Our Story
It was unorthodox to say the least…
Why are you texting me at 2 and 3am??
- Stephen
Oh…I guess I should tell you…I’m in Alaska
- Danielle
From the beginning…
Danielle: Stephen and I matched on Hinge on August 23, 2019 (yes, I went back and looked it up). What he didn’t know at the time was that I was at the Atlanta airport heading on a family vacation in Alaska for the next 17 days. We chatted briefly while I was gone, until he asked me about my late-night texting habits. I would like to believe that once I clarified my time zone difference, it made him laugh.
Fortunately for me, he laughed (or so I think he laughed) and we continued talking.
Upon my return, we attempted to make a plan finally meet in person. Unfortunately for me, it was now Stephen’s turn to leave town as he had a friend’s bachelor party in Vegas.
After he got back, we were finally able to set up a plan to meet. And once again, I made things difficult. As he finally asked me out, I had to reschedule the FIRST two times due to family ‘birthdays’.
We FINALLY made a date for a Wednesday night to meet at the food trucks at Blackburn Park. To say our first date was unconventional is an understatement. We talked about all the things people always say NOT to talk about on a date – politics, religion, divorce, favorite sports teams..
And yet, we ended up being the last two people at the park and had a lovely cop watching over us as we awkwardly side hugged and left.
Our next few dates happened very quickly, and the texting continued at normal hours.
Stephen: I eventually wore her down, but I would like to think it’s because I was super smooth when I managed to blurt out “Love ya” while giving finger guns while getting into an uber on my way to a second bachelor party in Vegas. The eye roll and the smirk she gave me – I knew that she was a keeper (This is a Danielle edit - who knows if that’s what I was thinking…Up to the reader to determine!)
We had to get through multiple ‘birthdays’ to schedule a first date and probably some ‘I have to wash my hair that day’ excuses…
- Stephen
On to the proposal…
When it finally came time to get engaged, I knew exactly what to do (No I didn’t; Danielle just thinks I did).
My employer was hosting our annual SKO (sales kickoff) in California. I said…beach cliff sunset proposal - what a brilliant guy I am. My great friend (who will be at the wedding) did the unthinkable…he left his house and went to the beach 20 minutes away to help me scout the location (important note is he loves enough to leave his home to do a video scouting trip with his wife and then only child)
Atlanta was gonna Atlanta though and it actually snowed…a lot…flight was delayed and then ultimately cancelled. Rebooked a 24 hours later; why is this detail important? Well…
Her best friend flew out the night before as she was the gonna be the shock factor. The distraction. The red herring. She had been dodging calls and turned off her location on her phone for 2 weeks. Mission Impossible was turning into literally mission impossible - thanks snow.
Brilliance turned to panic; how the hell was I going to propose now? My carefully crafted plan…derailed. As luck would have it, she gave me the perfect alternative - she wanted a grilled cheese for snow lunch. You see, the first meal I ever cooked for her was a grilled cheese sandwich and early on, there was a late night moment over grilled cheese where the thoughts ‘I could see this lasting forever’ crossed my mind. Hence, perfect alternative.
Perfection took yet another turn. Sandwich delivered; black out commence. I sat down next to her, stared into the unlit fire pit and started fumbling over my words. Fear not, I did finally got to the end and for a moment of clarity, I dropped my best line -- “Since we’re stuck inside, would you like to be stuck with me forever?”
Success! We did it! In the famous words of Lee Corso ‘Not so fast, my friend’. I forgot to present the ring. I presented a box…which contained another box which contained the ring. Let your imagination awkwardly fumble through 2 box openings.
She did not immediately answer – just kept saying “What is happening right now??” My trickeration was too advanced and I left her dumbfounded (because I am dumb you see).
She demands that I put the ring on her finger which I retort, it’s 2025 and I need consent!
She enthusiastically said yes and the rest is history.