe I’ll pull back on all of that for right now.

I’m also surprised that he just flat out told me that he plans to propose specifically “around” our anniversary…which is in four months! The anticipation of that moment is now going to eat away at me for the next few months. I also feel kind of weird picking out a ring (though I appreciate him considering my opinion, since he said, “you’re the one that will be wearing it after all” ). How do I even do that? Do we do that together? Do I go alone to a store? Do I just google images online and text/email them to him? Are pre-proposals even a thing? Do couples sort of alert one another that they plan to propose, but a few weeks or months down the road? Granted, we’ve discussed that we both believe in marriage and that we’d hypothetically like to be married (someday), but until last night, nothing was ever explicitly said about the specifics.

All I know is, I at least have some heads up about it and can plan accordingly–i.e. I can make sure I don’t look a raggedy mess when the time comes and I can make sure to have my nails done. Will I still be shocked though? I suppose I’d be shocked regardless.