Our Love Story: The Proposal

If you missed part one of our love story, you can catch up on it here.

And just like last time, Cory will be popping in randomly to “tell you how it really went”.

In June of 2009, Cory and I headed down to Charleston for a wedding. Even though we had looked at rings before it was more of a “while we are at the mall, we’ll just walk through here real fast and take a look” kinda deal. I had no idea that he was planning on proposing and was paying attention to what I liked.

Cory: Hey, I pay attention to what my baby likes. 

Since the majority of our love story thus far takes place in Charleston, it crossed my mind that he might propose where it all started but that weekend was extremely busy. It was late Friday night when we got there, we were both in the wedding on Saturday and we got up early Sunday morning to head to Tybee Island to vacation with my family. With the craziness of the weekend, I really didn’t think about it again.

Cory: Lies.

On Sunday, Cory and I left Charleston to head to Tybee. My parents rented this house right beside the island’s lighthouse and Cory had mentioned that since we were so close to the lighthouse that he would like to tour the grounds and go to the top one afternoon.

Cory: Which didn’t seem like a strange request for me, because I’m all about old buildings and historical places that Paige hates.

*The lighthouse from our driveway. 

After spending Monday morning on the beach, we came back to the house for lunch and decided to head to the lighthouse that afternoon with my dad and brothers. When we got to the stairs, my dad and brothers decided to have a contest to see who could reach the top first. Since it was June {and I didn’t feel like dying} I wasn’t interested in racing so we agreed to meet at the top.

While trying to buy time, Cory suggested we take our time but man, did he want to go super slow! I couldn’t figure out why he wanted to stop at every. single. window and look out {it was the same view just higher}. As we approached the top, we passed my family going back down and my dad made up some excuse about being real dizzy and light headed from being that far off the ground. I thought it was strange because my Dad was in the best shape of all of us but shrugged it off.

Cory: I was trying not to kill her dad.

At the top of the stairs was a door leading out to the balcony and as I went to step through the door Cory stopped me,  pointed towards the door, and said “What’s that?” but I had no idea what he was pointing at. I was looking out at the ocean trying to find what he was pointing at, thinking it was a dolphin or a ship or something. I kept saying “I don’t see anything. What am I supposed to be looking for?”

Cory: To this day, I still can’t figure out how she was able to open the door with a crazy looking note like that tied to the latch and not see it. Good thing it wasn’t a snake. That would have been a very unsuccessful proposal.

Finally, he said “That note on the door. What is it?” I finally noticed the note hanging from the latch with the words “Paige, Will you marry me? Love, Cory” and when I turned back around to him and he was on one knee. Cory had made the note with our picture on it and our anniversary as well as that day’s date.

Cory: It was precious.

What was my response, you may ask? “Cory, shut up! Are you serious?” Because I’m all romantic and sappy like that.

My Dad and brothers had rushed to the top to plant the note {mad props to them, by the way. He probably was light headed after sprinting up all those stairs} and they had just gone down a few stairs to be out of sight but still able to hear the whole proposal.

Cory: I had asked them to help me out with the proposal. The lighthouse was one of three plans that I had–I prepared to have plenty of backup plans in case something didn’t work out right. I wanted Paige to have a good story. Bless their hearts that they ended up with the worst task of the three and did it with a smile.

I think what is even funnier than my response was Cory’s. The first words out of his mouth where “This is not your ring, I promise.” You see, the diamonds in my ring are family diamonds from his Great-Grandmother and he had them mounted in a setting I had picked out that day at the mall. He was told it would be back in time for our trip but it ended up not being ready. He really wanted to propose at the lighthouse so my Mom let him use her engagement ring. Not that my mom’s ring isn’t gorgeous but it wasn’t any of the things I had described that I liked. I guess he really was worried that the ring would sway my decision. Ha!

Cory: See what I mean about backup plans? I believe in preparation when it comes to Paige. I’ve learned my lesson not being prepared in the past!

Cory: Wow you would think if I knew I was getting engaged that day I wouldn’t have been looking so doofy.

We stepped out on the ledge to snap a few pictures and the rest of my family {my Mom, sisters and niece} were in the window of the house trying to see the proposal. Apparently, Gracie and I were the only people who didn’t know it was going to happen. I remember another couple being out on the ledge asking us if we knew the {crazy} people waving frantically in the window of that house because it looked like they were “trying to get our attention”. I quickly responded that we had just gotten engaged! It felt so awesome to be able to say it almost immediately after but the couple didn’t seem to care about my obnoxiously huge grin and über excitement.

Needless to say, the rest of the vacation was spent flipping through wedding magazines (that my Mom had already purchased and brought with her!) and talking about wedding plans.

Cory: That lighthouse is crooked. How did we not fall off?

When Cory proposed, I had just graduated from Clemson and he had another year to go {he is actually older than I, but took some time off }. We both knew that we wanted to wait until he finished school but we didn’t know if he would graduate in May or August so we almost immediately {like that week} decided to get married in the fall of 2010.

Maybe I’m biased but I have to say that I think it was hopelessly romantic that Cory proposed at the top of a lighthouse. We’ve since been back to Tybee Island {many times} and the lighthouse will always hold a special place in my heart.

Cory: I told you I was precious.

So, there you have our proposal story! I hope you enjoyed it and will come back next Wednesday when I recap my bridal showers.