Engagement Party

This past weekend, I went to Canada to spend time with the future in-laws. What I didn't know was that our big Sunday dinner was for a special engagement party for Steven and I. It was so great to be able to see members of both sides of the family under one roof. I'm so grateful for his fun and generous family.
It's always bittersweet going to Canada for a weekend. In a matter of 2-3 days, we always have so many things to do and people to see, that it's so hard to drive all the way back home and re-focus my energy on work. I cherish every moment that is spent across the border.
Thank you again to everyone who has made our engagement such a special and enjoyable time in our lives. I've never been happier.

Photos taken by Steve's mom

We are truly blessed.

xoxo,
Laura

ENGAGED

WE'RE ENGAGED!

That's right, folks. Steve popped the question, and I, of course, said "YES!" 

I don't think I've ever been so thrilled in my entire life. He is the most amazing man in the world and I get to spend the rest of my life loving him. I'm feeling beyond blessed right now. 

It all happened Thursday evening when Steve arrived in Grand Rapids after driving from his hometown in Ontario, Canada. He made it to my apartment before I got home from work, and called in a reservation at the Melting Pot, which is where we had our very first dinner date together. I freshened up, threw a dress on, and headed out the door with him around 7pm. We had plans to go check out ArtPrize downtown after dinner, so it was just going to be a low-key evening of walking around. Well, things changed when we were at dinner for almost 2.5 hours. When we got on the subject of weddings (because I have a ton coming up in my family), I mentioned where I had wanted to have my future wedding someday. Steve responded with "Well, I think you should book it." I quickly rolled my eyes and responded with "I'm not going to be that crazy girl that books a venue before I'm engaged."

I then continued to stuff my face full of delicious dark chocolate fondue.

...before I knew it, he was taking out a ring.

I think he had to ask me about three times before I was conscious enough to respond with a solid "YES!" I couldn't believe it was all happening. My heart was thumping, my legs were shaking, and I felt my body starting to sweat. It's all happening. 

I get to marry the man of my dreams.

It was just over one year ago that I took a trip to Nashville with my cousin Ashley and my friend Whitney. The three of us girls decided we needed a ladies weekend in a different city, so we set out to one of my favorite places in the world where I had spent much of my childhood. Tennessee has always felt like a second home to me, and I couldn't wait to bring the girls there for their first time.

It was our second evening there where everything was about to change. 

This is the photo that was taken just hours before I met the man I will soon call my husband.

Nobody saw it coming. It wasn't a 'love at first sight' type of moment. In fact, we met while we were each with a group of friends at a bar in Midtown, Nashville called Losers. We shared casual conversation and eventually exchanged information. I told him I worked in advertising in Grand Rapids, MI, and he told me he was a Canadian country singer/songwriter.

Several weeks later, he told me his plans to drive through GR on his way back to Canada. We made plans to hang out while he was passing through. We made such a strong connection and hit the ground running.
The rest is history.

Fast forward to a year later.
We had plans to get our pictures taken by two of our best friends who are working together to take amazing photos and build a portfolio. We agreed to letting them take our pictures since they wanted some couple's shots. Who knew it would be right after getting engaged?

Steve and I are so fortunate to have such amazing and talented friends. Tieka of Selective Potential and her boyfriend Eric did such an amazing job capturing our love in these amazing photos:

(side note: yes, that's the same outfit I wore the night we met in Nashville)

xoxo,
Laura

Wooly Wednesday

Katelyn here! So Alex and I are FINALLY getting our engagement photos done tomorrow (after being engaged for a year and two months already). I thought I would share a little sneak peek with everyone as to what I'll be wearing! Here's a little inspiration board I made to get you thinking!

Hopefully the weather isn't too awful tomorrow, but with this Michigan weather it seems like Mother Nature does not want to be bossed around and she's going to do what she wants to do. As long as it's not slushy and too grey outside I won't mind :)

Here's one last photo of the actual sweater I'll be wearing. It's a 100% wool sweater I picked up while in Galway, Ireland last year. It sure is warm, but really itchy if I don't wear a shirt underneath it. So stay tuned in the next few weeks for the actual photos!

Xoxo, 

K

P.S. Sorry about the lack of posts from me lately! If you ever want to spend endless hours not being able to move from your couch...start watching Lost for the first time, hehe.

Meet Katelyn's other half

Alex (my fiancé) and I met a few years ago while working together at the J.W. Marriott as In-Room Dining Servers. We immediately became friends as soon as we figured out that we shared the exact same humor (Anchorman, anyone?). I think I realized I actually liked him more than just a friend when he made me breakfast and brought over all the Harry Potter movies for me when I was sick. Alex on the other hand always had feelings for me, he will forever deny that though. A few months after we started dating I moved to Spain to study Spanish for the year.

Me in front of Granada's Alhambra 

My beautiful city

We figured out that distance really does make the heart grow fonder. Anyways, I came home for the holidays between semesters a few days before Christmas. It was so great to spend Christmas with all my loved ones, but little did I know the real surprise was in two more days. On December 27th, the day long engagement began. 

***Side note- Alex and I had discussed marriage about two times before this day. I even managed to freak out when he tried to get me into a jewelry store, like panic attack/walk faster/sweating/the whole nine yards. 

Alex wakes me up at 7:00 am this particular morning because he couldn't sleep he was so excited. So being the sick, jet lagged, ball of fun I was, I rolled out of bed and we were off to Wolfgang's for some breakfast. This restaurant is a Grand Rapids favorite with awesome hazelnut coffee, and where Alex and I first had breakfast together.

Okay, so the next surprise Alex had for me was a manicure! Alex also participated in this activity (I'm totally embarrassing him right now), but hey, it is called a MANicure right? We then jumped over to the theater to see my choice of Happy Feet 2. Next in line was a trip to Fredrick Meijer Gardens, where we had our first date.

Enjoying ourselves at the gardens :)

I was so exhausted by this time that I asked to go home. Alex had different plans. We went to Madcap for a cup of coffee and from there he told me he "forgot" something at work and we needed to pick it up. We stopped by the hotel and I decided to go in so I could say hi to everyone. For some odd reason he brought me to the spa and upon entering the receptionist asked if I was there for my appointment at 3:00. Alex quickly kissed me then scooted out of there. After an hour long massage, I was handed a room key and told to go to this room (I was starting to put two and two together). When I opened the door there were rose petals on the floor and on the bed and a little black dress with the instructions to meet him at 6:30 in the concierge lounge. I SWEAR this really happened :)

So I got ready and met him for a glass of wine then we went to the restaurant in the hotel for a private dinner for two. (Seriously, could it get any better?) After dinner we were going to stop by his locker to get a bottle of wine he picked up for us, but instead of getting that bottle of wine...this happened. 

Did I mention all our family and friends were watching up above? Oh, this is also the exact spot Alex saw me for the first time. I'm blushing just thinking about all this again.

So many hugs!

We all shuffled over to a private room where we had cake and champagne.

So there you have it! This was one of the best days of my entire life. I couldn't be more excited to spend the rest of my life with this handsome man and his family too. He makes me a better person every single day. So here's to a happy and long marriage with my best friend! Did I mention Laura's in the wedding? 

So happy :D

My beautiful ring! He picked it out himself. Luckily my ring finger is the size of his pinky finger because he had no idea my size when he bought it.

So that's the shortened version of the proposal. I can't tell you how many times I've told this story and it will never get old. So...good job Alex, for making all the other ladies jealous (I know you're going to eventually read this). 

Until next time! 

xoxo K

P.S. I graduate in 3 days!!