Hi friends! 

I'm beyond thrilled to share some amazing news with you all! Brace yourselves because I'm ENGAGED! Yes, you read that right - I'm getting married! After years of waiting, my boyfriend Jon finally popped the question, and I said yes without any hesitation!

I know you're probably thinking, "Whoa, slow down! Give us the deets!" So, let me start from the beginning. It was a typical evening, or so I thought. Jon had planned a dinner with my mom to celebrate an early Mother's Day, and I was excited to spend some quality time with her. Little did I know, Jon had a surprise up his sleeve.

A Magical Moment: The Proposal

When we arrived at the restaurant, a group of our closest friends and family members welcomed me. I was so confused and wondered why they were all there. Then Jon got down on one knee and asked me to marry him! I was over the moon and couldn't believe what was happening. It was the most magical moment of my life!

Thinking back, there were some clues that Jon was up to something. He had bought me a beautiful dress to wear that night, but I had convinced myself that he wouldn't propose at "Fake Mother's Day." I had thought he would propose so many times over the years, much to my former disappointment, lol. But Jon had other plans that night, and I'm happy he did.

My engagement ring is a marquise-cut diamond with a diamond band, and it's everything I could have ever wished for. Jon knows me so well, and he picked out a ring that perfectly suits my style. Plus, it was on the vision board in our bedroom for like four years, lol.

I'm still in shock, but I'm so grateful to have everyone there to share our joy. When we got home, I shared the news online, and the outpouring of support was overwhelming. It's incredible how much love and support you receive when something like this happens, and I'm so grateful for it.

Now that we're engaged, we're starting to think about the wedding. I've already got a list of potential wedding dates, sorted by aesthetics, predicted weather, and numerology - yes, I'm that girl...LOL. We haven't decided anything about the wedding yet, but I hope for a peaceful, light, airy, luxurious, glamorous, stress-free, and fun day.

I'm so excited to start this new chapter of my life with Jon, and I can't wait to share all the exciting moments with you along the way! I'm still trying to wrap my head around all the wedding planning ahead!

Planning Our Dream Wedding

I'm a pretty traditional kind of gal, so I'm sure there will be many traditions I want to include in my big day. Honestly, I'm the kind of person who likes to do things myself because other people tend to stress me out. But I also know that planning a wedding is no small feat, so I'm going to need all the help I can get, especially from my fiancé Jon.

We have yet to pick our wedding party, but we have a good idea of who we want to ask. I can't wait for all the pre-wedding celebrations, like the engagement party, bridal shower, bachelor/bachelorette, and rehearsal dinner. I want each of these to be just as special as our wedding day!

The venue is still up in the air, but there's this one place in Lenox, MA, that I really like. I know it will probably be out of our budget, but a girl can dream, right? I'm a total checklist queen, so I'm ready to tackle wedding planning head-on. Jon is also really excited to be involved, which makes me feel lucky and supported.

We both really love the idea of a romantic glam vibe for our wedding. As for colors, I'm still undecided. I've always had a clear vision of my dream wedding dress, and I know I want Jon to wear a classic tux, but I'm still trying to figure out what the rest of the wedding party will wear.

To be honest, my biggest fear in all of this is dealing with difficult people. You know how weddings can bring out the worst in some folks. So, let me be clear: anyone who is invited to our wedding needs to check their negativity, stress, and drama at the door. There will be no room for that kind of nonsense on our special day. After eight years of us against the world to be together, we won't let anything ruin our wedding day. I don't want to be a Bridezilla, but if someone tries to mess with us, they'll see a side of me they never knew existed.

Overall, I'm excited, nervous, and a little overwhelmed by the whole wedding planning process. But I know that with Jon by my side, we can make this day everything we've ever dreamed of and more. 

Navigating Traditions and Challenges

It's been quite a journey, but I'm so excited that we finally made it! I'm still in shock, to be honest. I can't believe I'm engaged to the man of my dreams. It's been seven years and ten months in the making, but we made it!

We're both over the moon, of course, and we've been celebrating non-stop since he popped the question. We've told all our friends and family, who've been showering us with love and congratulations. It's been overwhelming, to say the least, but in the best way possible.

One thing that's been on our minds since the engagement is obviously planning the wedding. We've decided to have an engagement party first, but we're still trying to figure out where to have it. Do we want it at a fancy venue or at home with our closest friends and family? It's a tough decision, but we'll figure it out soon.

I asked Jon what made him want to be with me forever-- besides, you know, what a great catch I am, LOL. But in all seriousness, he told me we're a perfectly balanced team. Our strengths and weaknesses are primarily opposites, and that's how he knew he wanted to be with me forever. We push each other to grow in all the right ways and are there for each other when we fall. It's a beautiful thing to hear, and it makes me feel so secure in our relationship.

But it hasn't always been easy. We've had our fair share of doubts over the years, but we've grown through it all, and it's made us stronger. We started dating when I was 18 and he was 21. We've had to navigate the ups and downs of growing up and maturing together. It has been well worth any stupid fight that any couple who's been together through their entire 20s and beyond will remember going through, LOL.

When Jon proposed, he was so nervous he would forget something he wanted to say that he had to make sure he remembered everything. Apparently, he had initially planned the proposal for a different restaurant over a month out at one of my favorites a few towns over, but two days before the proposal (AND 1 day before his 30th birthday...), they called and said they wouldn't be able to honor the reservation because the manager on shift for the night said it would be too busy of a night. Jon had to scramble to rebook it because my mom was leaving the next day to travel, and our friends had already blocked out their calendars and moved things around for us.

