First Posted: 3/19/2015
We just knew.
That’s what my fiancée, Sarah, and I say. We met at Starbucks on Montage Mountain, and a date that began at 7 p.m. went until after midnight.
My dad always told me that I would know when I found my soul mate.
“When you find the right woman, you’ll just know it,” he said.
I knew the night I met her, Sarah was the one.
We went from hanging out on weekends to spending every day with each other. Spending an evening in or going out, it didn’t matter — we just wanted to be together.
We moved in together in November. It was a lengthy process, and one that put us both on edge with stress, but we managed. We talked about marriage and we had an unofficial idea that I would propose on Christmas.
Being a journalist, I live and die by deadlines — if I can, I like to meet them early.
I asked for her father’s blessing in November. He gave it before I finished asking the question. For guys thinking of proposing, do not forget this step. It’s intimidating, but it’s the ultimate show of respect for your soon-to-be father-in-law.
Ring shopping
Sarah isn’t a flashy ring gal. It made the most sense to have her come along and look at rings so she got what she wanted.
We went to Kay Jewlers and I sat beside her as she looked at rings. I watched her as she talked with the jeweler and tried on different styles.
I could tell when she found her ring. Her eyes lit up. It took her breath away. She gave one of the greatest smiles I’ll always remember.
When buying a ring, keep in mind a price range that won’t break the bank, and get a sense of what your better half likes.
When the ring came I slid it onto her finger to make sure it fit. Then I held onto it. I was going to propose where we first met.
I like to think of myself as patient guy, but I couldn’t wait any longer.
Barely an hour later, I grabbed her by the hand and dropped to my knee. I told her I couldn’t wait any more, that I loved her more than anything in the world and asked her to marry me.
“Of course,” she said with another great smile.
Sarah has been looking at wedding magazines, gathering ideas for her dress, color scheme and venue. She keeps me out of the loop with the dress to avoid any potential bad luck. She also wants me to be surprised on the big day.
She asked her best friend to be her maid of honor, but I’m struggling to choose my best man. How am I supposed to pick one best man out of my closest brothers from other mothers?
Chances are, I’ll have three best men. I’ve never been one to follow the norm.
We don’t have a date yet, but we keep tossing out Sept. 17, 2016. That gives us time to save and plan well in advance.
If there’s one thing I’ve taken from my experience as an engaged man, it’s that I love seeing my fiancée happy.
I can only imagine how it’s going to feel seeing her on the altar when she says “yes.”
