This is our engagement story.
Our first date was to the Flowertown Festival three weeks after we met.
In 2016, we went back to the Festival together again. Twice.
After we left the Festival the second time, we headed to Sullivan’s Island, where we’d only been once before.
In fact, that one time before that we had walked that same beach, I’d suspected he was thinking he’d like to propose here…just something about the look on his face as we watched the horizon. He later confirmed it was indeed a scouting trip. ;)
We stopped at a gas station so I could visit the ladies room. I totally put on mascara in that dinky little beach station bathroom. Oh, I knew it was coming all right.
How I love this man and how romantic he is. I couldn’t have written how he proposed to me any better myself. Not if I’d had a million years.
You see, he had a friend of ours, Leah, headed to the beach early. She planted that bottle in that picture above and guarded over it while curious passersby came to investigate. And she waited, camera in hand…
Devin and I walked the beach and oh-too-many times I sensed him pausing or just got uber-suspicious and would think this is it! It never was, until we came upon this abandoned catamaran boat (pictured above).
Quick Note: I feel like I’m coming across super composed right now. But, friends, this is my ENGAGEMENT story. All the exclamation points and happy faces!!! Ahem, okay, back to wildly-grinning-but-articulate writer. ;)
Something beneath the boat caught my eye, so I bent a bit to glance in. At which my friend, Leah, says she thought, “No, the bottle’s not under there!” So, yeah, I totally missed it at first.
But he didn’t let me miss it for long. Devin pointed out and brought my attention to the beautiful bottle in the sand. The conversation went something like this: “Oh, look, a bottle! Do you want to look at it?”
Me: “Nah.” I still wanted to see what was under the boat. So oblivious!
“I want to,” he said. He went to reach for it.
I finally quit looking under the boat. “Oh, ew, don’t touch it!”
And that, folks, could have been the last line to the story How Rachelle Ruined Her Own Proposal. Thankfully, my man is much more gracious, giving, and patient than that!
He brought up the bottle, and, hmm, the cork looked new, not like it was a discarded alcohol bottle after all. <– not sure now how I could have ever thought that, after looking at that bright, beautiful bottle on my dresser every day since. He and his mom found it in an antique shop and it is GORGEOUS.
Finally realizing the gorgeousness, I abandoned my investigation of the boat’s belly and finally started to catch on…Lo and behold, Devin uncorked the bottle and pulled out a love letter, attached by a string to the cork.
A love letter. From him. To me. On old paper in old script.
At the end were the words, “Will you marry me?” Looking up from the letter, I found him on one knee in front of me, this man who is my fairytale come to life. He had the ring box open and, well, my reaction is pictured above. ;)
He asked me aloud and I said yes and then I sorta lunged at him and hugged him (I won’t subject you to those strangling pictures.)
And that, my friends, is how I went from girlfriend to fiance, from not only his love but also his wife-to-be. In a story that proves Jesus really does give the best gifts and write the best love stories.
We’re engaged!
Find more of our love story here.
Samantha R says
Loved reading it!!!
Rachelle says
Loved writing it! Thanks for commenting, Samantha! :)
Gabby says
Congratulations! Awesome story! Happy wedding planning. :-)
Rachelle says
Thanks, Gabby! I’m enjoying it a lot so far! :)
Rissi says
Beautiful story, Rachelle. Thank you for sharing! What a sweet proposal he planned for you; and it’s those little things (like not wanting to touch the bottle!) you’ll remember most. :)
Rachelle says
Agreed, Rissi! I very fleetingly considered leaving that part out due to sheer embarassment, but that’s truly a detail that makes the day Ours. :)
Roseanna White says
What a wonderful story!! So happy for you, Rachelle!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (There, your editor is using all the exclamation points for you, so it’s totally allowed.) ;-)
Rachelle says
Aww, thank you! All the exclamation-point-luv!!
Adriana Gabrielle says
“I finally quit looking under the boat. “Oh, ew, don’t touch it!”
And that, folks, could have been the last line to the story How Rachelle Ruined Her Own Proposal.” <— This part made me laugh a little bit cause I would probably say or do something totally similar.
Rachelle I'm SOOOOOOOOO happy for you! Congratulations to you and your fiancé on your engagement.
Rachelle says
Thank you, Adriana! Yep, this is the silly, slightly awkward stuff you just can’t make up. ;)
Skye says
That’s really cute! He sounds like a great guy!
Rachelle says
He is. ;)
Rachelle says
He is. He so is. :)