Thankfully, a wonderful Italian restaurant in my hometown called Sorelle came to the rescue, and it was all for the better anyway. The staff at Sorelle treated us like royalty; the room they set up for us was gorgeous, and the food was absolutely fantastic. It made me really sad when I discovered the original plans. That other restaurant was genuinely one of my favorites, and I would tell everyone about it. I don't know if I'm just being a brat now, but I genuinely cannot believe they cared more about money than ruining someone's proposal, and I don't think we'll be returning to that other restaurant again.

And hey, as a business owner, I get it, but if it were my business that someone wanted to propose at, I would have rolled out the red carpet no matter what. Also, as a business owner with a background in the restaurant industry, I would have rather had the 20+ top reservation in my very small restaurant since I know people tend to indulge more when they celebrate instead of HOPING to have a busy Friday night... but.. to each their own I guess? Anyway, the moral of the story is the owners and the team at Sorelle were absolute angels and made our special night quite literally perfect. I couldn't be more grateful, so at least we have a new restaurant to celebrate our special occasions.

I'm so excited to plan the wedding, and I can't wait to see what the future holds for Jon and me. I feel like everything is finally falling into place, and I'm so grateful for it all. I'm also excited to share this journey with all of you and keep you updated along the way. 

Honestly, I'm still pinching myself that I get to spend the rest of my life with the man of my dreams. We've grown so much together, and we've only just started. But I know that whatever comes our way, we'll face it together, just like we always have. It's funny how life works out sometimes, and I feel so lucky that it brought us together.

Our Journey: Strength, Love, and Resilience

We've been together for almost eight years now, and I can honestly say that he's the best thing that ever happened to me.

It all started in 2016 when we first met. We hit it off right away and started dating shortly after. I remember feeling so comfortable around him as if I had known him forever. It was a feeling I had never experienced before, and I knew there was something special about him.

A few months into our relationship, Jon told me that he knew he wanted to get married someday. At the time, I wasn't really thinking about marriage yet at 18, but I was happy to hear that he saw a future with us together.

Fast forward to 2018, and my world was turned upside down when my dad was diagnosed with stage 4 colon cancer. It was a tough time for me and my family, but Jon was there for me every step of the way. He did everything he could to help my dad and make sure that we were all okay.

During this time, Jon even asked my dad for his blessing to propose to me. I had no idea then, but my mom later told me about it in her speech at our proposal. She said my dad was so happy for us, giving Jon his blessing without hesitation. It meant the world to me that my dad got to be a part of our story like that.

After my dad passed away in 2020, I fell into a deep depression. I didn't know how to cope with the loss, and it felt like everything was falling apart. It was a really tough time for Jon and me, but he never gave up on me. He was my rock and my support system, and I don't think I would have made it through without him.

After a lot of therapy and hard work, I finally started to heal, and our relationship grew even stronger. Jon proposed to me two days after his 30th birthday, which was the happiest moment of my life. I knew without a doubt that I wanted to spend the rest of my life with him.

Now, we're planning our wedding and couldn't be more excited. Jon hopes that the day can be summed up in one word: peace. We both want it to be a day where we can celebrate our love and honor my dad's memory in a meaningful way. As for traditions, we have yet to really think about it. We're both pretty laid back and just want to have fun with it. I want something traditional but not too long or complicated for the ceremony. I'm still figuring out which traditions I want to incorporate, but I'm considering adding some Catholic ones, even though I don't formally practice anymore, or some from my Italian heritage. 

Jon loves calling me his fiancée now, so I know he'll love calling me his wife even more. I feel so lucky to have found someone like Jon, and I can't wait to spend the rest of my life with him. He's my best friend, partner, and soulmate, and I know we'll be able to conquer anything life throws our way.

Looking Ahead: Excitement and Commitment

I just wanted to share how I feel now that Jon and I are engaged. It's been an incredible journey, and I'm so grateful for the love and support we've received from our family and friends. 

I have to admit, since Jon popped the question, I have definitely felt calmer and more at peace. It's like we've taken an enormous step forward in our relationship, and I just know that we're meant to be together. Jon feels the same way. His biggest advice for anyone planning a proposal? If you're planning to do it at a venue, get it in writing! 

Looking ahead, Jon and I are both so excited about the next five years. We can't wait to get married and start building a more established life together. And being engaged brings such a sense of security to our relationship. It's like we're both fully committed to each other, and that's an amazing feeling.

One thing Jon and I both believe in is staying true to our commitments. He's so happy about the commitments he's made to me. Before the wedding, we're just looking forward to getting closer and closer. We want to ensure we're on the same page about everything and fully prepared for the next chapter of our lives together.

Marriage has a time-tested value, and we both believe in its importance. For Jon, it was especially important to show me how much he loves me and that choosing each other was the right decision. And honestly, everything is just so exciting right now! We're both so happy and in love, and we can't wait to see what the future holds for us.

Thanks for taking the time to read about our engagement journey. It's been a whirlwind, but we're so grateful for every moment of it. And to anyone still waiting for their special someone, remember that love takes time. Trust in the process, and don't be afraid to take a chance on love. You never know where it might lead you.