let's celebrate!

Sam and I met at a fraternity beach weekend function at the end of our freshman year at Clemson. Two hopeful strangers on a blind date…with other people. I was matched with one of Sam’s fraternity brothers, and Sam was matched with one of my sorority sisters. But by the end of the weekend, Sam and I had ditched our dates and were nearly inseparable. Our personalities clicked – we’re both silly, we love a good dance party, and we share a strong brand allegiance to Bud Light. Not to mention, Sam was the perfect gentleman. On the way home, Sam paid for my Bojangles combo meal AND his real date’s combo meal. What class. Then, Sam walked me upstairs to my dorm room, said goodbye, and I called my sister, Britt, as soon as the door closed: I met a guy. -Courtney Fast forward almost 7 years later. Courtney and I are living together in Washington, D.C. I’m ready to pop the question. I come up with a romantic proposal gesture: A Clemson football game, a rental house on Lake Keowee, both of our families in attendance. I explain the whole idea to our families, and Courtney’s mom replies: That’s really lovely, but I just don’t think Courtney can wait that long. I should mention that we’d been to 8 weddings in the past 4 months, and Courtney was more than ready to celebrate our own special love. So, instead, during an already-planned Paul family vacation, I got down on one knee on a cruise ship in the middle of the Caribbean Sea. It was perfect – she says she was even surprised. I can’t wait to see where the surprise takes us next. -Sam