06.13.2015​
DANIEL & KELSEY'S
Memphis, TN
OUR STORY
​His Story
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Our lives up until "her story"...
I grew up in a very small town in central Pennsylvania and after high school moved to Dallas in search for opportunity. After graduating college I began working for a company called CROSSMARK in the Management Trainee program, the same program that Kelsey joined when she graduated from Tennessee. When she began with the company she was working in Knoxville as I was in Dallas. A few months later the company had moved me to Kansas City and not long after that they moved her down to Dallas.
By working for the same company we developed mutual friends and from time to time would hear about each other even though we had never met. I finally met her when I took a trip down to Dallas at a happy hour with friends. We didn't speak many words to each other that night, but I remember leaning over to my best man and saying that girls pretty cute...thinking "there is something that I can tell about her." It has never taken me long to realize one's qualities, the way they carry themselves, the way they speak. As crazy as it sounds, I thought "Here is a girl that I would introduce to my mother". At the time what Kelsey didn't know was that I was going through the hardest time in my life. The real reason that I was in Dallas was because days before I had just lost my father, and I was in town to be with my family.
Fast forward a couple months and I was back down visiting Dallas for St Patrick's Day. The night before, a mutual friend of ours was hanging out with Kelsey and I ended up joining them for a night out in Dallas. (This is the first night that we actually hung out as friends). The times were good and I think a friendship may have actually started to develop. A few months later she traveled up to Kansas City for work, and while she was there we met for dinner one night. At the time we were both kind of "talking" to other people but neither of us were in a relationship that meant a thing.
Not long after that CROSSMARK moved me back to Dallas :)
The weekend before our first date...
There was a pool party with a bunch of friends on a Friday after work where we all gathered. Afterward a number of us went to a bar together to keep the night going. The funniest thing happened that night - people saw what we were blind to. Just sitting there, her and I chatting, 3 girls walked by us, stopped, and one said "Y'all are soo in love." We laughed out loud and immediately turned it into a joke. My response was "That is nice of you to say but she's actually my sister"...the girls laughed, apologized, and continued on. The next day myself and a few others helped Kelsey move to a new apartment, and the day following I had asked her to dinner and a movie. When the movie was over and we were parting ways (I don't think she knew it was a date) we ended the night with a fist bump. A FIST BUMP! I couldn't have been any more confused and thought "Yep, this is definite friend zone." The following week came and we started hanging out and going on dates more often. Over the next couple months, it began to get serious as our connection grew, our time together increased, and we started going on trips together, everything was falling into place, our journey together had begun.
As you know CROSSMARK then moved her to California. I think this is the point in our lives where we decided that we were going to make this work no matter when, where, or how. The day she moved away was crushing. I immediately knew I had to find a way to California. Two months of long distance and a lot of tears went by and the next thing we knew I was moving to California. I knew in my heart that moving out here only meant one thing, we were going to be making the biggest commitment in our lives to each other.
May 2014 rolled around and she had a trip planned to go out of town... the perfect opportunity to go ring shopping and to begin planning "our perfect day." I can remember how nervous I was about every single detail that played a part in the ring and each step of the engagement. Here I was planning this day for the girl I am going to marry. Simply for me, I could not ask for anything more. Over two years I have spent my life with someone who loves, laughs, dances, dreams, and lives her life, her way. I couldn't have asked for a better woman, a better aunt, a better gf/fiance to be wife, and some day a better mother than the girl I get to say "i do" to.
Some of you know that I am very simple, but I do things extremely over the top. Of course the engagement was going to be no different. I know that she told me "whenever you ask me, I want it to be special and memorable". I think I delivered...
Love you Doll... Love, Daniel
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Her Story
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The Engagement story...
My story is a bit long-winded, so if you want the cliff notes, scroll to the bottom of the page....
On Tuesday before our engagement, I was being silly telling Daniel that I wanted him to take me on a date and to never stop "courting me". On Thursday, he asked me what our plans were for the weekend. When I responded with. "none yet," he said not to plan anything on Saturday because he was going to take me on a date. After my comments on Tuesday and being in the midst of a terrible week at work, I was thinking "He's really stepping up to the plate!" Friday evening he told me what time to get up on Saturday and when to be ready.
