Quinton & Lauren

his story

 

So, I have the ring. And I know I want to propose before Lauren goes to NC, so she can share the event with her family and friends at home.  And I'm pretty sure she knew that as well. So I was pressed to find a way to still make it a surprise for her.  So "the setup" was a few weeks in the making.

 

Since we live over an hour away from each other, we normally spend weekends together, and for a few weekends I kept recommending dates, opportunities for us to get dressed up and have a nice dinner. I did this so that when the night of the proposal came, she would be none the wiser.  Little did I know, this would backfire somewhat.  On the night of the scheduled proposal, Lauren's response was "We just went out last weekend, maybe we should just stay in and relax this weekend."  So I had to convince her to a nice dinner that night. I learned after the fact that Lauren actually called her mom Linda for some advice, and Linda suggested she go along with my plan of going out (because I'd already called Linda and Lauren's dad Jonah to tell them that I was planning on proposing that night).

 

So, Lauren gets to my apartment, and we both get dressed for a nice dinner out.  As we're walking to my truck, it starts to drizzle outside.  Now Lauren is very used to the southern gentleman that I am, and didn't hesitate to ask for my blazer to carry over her head, as to not get her hair or makeup wet. She was, however, surprised at my unusual hesitation to comply with a request like that.  She would later find out that my hesitation was due to the fact that the engagement ring was in my blazer pocket.  So, I improvized, and held the blazer over her head for her, awkwardly, while keeping the ring from making contact with her.  Crisis avoided.

 

We arrive at the restaurant, Troppo's, and they did a phemonimal job of helping me set up something really special, and were on board with what was going on in order to help me out and take some pictures.  We have dinner, and as a que that I'm about to make my magic happen, I ask for the dessert menu. Lauren gives me the "for what, I know you're not still hungry" look, but the waiter brings the menu out anyway.  I then ask him to take a picture of us, which isn't that far fetched since Lauren and I normally take a picture when we're on a fancy date night.  But this restaurant is special to us, as it's where Lauren and I had our first date in the state of Michigan.  So, I suggest that we take a picture in the same location of the restaurant as where we took a picture on our first date there. 

 

As we're walking to the front of the restaurant for our picture, I begin to talk to Lauren about the significance of the restaurant, and the fact that it's where we took our first date in Michigan.  And I attempt to build up to the main event.  We stand for a picture, and I purposefully have Lauren stand on the side of me where the ring is in my pocket, hoping that she would feel it and ask "what's that in your pocket?"  Didn't happen.  So after the picture is taken, the waiter asks "Is there anything else?" And I reply "Actually, yes there is another thing..." and I pull the ring box out (see picture. surprise factor = success).  So, I grab Lauren's right hand, to which she says "Wrong hand."  I firmly respond with "I'm not there yet."  Then I say, "You know I love you, so you know what I'm going to ask you next." And she shakes her head and says "yes." Then I drop to one knee, and ask her to marry me, and she says yes!