We’re getting married!

We met on Monday, January 7, 2019 at a Clemson Alumni National Championship Watch Party at Slate. A mutual friend introduced us, and we ended up talking for the rest of the night. By the end of the night, we exchanged phone numbers and Mark asked me out. Fortunately, Clemson won and it was also a win for us. Mark called me the next day, and we’ve seen or talked to each other every day since then. Our first date was the Friday after we met. We started with pre-dinner cocktails at the Cotton Room, followed by dinner at La Belle Helene and desert and after-dinner drinks at Crave. We ended the night with a mini scotch tasting. The rest is history!

The proposal was a complete surprise! After I stalked The Cloisters for years, Mark decided to take me there to celebrate my birthday. It was the first stop on our Golden Isles road trip. Once we arrived and settled in, Mark suggested we take a walk to the Beach Club. We knew we would be eating and drinking a lot on vacation so we made a pack to get at least 10,000 steps a day. Prior to leaving, I insisted on calling my dad, which could have ruined the surprise. On the way to the Beach Club, I casually mentioned that I had already inquired about us getting married at The Cloisters. Perhaps, I have no filter, or I was just foreshadowing what was to come. As we entered the Beach Club, I was in awe of the open and airy lobby with floor to ceiling windows framed by a beautiful arched doorway with clear views of the beach. We decided to walk closer to the beach. As we approached, there were lighted torches and white rose petals forming a path to the beach. At this point, I was still clueless. I thought this was from the wedding we saw earlier. Who knew! At some point, Mark said this was for me. All I could think is that he really upped the ante for my birthday, and I was going to have to step up my game for his birthday since we typically travel for each other’s birthday. At some point, Mark started telling me how much he loved me, and he got down on one knee and asked me to marry him. Apparently, I started crying, took the ring, pulled him up, and started hugging him, but FORGOT TO SAY YES!!! Who does that? He asked me if that was a yes, and I screamed YES!