Our Proposal Story

Today I’m sharing our proposal story. I’m very long winded when I write so here’s your warning that this post is long. Also, thank you to everyone who read my last post about my last 5 months in Colorado. I had several people comment to me in various forms about my post and please know that I appreciate it all (even if you read and don’t comment).

A short time after I moved to Colorado Springs, Brandon was already thinking ahead towards New Years. Last year we had spent New Years in Keystone, CO for a ski weekend. We planned it very last minute so finding a place to stay ended up being a challenge. So around September Brandon talked to me about wanting to nail down a place to stay in Keystone for New Years again. Of course I was down to spend another New Years on a ski mountain, so I gave full support to him finding a place for us for that weekend.

I had been waiting on Brandon to propose to me for what I thought was awhile. I was hoping it would happen before the end of the 2017. In November Brandon was gone for a month of training and I thought maybe he would do it sometime when he got back. But nope didn’t happen.

Leading up to our weekend in New Years, whenever we talked about our plans to go home for Christmas, Brandon was always insistent that I be back by a certain date so we could have our little vacation in Keystone. He made it pretty clear that I would not be missing that weekend and would be back in time to drive up there. Of course I didn’t have a problem with it, but it was slightly odd that he was so concerned about me making it back in time for our vacation.

The wheels started spinning in my head and I thought to myself, “Maybe this will be when he proposes. Just maybe.” I also knew that if it didn’t happen that weekend then I would be pissed.  Seriously, I would have been mad and upset if it wouldn’t have happened that weekend. Thankfully for him it did.

Now let’s fast forward towards the actual weekend. We drove to Keystone on Saturday, December 30. We got checked into our hotel (which was super, super nice like I was shocked) and picked up my ski rentals. That night we went to the mountain to get in a few runs of night skiing/boarding. I was skeptical about that at first, but actually really enjoyed it. It was cold, but bearable and the runs were nice and open.

The next day, New Years Eve, we spent all day on the mountain. We skied and snowboarded until our bodies were wiped out. We headed back to our hotel and took a long nap and then started getting ready for our evening. Our only real plan for New Years Eve was to watch the fireworks that our hotel was putting on over the lake at 9:30. We headed up to our hotel bar and had a drink and an appetizer. Before we were ready the fireworks started going off and we hadn’t left the hotel bar yet. I wasn’t too worried about it. I watched from a window for a bit. I remember telling Brandon,  “It’s just fireworks. They’re all the same.” Meanwhile Brandon stayed at the table and called for the check. I thought “Dang, this boy really wants to see some fireworks.” Soon we had headed upstairs to the hotel balcony to watch the rest of the fireworks. We stood there for a few minutes (it was frigid of course) watching the fireworks pop and dazzle out in the sky. Even though they were “just fireworks” they’re always magical to watch.

Soon the firework finale started to happen. At first Brandon was beside me watching, but at some point he moved to stand behind me. Suddenly he reaches around me and puts the ring box in front of me. I catch my breath and turn around and he gets down on one knee. With a huge smile on his face and a happy, a teary voice he asks, “Will you marry me?” I say, “Yes!” Then he asks one more time, I say yes again (maybe I said it too quiet the first time) and grab the box and his hand for him to stand up so I can kiss and hug him.

Honestly, we’ll both admit that moment wasn’t like a grand movie scene, but was more neither of us knowing what to do. All he could get out was “Will you marry me” and I wasn’t sure what to do after I said yes. Like was I supposed to reach down and try to kiss him in my big puffy jacket? As we’re standing their hugging, a lady in a big white fur coat, like the one Cruella Deville wears, comes up and takes our photo a couple times. By this time the fireworks have ended so we go inside to warm up for a bit. I still want some time to let what happened sink in. We head back outside to sit beside a fire pit and gather ourselves.

The first thing Brandon says to me is “We’re engaged.” And all I can manage to say is “I know!” I know everyone who knows me personally is wondering if I cried and sobbed like a baby (like a normally do at any emotional event), oddly I didn’t. I definitely was crying and super teary eyed, but I surprisingly kept it under control. So by the warmth of the fire we sat and talked. Brandon told me why he choose that weekend and all the planning and how long he’s been hiding the ring and everything. I can’t remember exactly everything because it all seems like a blur. I just remember looking at my hand to see the most perfect ring on it and having a big smile on my face with teary eyes and getting to sit by my now future husband in the freezing Colorado night air.

Eventually we head back inside down to our hotel bar (by this time Brandon has become friends with everyone who works there haha). We sit at the bar with some drinks and continue to let things sink in. After awhile I decide that I should text my mom and soon I’m on the phone with her telling her what just happened. I then text my sister and eventually send my group of best girlfriends a picture. Those are the only people I told the night of.

One of the ladies working at the hotel bar poured us some celebratory glasses of champagne. We hung out at the hotel bar until around 11 then went back to our room. Our hotel room had a balcony and the hotel had also delivered a full bottle of champagne to our room sometime after we left for the evening (Seriously, the hotel was so nice to us!). We spent the last hour of 2017 on our balcony and popped the bottle of champagne once 2018 arrived.

Brandon commented that I had permanently teary eyes and a smile on my face all night. The way he proposed to me couldn’t have been more perfect. I’m so incredibly excited to know that I get to be his wife and spend the rest of my life with him. We don’t have photos or video of the actual proposal and that has made it super special for us. It was truly a moment that we were only the only ones there to witness (aside from a few random bystanders) and one that we will forever have our own memories of.

I know what you’re wondering next. Do I have any wedding plans yet? No. Nope. Nada. I’ll figure it out someday for now I’m just happy to be engaged!