It's a White Wedding — Please embrace the theme and wear white!

I didn’t know when and I didn’t know where; the only thing I did know, was the piece of my heart telling me that I will marry Allison. I started secretly planning a ring with Michael Ferrell’s Jeweler’s, the jewelry shop next to City Peoples, where Allison and I met and worked together. After questioning myself when should I pop the question, I decided that when it was perfect I would know and I opened my heart to what ever was right. It was mid-August by the time that Allison’s Amethyst and Diamond on White Gold ring was designed, constructed, and delivered. While I was looking at the finished ring, in the car, outside the jeweler, it dawned on me that our annual, Labor Day weekend, family trip was coming up soon, in the beginning of September. My proposal plan started to formulate at that very moment. Our family decided to go to the Gorge this year for the Guns and Roses concert along with camping at the Wildhorse Campground. The day of the concert was September 3rd, coincidently the first day I told Allison that I love her! We packed our gear and hit the road to The Gorge. As we drove up I-90, I had the ring in my pocket but I still didn’t have a proposal planned. After the first night of camping, with my wild family, I started to realize that the task of getting everyone together and quiet at the same time for the proposal was going to be nearly impossible. We are talking about my family here; a.k.a. “The Louds”. I kept it secret from everyone so it would be up to me to trick everyone into gathering in silence long enough to ask Allison to marry me. I woke up in our tent on concert day and panic was setting in. If I didn’t do it today then we’d drive home and I’d still have the ring in my pocket and I did not want that to happen! I went for a jog that day while everyone else drank water and rested their hang overs away. I ran a mile while asking God to help me figure out a way to propose to Allison.

I said, “Just let it come to me and I will catch it!” After my run, our family started to pre-funk before the Guns and Roses show. About an hour before we headed towards the concert, I went for a walk, and asked the sky one more time, “what do I have to do to make this work?“. Then, it hit me like freight train! I will orchestrate a family shot and this will get everyone together and quiet for the “cheers” I propose. It seemed so simple, almost too simple, but I went with it. I walked straight back to the campground, told my mom we’re going to do a family shot, she went and gathered styro-foam cups, I told my brother we’re going to do a family shot, he went and got all the different liquors, I started telling everybody else that we’re going to do a family shot and they all started gathering around in a big circle. I started making 14 shots, some Tequila, some Vodka mixed with some orange soda and I handed them out to everyone. Allison held her shot and she was to my right, in the circle of my family and friends. My heart was pounding out of my chest when I raised my hands up and said, “OK everyone I’m going to make a toast but first I want to tell Allison something and I want to tell her in front of all of you.” I turned to her, with all eyes on me, and I told her, “Allison, on this day, one year ago, I told you that I love you for the first time and this last year has been the very best year of my life. Everything we do together turns to diamonds and gold and I don’t want to call you my girlfriend any more, so will you marry me?” I took the ring out of my pocket and got down on one knee. My family went from stone cold silence to instant celebration after tear soaked Allison said “YES!”.