OUR ENGAGEMENT STORY (B&B WEDDING SERIES)

I figured before I got too crazy into this wedding series I should share how we got engaged!

I am the BIGGEST sucker for engagement stories. They can be simple or elaborate; no matter what they completely turn me into mush. Anyone else feel me?!

DISCLAIMER(S): This is a crazy long post. There is rambling involved. Grammar is not 10/10.  Bonus points if you take a shot every time you see an exclamation mark*

*don't actually do that. it's for sure not safe

Are you sitting back, relaxing at work or on your couch with a glass of wine?

Here we go:

First things first, this post requires 3 back stories. Yes, I TOLD YOU IT WAS GOING TO BE A LONG POST DON'T YOU DARE EVEN COMPLAIN ABOUT BACKSTORIES!

Backstory #1: The Setting

If you're new around here and haven't followed along on the blog or on Instagram - Michael and I spend as much time as possible at our local state parks. Like to the point it's probably annoying for people who follow us on social media. In the winter we ski, in the spring/fall/summer we camp/hike/canoe. There's one particular park that has a multi-story watchtower where you can see 360 views of Wisconsin for miles and miles and miles. We stop up all the time, take a picture every season, and hashtag them #mbbluemounds on Instagram! Here's a few so you can set the scene:

Backstory #2: The Ring

This will for sure shock some of you, so hold onto your britches, folks! 

I designed my engagement ring!

I know. For some people that isn't cool. It's surprising or upsetting or tacky or whatever but ohmygod please get a hold of yourself, I'll tell that story in another post, I promise. In the meantime, the point of this was that I knew Michael had an engagement ring in his possession. We created it together and it was finished sometime at the end of February, so I knew that somewhere in the depths of our 1100 sq foot apartment, them diamonds were a'lurkin. Thus, I knew at some point in the nearish future we'd get engaged. 

Backstory #3: The Amazing Willpower of Michael

Here's the thing about Michael. When he has a big present that he's excited about, he sometimes bursts and can't wait until he's supposed to give it. Case in point: he got me diamond earrings yeeeears ago for the Christmas after our 1 year anniversary...and gave them to me the day he bought them...which was like..December 12th. So, naturally, when I knew the ring would be done end of February I was like OH MAN IT'S GONNA HAPPEN SOON Y'ALL. I mean, to myself, duh. We had a few weekends in a row that in my mind I thought were SO opportune...but sneaky Michael had willpower and chose to wait. Once we got engaged he confessed to me that he in fact had the ring with him on MULTIPLE occasions but held off until the time was exactly right. Which of course simultaneously made me melt and drove me crazy. Because I'm a neurotic bag of emotions.

OK.

YOU'VE MADE IT TO THE GOOD STUFF NOW, FOLKS. GET ANOTHER GLASS OF WINE (or whatever you goody-goodies drink at work) AND LET'S DO THIS!

So Michael had this plan.

We'd go to our lovely state park.

We'd go to take our #mbbluemounds picture.

He'd propose while I was taking the picture.

Naturally, that got ruined. Once by mothers, and once by me.

The first time it got ruined was on Mother's Day. We were out for a hike and planned to take our late spring #mbbluemounds picture, but the park was PACKED. It was gorgeous out and there were picnics galore. Needless to say, he didn't feel like being surrounded by a bunch of kids with watermelon on their faces would be the story we'd want to tell, so he waited. Besides that, it was Mother's Day...and he was like "oh crap. I can't do this today! it'll overshadow Mother's Day!" Smart man, that Michael. In case you didn't get it, I was joking above about the first time being ruined by mothers. We love allll those mothers at the park that day with their watermelon kids.

The "ruined by me" part was legit though. 

It was Thursday. We had planned to hike after work and take the picture. It was pretty cold and windy, so I was emailing him all day saying "wahhhh do we have to hike it's cold outttt" but then after some Culver's for lunch I figured a hike was due, so we went. We changed into our hiking gear after work and went to snap the infamous picture before going on our way. We got to the top of the watchtower- and FUN FACT when it's cold and windy on the ground, it's COLDER and WINDIER on a 3 story tower. 

