We're ENGAGED!!!!

I can finally let out the good news that Tyler and I are ENGAGED as of June 29, 2012!!

I am going to write out the ENTIRE story so that I will have it forever and ever. Sorry if it gets pretty lengthy! There are so many clues throughout the past couple of days and weeks that he was going to propose, but I didn't catch on to any of them!

Tyler had gone to the town about 1.5 hours away to get the ring we had looked at in May. There are only 2 stores in the state (I think) that sell the brand, so he had to do his work! One excuse was to go for work, one excuse was that he was helping a farmer put up deer stands, and I am not sure what the other way.

Last Wednesday night I went and got a manicure JUST in case something happened because Rebecca has been calling this for months! Leah and Virginia had emailed each other moments before it happened. My work friends told me it HAD to happen because our families were together and I've said that I want our families to be together to celebrate. My Illinois friends texted me earlier that morning to remind me to call them if it happened. I didn't believe them!

I bluntly asked Tyler last week if he was going to propose over the weekend and he said he hadn't bought the ring yet! Sneaky. His friends here knew and he called my mom to tell her he picked up the ring. The ring had been hiding in the attic of his house and he said he checked on it hourly! So sweet. He had lots of guy beer drinking nights where he was trying to get advice from the guys on how to get through security with the ring!

i love love love love my ring!

Tyler and I flew out of Illinois at 6 am Friday morning. Our airport is really small so we didn't have to get there super early. Ty was acting strange in security but I didn't think anything of it; he told me to go in one line of security and he'd go in the other. I thought this was because he was afraid we'd be late, and I even asked him if I could go to the bathroom before we got in line to board. I wasn't sure why he was stressed in security but (clue #1) it was because he had the ring in his wallet and was scared it would trip off the alarm and I would see it!

Success.

We got to Charleston at 11 am and his parents (Heather and Ken) picked us up. My mom had let them borrow her car for the weekend since it has 6 seats and we could all fit in it. We got to their townhouse downtown and regrouped before lunch. Tyler's mom was trying to suggest to me to change as she and Lis (future sister-in-law, future wife of Cameron in Sept) changed into dresses and skirts. I thought I was dressy enough in my new BR shorts that I posted about earlier last week! I felt cute enough to go to lunch at Magnolia's on East Bay. I thought his mom was awfully dressy for this restaurant, but I just let it go. I did change my shirt and off we went for lunch. Ty got in the drivers seat which was kind of strange as he hates driving in congested areas (clue #2). We dropped his family off to get reservations and we went to "find a parking spot." It was really hot and Ty wanted to get out and walk to see Rainbow Row and the Battery. I suggested we go back and just wait with his family at the bar until we could eat.

He insisted we go to the Battery, one of the first places we had a date back in December 2010. On this particular date, we had a close encounter with Tyler almost locking the keys in his truck so I MADE SURE that did not happen again in my mom's car in the 100+ heat. I completely blew his cover. The keys were part of his plan.

We got out and walked on the battery, talking about going to the beach the next day and what we would do that weekend other than the wedding. We pointed to Ft. Sumter and I kept complaining how hot I was and that I was ready to go to the restuarant. I hate having people wait on me! 

The next thing I know, Tyler asks: "Do you love me?" Me: "A lot?" Tyler: "Enough to marry me?" Then he got down on one knee! My mouth hit the concrete. There was a guy weed-eating next to us and he saw Tyler get down on one knee so he stopped to make it quiet. Tyler would always joke about asking me to marry him routinely and I told him not to cry wolf because when it really happened I wouldn't believe him!

Well, I didn't believe him until I saw a sparkly diamond!!!

I was shocked! Of course I said yes after much hyperventilating and him having to ask if I was going to say yes! We walked under the oak trees because it was SO incredibly hot so I could regroup and catch my breath! Tourists came running up to us asking if we just got engaged and if we had a camera. I threw my phone at a lady who snapped a couple of pictures.

Then this couple walked by and the girl goes "Oh my gosh! Did you just get engaged?? Were you on our flight from Atlanta??" I said yes, surprised, and she said she recognized me by my SHORTS! I knew there was a reason I didn't change!

After a few pictures, I called my mom and asked where she was. She told me she was at the grocery store to throw me off but then I realized she was at the restaurant. We talked about her coming back to Charleston because she and I were supposed to stay in one of her client's townhouses near the Laws. Also, my dad said on Thursday, "see you tomorrow" (another clue) but I let that slide because I knew he was super busy. Turns out that my parents had gone on a carriage ride with Tyler's family earlier that morning and they went to dinner the night before (which I did know about)! Everyone is so sneaky.

mom receiving the news

they pulled it off!!

We finally drove back to the restaurant where my family and his family were waiting with champagne! My brother even came down! We enjoyed a great lunch as I tried not to text everyone in my phone to tell them the good news! I slowly started telling people and it was a snowball from there!

the Laws

Laws + Perrows

the Perrows

so excited!

After lunch, we went back to the Law's townhouse to relax and just giggle. I made phone calls to friends and family, and then before we knew it, Lissy and Cam had to go to the rehearsal dinner and then the rest of us went off to dinner. Tyler's mom was really sweet and got me some wedding magazines at dinner and after dinner we took lots of pictures on Shem Creek.

I talked Tyler into going out with me to see some of my friends from Wofford downtown. I was so excited to see Grace Perry and some of my guy friends! We finally ended our night with a rickshaw (my brother, Tyler, and me) and me falling asleep with my ring up against my face!

I had to make sure it wasn't a dream the next morning!

Day 2 coming tomorrow. Hope you like the pictures.. Many many more to come!

Ta ta,