This week has been a whirlwind!  First my engagement Friday night and then a weekend at the Portland Bridal Show (Hello to all the Brides I met!).   I wanted to take a minute and write down the details of the proposal and it turns out Matt did too:)   Partially so I can record history and partially for your own enjoyment here is the story of our proposal – he said/she said style:)

(Images at the bottom)

Matt’s Version:
Friday January 8th was our two year anniversary and we had reservations for Fore Street.   Originally Audra had made the reservation for Monday the 4th because we had the date all mixed up.    I had started making plans for the 4th but I wasn’t so far into it that I couldn’t make any changes.   Plus having the extra days actually helped in me get a few extra things done in advance like getting the ring sized.

Unfortunately, Audra strained a muscle in her back that Friday morning and didn’t go to work.  I was on pins and needles for most of the day worried that she wouldn’t be up for dinner and that the whole plan would have to be scrapped.   However, by the afternoon she felt like she would be good to go.   I was REALLY relieved.

I went and picked Audra up at home after work and we got a great parking spot right in front of Fore Street.   It’s a wonderful place with great food and it is by a long way Audra’s favorite restaurant.   She pretty much won’t eat anywhere else so we end up going there quite a bit.

Earlier in the day I had dropped off 24 Malomars (Marsh mellow in chocolate on a cookie) from a local bakery.   They only make them once a year unless you are willing to put in a big order.   2 dozen was the magic number last week so that’s what I ordered.    I told Fore Street that it was our anniversary and asked them to bring the Malomars with the check so Audra would still order dessert.

Dinner went great.  There was a “Happy Anniversary” card waiting for us on the table and when dessert came there was “Happy Anniversary” written along the rims of the plates.   I had a couple glasses of wine to keep me from looking like I was going to explode and our regular waitress, Michelle, was awesome in getting us out on time without making it look obvious that we were on a schedule.

Audra was thrilled with her Malomars and we headed outside where I expected our limo to be waiting for us.   However, it wasn’t there yet so I stalled by pretending to go to the ATM around the corner.    However, it still wasn’t there when I got back.   Finally, with no more excuses I said that she had to wait outside the jeep for the rest of her Anniversary present to arrive.   Finally the limo showed up and we piled in our party Hummer.   I asked Audra where she wanted to go and immediately vetoed her first suggestion.   I then suggested some friends who live in Portland next to this park overlooking the city.   She agreed and we headed up Munjoy Hill.  When we get there I had to pretend to call these friends and ask them to come down while I dragged Audra away from the limo towards the view.

When we got to the spot overlooking the city the lights were beautiful.    I grabbed her hands and faced her saying “You know why we’re here, don’t you?”  She later said that it was only then that she knew I was going to propose.   Which was great because I knew how much she wanted it to be a surprise.   Up until that point she thought it was all about our Anniversary.     I got on my knee, pulled out a ring and asked Audra to marry me.   I also said a lot of other things which she has no recollection of me saying.    I was quite amused when I learned that later.

After I proposed and stood up the photographer (Bernie) who had been taking pictures on the sly in the background  came out grabbed some of his  flashes and went to work for about 30 minutes shooting us around the park.  We got some shots outside, against a tree, against the limo and in the limo.

The rest of the night was spent listening to Taylor Swift, drinking Schramsburg (Blanc de Blanc) and driving around by ourselves in a way to big limo (it seated 18)to visit family.   We visited Audra’s mother, Audra’s sister Jen and my father and stepmother.   We also called Audra’s sister Kim from her mother’s house.

Audra was kind enough to stay off twitter and Facebook until the next day.

It was a very special evening and I had a great time!   I know we will both think back on that night for many years to come.

Audra’s Version:

Our 2 year anniversary was Friday the 8^th.  I started out the day with a muscle spasm that made it hard to move.  I stayed home and saw the doctor at 11AM – worried I wouldn’t make it to Fore Street that night!    After a visit to the doctor and a nap I was feeling much better and Matt picked me up at 5:30 to head out.  Matt made a point of mentioning to me that he had a hard week at work and was planning on drinking at dinner so I would have to drive home.  A bit strange but no problem.

Dinner at Fore Street was fabulous.  Matt had let them know it was our anniversary.  On our table was a card for us, they wrote Happy Anniversary on our desert plates and when Michelle brought the check she came with a big box!  I thought they were from Fore Street but it was actually 24 Malomars from Two Fat Cats in Portland – they are to die for and only come around once a year.  Complete happy I was ready to go home to a Malomar and another episode of Weeds.  Matt told me he was “looped” and that he was tired and ready to go home to bed.  We left the restaurant right on time at 7:30.

We had a perfect parking spot right in the front and while I warmed up the car Matt went around the corner to the ATM. I moved the car out of our perfect parking spot and then Matt started getting nervous “why did you move the car! I have another surprise coming!”.  Fortunately I was able to get my spot back:)  As we waited for my next surprised I was a bit worried that it was a horse drawn carriage ride – it was COLD Friday night and that did not sound enjoyable to me.  Around the corner comes a Hummer SUV limo – the kind that seats 20 – that was for us!   We jumped in and I wasn’t sure what we were going to do in that car for three hours – we aren’t big drinkers or partiers.  Matt tells me we are off to see friends of ours who live on North Street in Portland – right next to a park that overlooks the city.  I wasn’t sure what we were going to do with our friends in that limo for three hours either….

It is at this point you might think that I knew what was coming – but I didn’t!  A few weeks ago I had given Matt a little speech about how he doesn’t court me anymore, and when the limo arrived he told me he had heard the speech.  I thought a limo was a bit over the top for courting and a 2 year anniversary:)

By the time we arrived at North Street Matt was jumping out of his skin.  We hopped out of the limo but our friends were not waiting for us.  Matt suggested we go look at the view while we wait for them to come out.  Of course the entire time our friends were never coming out, they were part of the ploy.  Halfway down to the park Matt asked if we should get the wine he had brought.  I said no, the thought of drinking wine in a cold park on a January night did not thrill me.  Once we got into the park we took a look at the view, it really is beautiful and the lights were twinkling.  I made a comment on the view and then turned around to face Matt, it was then he said “You know why we are here right” and I promise you it was not until this point that I realized why we were there.  I said NO!  You don’t even have a ring!”   I was trying to stall a bit so I could take the whole moment in.   Matt was scheduled to go with my friend Alison to look at rings on the 14th so I was shocked when he started off his proposal, talking about how this year has been challenging but together we can do anything.  And then he quoted Winnie the Pooh.  I kept asking him to tell me the quote over again,  stalling so I could remember every bit about the proposal.  When he was done he got on one knee and said “Audra, Will you marry me?” It is here I took a pause, letting the moment sink in, and then of course I said Yes!

After that Matt asked me if I knew there had been a photographer there the whole time – I did not – but Bernie caught some wonderful pictures of us that evening!  The image of Matt down on one knee proposing is the best keepsake a girl could ask for from the proposal – well that and the ring:)

After that we piled back into the limo and went to visit family to share the good news!! It was a fantastic evening and it fulfilled the two requirements I had for a proposal – that I was TOTALLY surprised and that I didn’t know anything about the ring.

My ring is vintage, from the 1930’s we believe, from an antique jeweler that Matt found.  The one thing we had agreed on was that neither one of us wanted a new diamond for the ring.  He did a fantastic job and the ring could not be more “me” if I had designed it myself!

Next step – the date….

xo,
audra

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