The Planned Proposal

Weddings. I’m obsessed with it all. Let’s be honest. From beginning to end.

Proposals though. Next to wedding cake and super sparkly things, proposals are literally a few of my favorite things. Cue Kenny Rogers singing “My favorite things.” The only thing that can make that song better is Dolly Parton or Julie Andrews.

I have to give a shout out to KR because he is one of my favorite things. I know I know, next to glitter and wine and valentine’s day and sunrises but I did say ONE OF. He is my celebrity crush/excuse. You know the game “if you could cheat with one celebrity and it wouldn’t count”?

Awesome venue for a concert- the Alton Ampitheater 

Yup. Mine is KR. But 1980’s KR. Not nipped and tucked and lifted KR. Although my beau did take me to his concert a few weeks ago. Literally been on the bucket list. And I gotta tell you, that man is quite the entertainer, so much so that I almost renigged on the 1980’s part. I’ve actually had that convo with the beau. Recently. You might think mine is weird but his is Rachel Ray. Talk about the way to a man’s heart is his stomach.

I immediately began working on my culinary skills. Mind you, I didn’t say “perfecting” my culinary skills. This girl has a long way to go. What can I say, I like to eat out. Thankfully he does too.

But all kidding aside, let’s get back to the story. Proposals. They are how it all begins.

Some are the super simple do it at home. I want to build a life with you right here, where we became us and where we are comfortable.

And then there are the “I know you are going to propose so just do it already” proposals. They seem demanding to the lay person, but to me, I still think it’s precious. I mean he obviously knows what he is getting into in the first place right? And it's part of why he loves you.

Soooo I have never been engaged. But let’s be honest: that poor sap that commits to the lover of love, the one who squeals, tears up and gets goosebump at every little moment, has really got a lot coming to him. I can’t say I know what it feels like, looks like, etc.

But to me, it’s a huge deal.

What does it look like when someone says:

Hey, I want you for my whole life for the rest of my life.

You and only you.

I want to wake up to your face and go to bed to your face.

I want to reach over and feel you in the middle of the night, every night.

I want to laugh with you and cry with you and fight with you over nothing and everything forever.

I want to have adventures with you.

I want to have children with you.

I want to burn your frozen pizza and make you runny eggs (not the good kind) and watch you try to eat them until we decide that you are the better cook and order take out.

I want to be your everything.

In the words of Keith Urban from the best most poignant wedding song of 2000.

Listen to the words, seriously they are perfect.

Gosh, I feel like I just proposed to someone…. Hand me a tissue.

So that to me, that moment, that decision, that YES, is bigger and better than any wedding in my mind. It’s a defining part of someone’s life to say: You are it. You are the one.

{Now let’s celebrate. Cue your Signed Sealed Delivered Events wedding planner here.}

For someone to love you that deeply, that fiercely, with all that they have.

And for you to love them back with just as much… it’s freaking incredible.  It’s Mary Poppins magical.

Thank you Rachael - I heart this series of pics of your 4th of July proposal
xoxo

I clearly love that moment. But you know what else I love? I love knowing about that moment. The pre-planning. The anticipation. The nerves.

My absolute favorite engagement photo of all time.
I met her. Saw the pic. And had to plan the wedding.
The red jacket. The way her hair lays. The embrace. The surprise.
Pure delicious emotion.
And I am still bragging about it Val!
xoxo

I’ve had folks talk to me about their proposals to get my thoughts, ideas, opinions… sometimes I give them unsolicited.

And I always always always always recommend having a photographer there. Professional photographer. And if anything, have SOMEONE snapping the moment. Someone who knows in advance. Not a stranger with an iphone. And this is why.

Green Wall Studio capturing Nick and Ashlie's winter proposal last December.
We tromped around in the snow for what seemed like hours waiting for them to get to this moment.
So worth it.
xoxo

As a girl, here’s where I start telling you that I have been planning my dream wedding since I was five… but not so fast I was actually going to tell you this:  I have DREAMED about the day I get proposed to.

 And here is what I imagined it would look like.

rebeccaalovesyou.tumblr

chrisemeottphotography.com

And that bad boy would be captured via professional camera and printed real big and hung on my wall because for someone to choose me as their forever and ever amen...

 {I love that song by Randy Travis as a cake cutting song or first dance… adorable}

...that is a moment worth capturing, worth remembering, worth seeing every single day.

When my brother in law (numero uno) asked my parents’ permission to marry my sissy, my nosey ass was already planning the perfect costume for my sissy that I would have conveniently hanging in the closet when she asks: hey, what do I wear to this “fancy steak house”?

Drew and Brent (numero uno) - married 5 years this September
xoxo

When my future brother in law (numero dos) told me he was proposing, my nosey ass asked: who what where when how? And most importantly, how can I help make this even more special.

I can’t say that either one of them totally appreciated my complimentary opinions, but I can say that I hope that just a tiny bit of enthusiasm and heart that I put into those conversations made a morsel of the moment more precious to the loves of my life (not wine and chocolate clowns, I am talking about my sissies).

That's my sis and D Lew (bro-in-law nueroon their engagement weekend
xoxo

Which leads me to this, yes nowadays, it is becoming more and more popular for folks to seek help in planning their proposal, as in hire a planner. And yes, yes, I can do that. I would love to do that. To be a part of that. To be a part of helping you show the one you want to spend the rest of eternity with, just how much they truly love you during that moment we call the proposal. 

Kyle and Allison Martin at the beach proposal in April 2012
They just had their year anniversary in June this year.
Love these two.
xoxo