Kailee & Matthew

How They Met

After a pretty sizable life shake up I decided it was time for a change of pace, and a new point of view. I had no plan, no direction, and no preferences other than something different. Kailee on the other hand had a five year plan put together for her life. We didn’t know it yet, but I was going to plan a much larger role in that plan than either one of us could ever have imagined. We met for the first time in the Incheon International Airport. Our meeting was nothing short of a dud. She was reserved, organized, and elegant. While I was an antonym for every one of those words. She hated me. She called her mother and lamented the fact that she was stuck with me. I called my mother and told her the boring girl I was teaching with was kind of cute. The only thing we had outwardly in common was a healthy dose of wanderlust, and an uncanny ability to make the best out of weird situations. And that is how our relationship blossomed into a friendship.

Over a five month period we grew from distant and awkward to close and comfortable. The comfortable is what caused the problem. We grew comfortable enough that without realizing we allowed ourselves to lower our inhibitions.

The Proposal

I knew that I never wanted to be without her. Not ever. I cherished my relationship with Kailee. So when I decided to propose to her I knew I wanted to make it a celebration.

I called in a few favors with a handful of generous friends, and they helped set the stage for the proposal. Kailee’s friends convinced her that they were going on a girl’s night that conveniently passed near the Banyan Tree Estates at sunset. Which was conveniently the place my vehicle decided to “break down”. It is also the place where I had inconveniently set up a heart shape ring of rose petals, candles, and champagne.

Needless to say my proposal turned out to be Kailee’s favorite mechanical problem to date. She laughed, she screamed, she cried, she jumped up and down. Most importantly she said yes. After which our friends and family joined us in a toast, and snuck off to meet everyone downtown for a surprise engagement party.This left Kailee and I with just enough time to enjoy the final moments of sunset as we danced in the candle light in the upstairs ballroom. After the light faded I lured her to a rooftop bar under false pretenses. She walked unknowingly into a celebration with all of our friends. It was perfect. It was us.

The Engagement Ring

It’s a gorgeous twist-shank cushion halo.

Photo Credit: Simon and Sally