We're getting married!

Chris and I had the stars align in order for our paths to finally cross at a more than perfect time in both of our lives. Chris a student at URI (Rhode Island for us in the south) decided to be ambitious during his 4 years in college and had the pleasure of not only meeting, but starting a fraternity with a new found friend, Ryan. Their college years must have been great as they kept in touch even post graduation - bringing us to Atlanta, Georgia. While Chris has taken an internship here in the south for a summer, it was only a matter of time before he accepted a job with JWT and moved here full time. Shortly after getting his feet wet with southern culture, a familiar friend, Ryan, reached out sharing he would also now be moving to Georgia and what fun would it be to stay with a buddy from college! With Ryan accepting a job based in Vinings, his contagious personality allowed him to quickly make friends - bringing Rachael into our web. As the coworkers began to hang out outside of work, turns out Rachael and her husband Bobby lived in this fantastic neighborhood, only a few houses up from Chris and Ryan's driveway. What a coincidence! With his new found group of friends, Chris was then introduced to Rachael's brother Adam, and his then girlfriend and now wife Courtney (aka my sister!) While they all were friends for a number of months, our paths never seemed to cross as I would attend Rose All Day at the Ivy and he would be out of town, or he would travel to DC and I already had plans. Until July <3

With a few convincing words from my sister, after a very long week, I strolled down the street to her apartment where she was hosting friends before a night on the town. Over a few card games with rules I still don't understand, I managed to lock eyes across the coffee table with Chris - a guy I assumed was taken by one of the other girls in the room, however, I was mistaken. As the night went on, Chris continued to talk to me about my favorites, what I do for work and what I like to do with my free time. Even being at a loud bar in Buckhead, he managed to hold my attention the whole night without either of us noticing our friends trickle home one by one. When the night came to an end, he grabbed an uber for us both. As I got out of the car to leave, it was his "Goodnight Lindsey" and final question that had me hooked: Can I take you out sometime so I can get to know you more? I knew even then, he was different than anyone I had ever met . <3

Exchanging conversation over the next few days, I got to know Chris' sarcastic humor and, rightfully so, we challenged one another to find the best place for us to share some dessert and drinks over a late date night. Since we had agreed on a Tuesday night - due to our crazy weekends packed with friend's weddings and parents in town for the next few - I knew both of us would need to be quite creative as most places close around 10pm. With the upper hand of being a Georgia Peach, I suggested a cafe I had been dying to try. It was known for having hundreds of desserts to chose from on any given day, and (BINGO) it was also open until 2am. Impressing him already, the date was set and now to just wait 2 days for that evening to get here. That Tuesday, as I raced home from small group, I re-showered as if I was going to a formal event and threw on a dress. For the next few minutes, my roommate and I waited at the window for his car to arrive. Now he may of been from New York, but this was a true Southern gentleman. Opening the car door for me and even getting on to me for coming to the car before he could get to my front door, off we rode to the, soon to be special, cafe. At Cafe Intermezzo, Table 52, over strawberry cheesecake, red wine, and learning what disaronno was, we shared continuous conversation and I vividly remember my abs hurting the next day from laughing so hard. Now this is a place that we frequent - for those late night cravings after a long work day (even if your car may get booted), for celebrating a year of dating, and for even celebrating the day we got ENGAGED!

Now Chris has always been wonderful with surprises throughout our relationship, but this one obviously takes the cake! My morning began with an impromptu breakfast date with Chris instead of meeting to work out. Over everything bagels, we decide to sit down in our favorite Dunkin Donuts for the first time rather than drive thru and giggled over the painted Valentine’s windows and latest Olympic craze. After dropping me off at home, he kissed me goodbye and was off to “change his oil and meet the boys for celebration drinks over his promotion.” My idea of what would happen this weekend was as follows: Saturday was a delayed Gal-entine’s Day as my girlfriend Aubrey’s coworker had “given” her tickets to the Atlanta Botanical Gardens since the coworker’s family could no longer attend. After the Gardens, us girls would meet the boys at the brewery for the afternoon, then I would head home to pack for the beach. On Sunday, Chris and I would be getting up to drive to Pensacola to meet his family for an Air Force Ceremony of sorts and we’d return home on Tuesday. BUT…none of this was true, nor would be our planned weekend! After sharing mimosas and getting ready with Mandi, I was easily convinced to wear something she knew would look great in photos. We were soon picked up by Alyssa, and the 4 of us were on the way excited for the girl time. Car parked and heading thru the entrance, we began to pick up the walking pace for some reason. Only stopping to take ONE picture, these girls were on a mission to get to a specific exhibit, but I still was oblivious assuming it was due to excitement over orchids. Arriving to the middle of the Japanese Gardens, I was determined to grab a group picture for social media missing what was all around me – Ryan sitting on a bench, a photographer waiting for me and Chris standing underneath the Arch of the Gardens. Once my phone was taken and photos we’re posted to Snapchat for me, I now assumed my girlfriends were crazy until I looked up.

Once Chris and I locked eyes, I knew this day was about to be the most memorable afternoon. Walking toward him I had all of our memories flash before me was smiling so hard my cheeks hurt. Reminding me how much he loved me and more, Chris handed me a fortune I had opened on January 22nd over my favorite Chinese soup – Your biggest dreams will come true within a month. I had no idea he already had the answer to my dream planned. Of course saying YES, we celebrated with champagne and had a mini photo shoot in the gardens to document the occasion. Like clockwork, Ryan reminded us how hungry we were and should continue the celebration over cake and drinks at Café Intermezzo. There I could sit down and FaceTime my parents and family as well as his since I had asked a billion times in the garden but was told to just wait. Then came surprise number 2! Walking into the café, Chris guides me straight to the back room only to walk in with a room full of our families and closest friends. The room was amazing! Decorated in tons of pictures of us from the very beginning of our relationship (that I thought I had sent to my mom for new pictures on the mantle at home), we got to celebrate and share stories of how we met each and every person in the room. The day continued with surprises, including a reservation for our families to have dinner at our favorite Italian restaurant and a packing list provided to me, as we were never going to the beach – but an escape-cation to the Blue Ridge mountains to soak in the moment and enjoy the rest of the weekend!