I wanted to surprise Crystal with a proposal at the beach, but for those who don’t know her well—she’s always running late. I knew I needed a foolproof plan to make sure we caught the sunset. To set the stage, I planned a daytime date in Little Italy, starting with a stroll through the farmers market. Later, we were supposed to meet her friend Krista for an early dinner. Krista was in on the plan and suggested meeting in La Jolla—then conveniently texted that she was stuck in traffic. That gave me the perfect excuse to suggest a walk on the beach to pass the time. As we made our way down to Windansea Beach, a photographer was already waiting, hidden in position. The moment was just right—and the rest is history!