We’re Engaged! Our Proposal Story

This post may contain affiliate links, which means if you click and/or make a purchase, I may earn a commission at no additional cost to you. Gifted products will be noted as such.

I had never thought too much about Labor Day weekend. Before I met Cam, it was always a big beach weekend that I would spend with my entire family in Cape May and inevitably the end of summer and beginning of a school year. But when I started dating Cam, I began to attend his family’s annual Labor Day picnic hosted by his parents. We had come through a rather difficult month having just been back in Carlisle two weeks before mourning the loss of Cam’s sweet Grandma and I was feeling a bit down before the weekend.

Not that I wasn’t excited for the party and to see his family, but we had been traveling each weekend for two straight months and I was longing for a weekend of sweatpants and tv (not like I ever do that, but you get the idea). I expressed my physical and mental exhaustion to my parents and they encouraged me that they were sure I would have more fun than I thought 😉

Setting the Scene

It was Saturday, August 31 and it was the perfect date. The sun was shining and Cam jumped on my bed to wake me up to go and play tennis, one of our favorite activities to do together. I was so excited to be outside. It really was a beautiful day. First we hit up the local Sheetz for a coffee and a quick car wash and then we hit the courts. We were both playing particularly badly but we laughed it off and gave sweaty hugs and high fives at the end nonetheless. We headed back home and hung out with Cam’s family for a bit on the back deck taking in the sunshine. Cam knew I had to take some photos for a Boden collaboration so he suggested we get showered and head to town for a mini shoot. Pretty glad Cam used this excuse to get me into a cute outfit for the big moment 🙂

Sitting on the Dock of the Bay

We jumped into my little jeep after getting cleaned up and Cam started to drive. He had expressed interest in visiting a lake about 30 minutes out of town that we know and love. I was thrilled to be on a pretty country drive with music blasting and wind through my hair. We arrived at Laurel Lake in Boiling Springs and went to find our special dock that we’ve fished off of many times, but unfortunately it was already occupied by two fisherwomen. We opted for a bench by the water instead.

While sitting and taking in the view, we started to talk about the many times we had been to that lake; the very first time I visited Carlisle or first summer dating, fishing with beers off the little dock, taking anniversary pictures in the grove of trees. We had made so many memories there. After a while, Cam suggested we go back to our dock to see if it was available. It was and we sat down swinging our feet in the water. The sun was shining so perfectly off the lake and we continued talking about our relationship and the perseverance it took to get through 5 years of long distance. Cam was being very nostalgic and sweet, but i didn’t think anything of it because that’s kind of how he always is. We took a few selfies and I was already tearing up about how wonderful of a day it was.

We finally decided it was time to head back so we stood up to leave when Cam said, hold on…before we go….there’s one more thing…

The Big Ask

I would love to tell you what Cam said next but I truly think I blacked out. In my mind I was trying to convince myself that he couldn’t possibly be proposing and to not get my hopes up. But then all of the sudden he was reaching into his pocket and grabbing my hand (the wrong one at first hehe). Then of course he was down on one knee… Christianna Jo, will you marry me?

There was a lot all at once… bursting into tears, a ‘uhuh’ and a ‘YES!’ and a scream, hug, jump, and a ‘did you ask my parents?’ We stood there in awe of what had just happened, overflowing with excitement to start a new chapter as we stepped off that precious dock.

The Back Story & The Sparkle

So if you were wondering, yes he did ask my parents. Back in June before my birthday, he sat down with my mom and dad, totally catching them off guard and asked for my hand in marriage. From what I hear, it was the kindest and sweetest thing ever and there were many tears and hugs. From there, Cam told his parents and sister and brother-in-law and asked my sister and brother-in-law to help him with the ring.

Under the guise of beers in the city, Cam and my brother-in-law, Les, went shopping on Jeweler’s Row and ended up at Desumma & Wexler, the same jeweler who designed and created my sister’s ring. Cam’s mom had given him a diamond ring which they used for the center stone and melted down the gold for the band. I never knew what I wanted in a ring (other than for it to be gold) so I had never told Cam what I wanted. He nailed it and designed it perfectly, better than I would’ve imagined it for myself. He wanted it to be vintage inspired and classic too. I simply love it.

All of our family members were waiting in anticipation. I finally called my parents and sister and cried and gushed about the incredible moment on the dock. Then we got home to the Smiths waiting in the driveway with sparklers, champagne, cupcakes, and balloons. It was such a joyful, love-filled day and weekend that I will never forget. We’re engaged!!!! And it is just the sweetest season of life that I can ever imagine.

What’s Next?

So! Yes, I hope to share some of my wedding planning tips, successes, insights, woes, and more as we go through this journey together. In only 3 short weeks, we have already experienced (hopefully) the worst of it, as we set out to find a venue. We were looking at September/Early October of next year and let me tell you, everything is booked. We searched high and low, visited about 10 venues, and finally picked a place we both love, that is indicative of the beauty of our relationship…. aka pretty close to the turnpike haha jk jk. That was certainly one obstacle that I didn’t realize would be so difficult.

I will say, before getting engaged and even years ago, I loved to obsess over details of my future wedding and creating the most incredible environment for our guests. But now as we start to plan, the thing I am most excited for is the ceremony; exchanging vows, displaying our relationship, our faith in Christ and how He shaped our path together, and worshiping Him through it all. The thought makes me cry just thinking about it.

Thank you all so much for your outpouring of love and excitement for Cameron and me. We are over the moon and, after the franticness of venue searching is over, we are excited to rewind and bask in the glow of our engagement.

Next on the list: an engagement party, a dress for me, a band/dj, and lots of Pinterest browsing.

xoxo,

jojo