Our engagement story

Part of me feels like I should apologize for all of the romance-oriented content on the blog, and then the other part is like, I’m getting married in 3 days, so sue me! It’s what has been on my mind as of late, and that’s typically how I roll with this whole blogging thing.

Plus, since I have been blowing up your inboxes with information about weddings, our relationship, etc., I thought you might like to know where it all began. Well, if you’ve read this post from our anniversary, you know where it all originally began; what I’m talking about is how this wedding got underway. I’m talking about how Spencer and I got engaged!

I suppose I should start by explaining the magical experience that I have every year at Christmastime. My grandparents have a cabin up in Manchester, Vermont where I have spent every winter holiday of my life (except for the very first one when I was barely two months old, so let’s just say it didn’t count). It’s located right down the mountain from Bromley, a ski resort that we frequent, and it meant that even as a Georgia girl, I tended to have a white Christmas each year. I am blessed.

Now for the last eight years, Spencer has spent the first few days of winter break with my family at Splinters (because every good cabin has a name). It was especially nice during the long-distance college years when we didn’t get to spend as much time together as we would’ve liked. He would come up to spend the first week or so with me, and then we would each spend the actual holiday with our respective families. Since he’s only missed one holiday season in Vermont in the nine years that we’ve been dating, I thought nothing of it when Spencer, my sister Parker, and I drove the sixteen hours up the east coast together ahead of my family.

That Tuesday, Spencer and I had the perfect day of skiing (it was -8º at the top of the mountain!) before the weather turned sour, and in the following days we saw more rain than snow. My parents, brother, and grandfather arrived, and it still rained. I had promised Spencer two days of skiing, and I was beginning to worry that we wouldn’t get the opportunity to make it back on the mountain. On the morning of Saturday, December 21st, we woke up to temperatures in the upper thirties and questionable weather conditions at Bromley. However, I could tell it was important to Spencer that we at least try, so we made the trip up to the slopes anyway.

With the trees dripping around us and patches of grass emerging at the sides of the trail, Spencer and I climbed on the high-speed quad and rode up to the top of the mountain. Knowing that our day of skiing would likely be cut short, we immediately got on Run Around, my favorite slope on the mountain and one that has always held significance for my family. There’s this “quiet spot” at a bend in the trail where we always stop, meaning I didn’t think anything of it when we halted to take a picture for my mom.

When I looked up from taking the selfie of us, Spencer was down on one knee in the snow, holding the most beautiful ring I’d ever seen out in front of me. He asked, I said yes, and we sped down the mountain to the lodge where my family was waiting to congratulate us! Those sneaky devils.

It’s a bit of a bummer that we won’t get to recreate the picture or even make it up to the top of Bromley this season, but we will be on our honeymoon, so I suppose I shouldn’t complain! It meant so much to me that Spencer chose such a significant place and time of year to propose; I always told my friends that Spencer was the type to make it a private, intimate moment, and I was not disappointed. It is one that I will forever cherish as the beginning of the rest of my life!

Like I said, sorry for all the feelings that I’ve splattered across the blog lately.  It’s just what’s been on my brain more and more the closer we get to the big day!

Have any cute, funny, or unique engagement stories? Share them below! And pictures. All the pictures!