So Michael gets into the position for the picture and after snapping 2 shots I declared that I was freezing and we should climb down. 

Michael instantly says 

"Wait...um...we should take..MORE pictures!"

 I should have caught on at that moment because he never asks to take more pictures. He's a patient saint when I snap away for 20 minutes for Instagram, but never asks for MORE. Clearly I obliged since that was probably the first time in 6.5 years he had asked for more pictures, so we took some lovely selfies and I, yet again, complained about being cold and wanting to leave (god I am such a peach, aren't I?!?!?). He kept fidgeting with his backpack so I told him to close up the zippers so we could go and then he just started GRINNING at me. 

Like...kid in T-ball who just got his first home run grinning. 

Glee on steroids grinning.

Then it hit me. 

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!!?" I asked

He kept grinning.

I did a weird spin move away from him and kept saying "WHAT ARE YOU DOING!?!"..because apparently in romantic situations I get awkward AF.

Then he got down on one knee (still grinning) and ...well..he said something.

I blacked out.

All I remember was looking at him holding a red box with a ring and saying "don't drop it!!"

Then we hugged and kissed and all that mushy stuff and I just was in this weird world-stopped shock place. Looking back on it, it seems so silly. I KNEW he had a ring. I KNEW this would be coming. But somehow in the moment my mind just started short-circuiting and I couldn't really talk or cry. I was just stunned and overcome with feeling like I was exactly where I was supposed to be in that moment.

Because I get nauseous like an old lady on a cruise ship I sat down on the floor of the watchtower while I got my bearings and started asking Michael one miiiiillion questions (which I will spare you all of) and simultaneously tearing up and staring at him. 

He told me how he Facetimed my parents together to tell them he was going to propose.

He told me he had the ring with him a few times before.

He told me how he thought of hiring a photographer to capture it all but wanted us to be alone more than anything.

He told me he ate about 10 Tums that day in anticipation of asking me.

He told me he loved me and he couldn't wait to marry me.

We suddenly realized this was real and that we could tell people- but decided we wanted a few more hours to ourselves to just cherish it. It sounds sappy but we knew once we shared it it wouldn't be just ours anymore- so we took a ton of pictures and then went for a hike. It all felt so US. We weren't dressed up fancy, in fact my hair was pretty gross (thanks dry shampoo, luv u) and as you can see in the picture below- I wasn't ready with some purty manicure like the Internet tells me I should have been. Please note how my eyes are puffy (thanks crying) and how awesome Michael's face is:

Also- someone please teach me to pose with my hand/ring. I look like a dweeb.

After our hike we still just weren't ready to tell anyone and we were FAMISHED, so we went to our favorite little dive bar in town and got some beer & greasy food. It was Bingo night, so naturally we joined in and ended up winning 30 bucks...because not only are we 90, but also evidently very lucky!

 We finally got home and started Facetiming/calling/texting our closest family & friends to share the good news. Their responses were all completely unique and 100% priceless. I managed to get a video of a few family members' reactions that I intend to keep FOREVER because they're amazing. 

We went to bed elated and overwhelmed and exhaused.

But mostly elated :)

It was a fabulous Thursday, and now May 12th is one of our most favorite days ever!

Coming up soon in the series are posts like:

How to design your engagement ring (#withoutpeoplejudgingyou)(#jktheywill).

How we planned our entire wedding in a 6 hour car ride (#efficiency)

How to plan a destination elopement (#internationallawssuck)

How to tell people kids aren't allowed at your wedding (#sorrynotsorry)

Hope you'll tune in again for the rest of the series!!

Thank you to all of our supportive family and friends for making us feel incredibly loved!

xo, LP (&MB)

(psssssssst: follow along for more fun HERE!)

Oh, and because Michael gets me 100% he offered to take our #mbbluemounds picture as planned, with how he was going to propose before I ruined it ;-)

See below for the series: