Garrison and I got engaged about three weeks ago, and I'm so excited to finally share our engagement story with you! 

Three weeks ago, Garrison and I went on vacation to Gulf Shores with his family. We had been talking about getting engaged/married for awhile, so I had a hunch that he was going to propose sometime soon, but I really didn't think he would pop the question while we were on vacation.... and apparently he didn't either! He told his parents that he was not going to propose while we were there. But obviously, he changed his mind! 

We arrived in Gulf Shores on Sunday, and Garrison decided on Tuesday that he wanted to propose before we left the following Sunday. Now, if you know Garrison, then you know this is SO out of character. He is the most planned, must-have-a-schedule guy, so spontaneity isn't always his favorite thing, especially when it comes to big events like this. 

He told his parents that he really felt like it was the right time to propose, and they were totally supportive, but there was one little flaw in his sweet plan: Garrison hadn't bought a ring. He knew where he was going to purchase it from and what kind of diamond to get, but he definitely hadn't planned on buying the ring until later on. So he called the jeweler (who, did I mention, is located in Dallas) and asked if there was even a slim chance that they had the style of ring I wanted in the United States. The jeweler wasn't optimistic--the majority of the world's diamonds come from South Africa and Israel, so the chances of them already having one in the United States was slim--but they promised to check, just to be sure. 

...Anddd they found one! There was one diamond and one band like the one I wanted in the United States, but they were on opposite sides of the country. They overnight shipped the two pieces to Dallas, put them together, and then overnight shipped them to our resort in Gulf Shores. The ring arrived on Friday at four o'clock, and Garrison and his parents were able to slip out and pick it up while I was taking a nap. 

After the ring arrived, Garrison took me to Fisher's at Orange Beach Marina for dinner as a "late birthday present," where we had a wonderful meal that I will continually dream of for the rest of my life. Seriously, if you're in the Gulf Shores area, you absolutely have to go there! 

We finished dinner, grabbed some crappy coffee, and then headed back to our resort so that we could watch the sunset on the beach. After a long walk down the beach, we circled back around to our resort, where this beautiful setup was waiting for us... 

So beautiful and sweet! Shoutout to Garrison's sisters and aunt Kim for putting it all together! Just looking at the pictures gets me all emotional. In front of our family, Garrison got down on one knee and asked me to marry him, and, of course, I said yes!! 

The planning process is already in full swing! It's been simultaneously exciting and crazy, because there is so much to do! So far, we've booked a photographer, chosen our venue, picked a dress, and (kind of) picked a cake, and set up a few registries. It's literally like planning a giant party, and I'm trying to enjoy it without completely stressing out. I'm just so excited to marry my best friend, and at the end of the day, that's what really matters. 

Much love,

Em