The Proposal

The proposal was several months in the making. Let me fill you in on the details...

Stephanie told me that if she ever was proposed to that she wanted to have her closest family and friends there. So, I was able to reserve two rooms for a Muse Paint Party at the Garden City location. It was pegged as a birthday paint party with friends.

I reached out to as many of her friends as possible to sign up for the party! I told them the true nature of the event, a surprise engagement.

In August, I asked one of Stephanie's friends, Arielle Dugue, to create a painting that shows me proposing to Stephanie in the sunset/sunrise on a field. It was an unusual request, but Arielle was so excited to do so.

Stephanie and I had been looking at rings together for several months. I was able to find Allurez, an Internet jeweler, who was able to make a customized ring to her liking. A heart shaped stone, 18K white gold band, an engraved message "Love, Faith and Hope" on the underside, and violet and turquoise stones on both sides. Perfect in everyway.

Arielle sent me a drawing of what the painting would look like in September. The painting would be done the week of the proposal. It is stunning!

For several weeks prior, I had teased Stephanie with how and when I had planned to propose, only to let her down with, "I wanted to propose to you in Las Vegas, but the ring hadn't arrived yet." Little did she know that I had the ring and the proposal was all prepared.

Friday, November 8, 2019, Stephanie arrives with Tanisha in her purple outfit, as planned. I was wearing a turquoise shirt, as planned. We had 51 guests and even the instructors were in on the secret.

At the end of the painting, I had Stephanie come up for surprise birthday gift. It was wrapped on an easel. I had her close her eyes and then when the painting of us was revealed, I got down on one knee and asked her to marry me.

She was in shock and began to cry and totally forgot what I even said to her. Thank God for video! It was a wonderful evening and I couldn't be more proud to call Stephanie my fiance!