Brett and I were both in transition points in our lives. He had just moved back to Fort Collins after living in Denver for 5 years and I had just moved back from Aspen after spending a year there. While we were figuring out what we wanted to do, we both ended up working at a brand new restaurant in Old Town Fort Collins in June 2016. We were both part of the opening team. Brett was the Sous Chef and I took a server position. From day one, we noticed each other. Our manager set up a wine training for everyone and Brett and I ended up sitting next to each other. We had a great time tasting wine (and flirting) all evening and ended up going to a bar afterward to hang out. One week after the wine training, Brett asked me out on a date. We went to Jax in Fort Collins and even though we were both a little nervous, we had an amazing time. We had the easiest and most fun time talking to each other and ended up staying there for a few hours. It was clear that we liked each other but also discussed how we were both in weird points in life and didn't want to rush into anything. We spent July, August, and September flirting with each other at work and spending more and more time together outside of work. I started my MBA in Fall 2016 and ended up quitting work at the restaurant to find a different job that fit my future plans. In October 2016, Brett asked me to be his girlfriend. Even though we didn't want to rush into anything, we couldn't deny the connection we had. We're both incredibly thankful we came into each other's lives when we did and we both feel really lucky to have found each other.

From the moment we made things official, I knew that eventually I would want to ask Molly to marry me. Our connection, our love, our interactions, our entire relationship were the most important things to me. And I knew at that very moment I would want it to not only last forever, but grow stronger with time. When I had the opportunity to vacation to Europe with Molly and her family, I knew that I wanted to propose to her during the trip. I didn't know how, or where, or when, but I did know that proposing to her in the most beautiful setting in front her family was what she deserved. It was very important to me that her parents supported me in my decision to ask their daughter to marry me. So, I got the courage to invite them to dinner, and without much hesitation I asked them for their blessing. The next step was finding Molly a ring. A ring that not only represented my love for her, but also something that symbolized the meaning of two great families coming together. After talking with Molly's parents about the ring, Patty (Molly's mom) offered to give me an heirloom ring from Molly's grandmother, Virginia. I set one of the diamonds in the ring in a new setting and the end result was perfect. The only thing left to do was ask her to spend the rest of her life with me. As we began our journey to Spain from Denver I began to realize that anytime you're traveling to different countries, going through customs is inevitable. And it dawned on me that sometimes you get searched when going through customs. With that being said, I was bound and determined to keep the proposal an absolute surprise regardless of the circumstances.

We arrived in Barcelona with no issues, and had the time of our lives. During our time exploring Spain, the opportunity never felt quite right, so off to Italy we went. As soon as we arrived in Florence, I knew that it would be the place. The charm, the magic, and the beauty made it feel like it would be the most special place to ask her. Our first day in Florence was spent exploring, eating gelato, watching soccer, drinking lots of wine, and to our surprise, a lot of good beer. On our second day in Florence, we planned a day trip to Tuscany to explore the countryside, see some sites, eat some good food, and drink some amazing wine. We stopped in a few small villages, ate lunch at a beautiful restaurant on the hillside, and finally had a tasting and tour at Giuccardini Strozzi, one of the oldest wineries in Tuscany. When we arrived at the winery we anticipated a tour and tasting full of other tourists, but to our surprise it was entirely private for our family. Even though I had been prepared all day to "pop the question", I didn't know when or how I wanted it to happen. But after arriving at the vineyard, I knew it was the place. We toured the winery, tasted some amazing wines, and learned so much about Tuscany. After our tasting, we were getting ready to go when I noticed an overlook with the most amazing view of Tuscany. In an attempt to get Molly to go to the overlook, I suggested that we all take a picture. As Molly walked over to get ready for the picture, I sneakily got the ring from Patty (who had been carrying it all day). Without hesitation, I walked over behind Molly as she looked out over the vineyards, got on one knee, and asked her to marry me. I had a long spiel memorized, but to be completely honest, neither of us remember what I said. It was a moment of pure happiness that I will never forget. A moment in time that doesn't feel real, but I'm so unbelievable happy that it was. I'm so ready to spend the rest of my life with her.