Sorority sweethearts Julie & Stacey share their waterfront proposal story that ended with a surprise engagement party.
The Scheming:
Julie: In June 2014, after an amazing two-week European adventure through Spain and France, I realized I was ready to pop the question. The thought of an engagement crossed my mind in the past but it was after this two-week journey that I realized a proposal would come sooner rather than later. I started thinking about when and how I could it.
Stacey: We’d been together for about six years and I was thinking about the next step. I knew Julie would propose because I’d already voiced my commitment to her. She knew I was all in. I had a pretty good idea that she was thinking about the proposal too, and it was only a matter of when.
Julie: I wanted to do the traditional, “Ask the father for the daughter’s hand in marriage.” I never expected to be the one doing the asking but this just felt right. I went to Stacey’s dad’s office, her dad is not an emotional guy, but by the end I had him crying… it felt like an accomplishment. And most importantly, I got his blessing.
Stacey: This was in early fall and I was playing the waiting game. I knew something was happening by the whispers of friends and family, but I didn’t want to get my hopes up, so I tried to suppress my thoughts. The holidays approached and still nothing …
Julie: Now the tough part… How would I propose? I’ve seen so many viral videos, but we are low-key and I wanted it to be just us. I decided to propose by the Miami River below the building we live in. I also wanted a small party with friends and family, so I had to send out invitations. I told about 40 people a month before, so Stacey’s friends could fly in accordingly. This was scary, would someone spill the secret?
Stacey: I knew if I was going to get her to propose she needed a ring. Julie had mentioned a place near her work, so I begged her to take me. As expected, Julie didn’t show much interest, but I walked right up to the setting I wanted and pointed at it like a kid in a candy store.
Julie: Stacey had been dropping not-so-subtle hints of what setting she liked. It was beautiful and the diamond I picked for her was very similar to the one I have that was my grandma’s. I ordered the ring. But of course, Stacey didn’t know that. She was getting ring-fever and thought she was dragging me to this jewelry store one day. Meanwhile, the jeweler played off that we had never met. The best part of this little field trip… Stacey picked out the exact setting and diamond that I had already purchased.
The Proposal:
Stacey: It was November 26th 2014. When we were getting ready for dinner I noticed Julie was a little anxious, but she’s obsessed with punctuality so I wasn’t surprised.
Julie: I knew I was acting strange. I had to stall because I didn’t want us to run into family that was staying in my sister’s apartment downstairs in the same building.
Stacey: When it was time to go we took the back entrance to the restaurant, which I thought was weird, but Julie said it was “faster” so I went along with it. I was in heels and the back way had a gravel walkway and I remember complaining about the route we took. Julie was also walking very fast and pointing out the view of the sunset, which is not normal for her.
Julie: It was finally time to leave and I was basically yanking Stacey all the way to the spot that I knew we had to be at for the photographer. I didn’t want her to see him so I pointed out the sunset about ten times.
Stacey: We were walking along the water and she pulled me around and dropped everything she was holding. I couldn’t believe this was happening. I barely remember what she was saying but big flashes started going off and I knew there was a photographer somewhere and that this was it… it was the moment that I would be asked the biggest question of my life, and the easiest to answer. She opened the ring box and there were two gorgeous matching rings. I was shocked, and the happiest person on earth. We slid the rings on each other’s fingers and made it official.
Julie: I was shaking and crying. She knew what was coming. I don’t really remember what I said, but she said yes! After pictures I knew she was in for another surprise …
Stacey: We got in a cab to a restaurant where she said our parents would be waiting. We walked in holding hands and there was a room full of family and friends. My mouth dropped and tears started flowing. I was so overwhelmed with happiness. Julie had put together a surprise engagement party and my best friends from college even flew in to celebrate. The night was the best night of my life and I will never forget it.
Julie: We walked into a full-blown engagement party. No one leaked the secret and it was a complete surprise. The tear-fest continued. It was the best night of my life.
Stacey & Julie will marry in Miami, Florida on November 21st 2015.
Proposal photographed by Zak Mann. Engagement session by Jonathan Scott
Julie, left, catches Stacey by surprise.
… and Stacey says Yes!
A sunset kiss makes it official.
Matching sparklers.
Another surprise awaits: An engagement celebration with family and friends.
Stacey is “the happiest girl on earth.”
Self-described “low-key” mail order brides soak in the engagement.
Another beautiful shot by Jonathan Scott.