Finally, it's Saturday morning and I'm anxious to find out what he has in store. The day starts with a box. Inside is a note on the back of a brunch menu. The note says we are heading to brunch, what I need to wear and that I'm not allowed to use my phone to find out where the restaurant is or where we are going. We start off and my mind is racing, but Daniel keeps his lips sealed. We arrive at Boon Fly Cafe in between Sonoma and Napa. It's a precious place that is an shabby chic barn. After enjoying a wonderful brunch, I'm thinking what a fun way to start the day but knew that we needed to head back home to get back to the dog. But he had a different plan.
We get in the car, and he hands me another box. In the box is a wine cork and another note. It says something along the lines of "let's go enjoy a bottle of wine while we are here", and at the end of the note is says, "P.S. Rayna (our pup) is taken care of." So off we go again and I am clueless as to where he is taking me. Not too long into our drive, I get a hunch that we are going to Gundlach Bundschu Winery, the first winery we ever visited together and one of my favorites. I was right! We pull in and all is normal. I still have no clue what is about to happen. Many have asked how I didn't know, but I was oblivious for 2 reasons. 1. I thought he was really stepping up to the plate to take me on a date since I had been complaining to him earlier in the week. 2. He used to write me notes all the time, so the sweet notes didn't seem odd to me.
When we arrived at the winery, we did a simple tasting and bought a bottle of wine to enjoy outside. The weather was PERFECT. As we headed outside, Daniel suggested that we get a picture in front of a pretty pond on the property at the edge of their patio. Out on the patio was a large wine and food pairing event so he asked the hostess to take a picture of us. She took a few "normal pictures" of us, then Daniel turns and looks at me. Since we aren't really the "kissing picture" type of couple, I was clueless as to why he was looking at me. He started saying something about loving me and loving me forever and the next thing I know there was a ring. I can't explain the joy that overwhelmed me at that moment! It was the happiest moment of my life! Of course I said YES! And the crowd on the patio all cheered!
We enjoyed a few glasses of wine while we called family and friends to share the news. I was, and still am, ecstatic and in shock. It took me a good 12 hours to realize it was a reality. God blessed me with a man that is better than I ever dreamt of, and I get to spend the rest of my life with him. How cool is that?
After I caught my breath, Daniel told me there was one other thing we were doing. In my mind, I'm thinking what in the world can we do? He already made this the best day of my life. As we are leaving he buys 6 bottles of wine and puts me in the car. Refusing to answer any questions, he gave me YET ANOTHER BOX! In the box is a miniature bucket and a note that is essentially a love letter telling me how excited he is and the wine he bought is for our life celebrations or anniversaries. In this note, he also explains that the bucket is a clue for what we are about to do next, which is his first gift to me as his fiance.
Clueless, I guessed "Picking grapes?" as our next activity. He laughs. Close to an hour later, we arrive at the Sonoma airport. Not 2 minutes later, it dawns on me...He's taking me on a helicopter ride! (Bucket list) Sure enough, we go on a fairy tale ride over wine country during sunset. It was PERFECT. I felt like I was in a movie. Like, who goes on a helicopter ride as part of their engagement? The day was wonderful. As we headed home, Daniel told me we had dinner reservations at a local restaurant. I thought it was a bit odd since the restaurant is just an average, no frills burger place. We arrived and when I told the hostess our name she got a pep in her step. "That's strange," I thought. 2 seconds later I realized why... Dan got me again. A number of our friends were there waiting to celebrate with us. I was so thankful to have people to share it with especially since we are so far from so many.
The day, from beginning to end, was literally perfect. By far, the best day of my life...until we say "I do."
Cliff Notes Version....
Brunch, Wine Tasting, Proposal (super romantic), Enjoyed the weather with a bottle of wine, helicopter ride over wine country at sunset, and dinner with friends! Perfect day from start to finish!