(As written from the perspective of the bride...)A few weeks before the actual engagement, Wil had suggested that we go down to the states one Saturday and spend the day walking around random stores and buying cheap groceries – two things that we love to do. We had just gotten our Nexus cards late last year and I was always up for these excursions to Bellingham. The night before this particular Saturday, Wil told me that we would be going to a nice Italian restaurant that his coworker had recommended. I think his exact words were, “It’s kinda like the Keg but a bit nicer, so you probably don’t want to be wearing your stretchy pants”. (More on this comment later…) Anyways, after having lunch with my parents, we made our way down to Bellingham and had an awesome afternoon walking around Target, Walmart, Costco, TJ Maxx, and Bellis Fair. Around dinner time, we went to get gas at Fred Meyer and afterwards, Wil pulled into the parking lot there and started to put on a button-down shirt and a tie over his t-shirt. I thought this was a little weird, but I guess since he had made a big deal telling me to dress somewhat nicely, he was doing his part as well. After this dress change, we drove around looking for the Italian restaurant but had trouble finding it. The address that Wil had turned out to be a wine bar. He seemed disappointed that the restaurant wasn’t there, and I felt bad for him especially since he had just gotten dressed up. We decided we would just head back to Vancouver and eat something there. On the way home, Wil’s mom called him and he talked to her for a few minutes in Chinese. It was something about her wanting us to drop by the condo to help her pick up documents she had left. At one point, Wil looked over at me and asked whether I happened to have the keys to said condo, I did, and so he told his mom we could help her out. We got to the condo and I handed over the key for Wil to open the door. As he did, I remember he reached back, grabbed my hand, and pulled me inside. The first thing I noticed was that the empty condo wasn’t completely dark like it was supposed to be, the living room was somehow decorated and lit with Christmas lights and candles. I was confused so I turned on the actual lights and asked Wil why his mom had left this stuff there. He didn’t answer but instead quickly turned the lights off, led me into the living room, and made me stand on this tablecloth-looking thing. I started looking around and I think it was then that it began to occur to me what was about to happen. Wil seemed nervous, which made me nervous too. He was rummaging around in his pockets and finally got out this crumpled up piece of paper. He proceeded to say a bunch of really sweet things that I honestly don’t really remember. At the end of his speech, he went through his pockets again and took out this little box. Then he got down on one knee, looked up at me, and asked me to marry him. And I said yes.  After we had a moment, Wil called our friend Randy, who was actually waiting down in the lobby. Randy was the one who turned on all the lights and lit the candles just before we got there. Wil had also gotten him to bring us take out from our go-to sushi restaurant, and that was why the tablecloth was there, so we could have a post-proposal picnic. Randy came upstairs and brought with him one of my dearest friends (Laura) on Skype, who would have been part of the scheming as well, if she was in town. Randy helped us take a bunch of pictures and left us to have our first meal as an engaged couple…which also happened to be our first meal in our future home! Yes, the condo wasn’t just any empty space, but it is actually our first place together!  So back to the couple of things I said I would comment more on – the Italian restaurant in Bellingham never existed. Wil made it up as a rouse to make sure I wouldn’t be in my “hobo” clothes because he knew I would want pictures post-proposal and I would be sad if I looked like a slob. (Yes, I worry about things like that and he accepts me as I am.) The phone call with his mom was also staged; there was never actually anybody on the other line. I have to say it was very convincing as he conversed in Chinese and even asked me if I had the key to the condo on me (he actually did have a backup key in case I happened to say no). So there you have it – a couple of tricks to throw me off, a day spent doing the things we already love, an evening of firsts, and our engagement story.
i had her at "hello". |