Gary
Grahs and I met at a Halloween party circa 2006. Mutual friends had
invited us and Halloween is my most treasured holiday. I love to dress
up! During the party, I happened to find Indiana Jones to be quite
handsome and charming! And frankly, who can resist Wilma Flintstone? I
mean really - she was a hottie, right? :-) Our history was written the
moment we met.
Gary was going through a divorce but still full of life and willing to try another hand at love. In a few short months we were dating exclusively and slowly started to weave our lives together.
It's been almost 6 years now since we first met and I can't image myself without him. I was never the "wedding dreaming bride-to-be" type and honestly could have cared less if I ever tied the knot. Until there was Gary - I hadn't ever even considered being a bride. But through ups and downs in our lives we've supported each other and enjoyed all the good times. He's hilarious, and he's romantic, and he's my very best friend.
Gary asked my parents' permission over a dinner of fumbled words and a lot of laughs. He and I each fit into each others lives so well that it was practically a no-brainer that we should make it official and permanent. With their blessing, he set out to find my perfect ring. While I might have ever thought about being a bride, I do LOVE jewelry and had made comments about my perfect ring if I ever had to wear one. So, Gary secretly took my 2 closest friends out to dinner and went ring shopping one night. They found a ring that they all fell in love with saying it was so "Kirby". A couple weeks later he went back to buy it...
Ring in tow, we took a trip to Traverse City just last month. We had planned the trip with my parents a couple months prior and Gary decided that it was going to be the weekend he'd ask me to marry him. On Friday during our wine tour, I kept making comments about how this was "The Best. Day. Ever!" because we weren't working, we were on vacation and I was with my very favorite people. He took a special moment at Black Star Farms to drop down on one knee and ask me. He had attached the ring to my wine glass and we took a walk on the farm. I hadn't even noticed the clinking of it while I sipped from glass and chatted with him and a cute horse on the property. I'm not a very emotional person and I was glad to have my Ray Bans on because he didn't see the tears in my eyes when I actually realized what was happening. It was so romantic and it was perfect for it to be just he and I in that moment. My parents waited patiently up by the Inn and even sent Gary a text that said "Need help?" He didn't need any help at all - because I said "of course" instead of just "yes".
We are in the early stages of planning our wedding now but we LOVE the Gilmore Collection restaurants around town. Gary was very romantic me when we arrived back in Grand Rapids after our weekend in Traverse City, too. He planned for our 3 favorite couples to be at Blue Water Grill for a surprise engagement dinner. It was such a fun way to celebrate with our best friends, who all happen to be married, and it was a total surprise to me! I adore Gary and we are very much looking forward to our wedding day and growing old together.
We actually haven't had our engagement photos taken yet since we just got engaged - but attached is one of my favorite pictures of us. I used to dance for the Rage Dance Team and I took ballroom dance lessons for a couple years. Gary and I love to dance together and this picture was shot at his best friends' wedding by the photographer. Smiling, holding each other close, and a quick look to the camera while we danced the night away. I love it.
Gary was going through a divorce but still full of life and willing to try another hand at love. In a few short months we were dating exclusively and slowly started to weave our lives together.
It's been almost 6 years now since we first met and I can't image myself without him. I was never the "wedding dreaming bride-to-be" type and honestly could have cared less if I ever tied the knot. Until there was Gary - I hadn't ever even considered being a bride. But through ups and downs in our lives we've supported each other and enjoyed all the good times. He's hilarious, and he's romantic, and he's my very best friend.
Gary asked my parents' permission over a dinner of fumbled words and a lot of laughs. He and I each fit into each others lives so well that it was practically a no-brainer that we should make it official and permanent. With their blessing, he set out to find my perfect ring. While I might have ever thought about being a bride, I do LOVE jewelry and had made comments about my perfect ring if I ever had to wear one. So, Gary secretly took my 2 closest friends out to dinner and went ring shopping one night. They found a ring that they all fell in love with saying it was so "Kirby". A couple weeks later he went back to buy it...
Ring in tow, we took a trip to Traverse City just last month. We had planned the trip with my parents a couple months prior and Gary decided that it was going to be the weekend he'd ask me to marry him. On Friday during our wine tour, I kept making comments about how this was "The Best. Day. Ever!" because we weren't working, we were on vacation and I was with my very favorite people. He took a special moment at Black Star Farms to drop down on one knee and ask me. He had attached the ring to my wine glass and we took a walk on the farm. I hadn't even noticed the clinking of it while I sipped from glass and chatted with him and a cute horse on the property. I'm not a very emotional person and I was glad to have my Ray Bans on because he didn't see the tears in my eyes when I actually realized what was happening. It was so romantic and it was perfect for it to be just he and I in that moment. My parents waited patiently up by the Inn and even sent Gary a text that said "Need help?" He didn't need any help at all - because I said "of course" instead of just "yes".
We are in the early stages of planning our wedding now but we LOVE the Gilmore Collection restaurants around town. Gary was very romantic me when we arrived back in Grand Rapids after our weekend in Traverse City, too. He planned for our 3 favorite couples to be at Blue Water Grill for a surprise engagement dinner. It was such a fun way to celebrate with our best friends, who all happen to be married, and it was a total surprise to me! I adore Gary and we are very much looking forward to our wedding day and growing old together.
We actually haven't had our engagement photos taken yet since we just got engaged - but attached is one of my favorite pictures of us. I used to dance for the Rage Dance Team and I took ballroom dance lessons for a couple years. Gary and I love to dance together and this picture was shot at his best friends' wedding by the photographer. Smiling, holding each other close, and a quick look to the camera while we danced the night away. I love it.
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| "Life is too short to dance with ugly men..." |
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