We’re getting married!

Sarah and Jon first met at a high school dance when she was a sophomore and he was a junior. With Jon’s expert rhythm, they danced the night away and started talking immediately after. After dating for a few months, Jon ended up getting friend-zoned. But he was determined... Before Jon went off to college, his family took a trip to Hawaii. Coincidentally, so did Sarah’s... to the same island... in the same strip of hotels... for the same number of days! Every single day of the trip, they spent time together and slowly began rekindling their romance. Jon was finally winning back the girl of his dreams (cheesy, yes, but he's the one that said it!), but as timing would have it, it seemed too little too late - he was leaving for school! Jon was having fun living his college life, but would usually see Sarah when he came home. Luckily for Sarah, he quickly realized that the girls at Irvine did not compare to his high school sweetheart and he began making increasingly frequent trips back just to see her. The distance was no match for them! Jon had wooed Sarah again, but this time for good :) In December of 2010, just a few months into their first year apart, they became official. Through many years of laughs, love, and long distance, the rest is history!

On one of their last weekends before Jon and Sarah moved out of their Los Angeles apartment, Jon insisted that they go home to spend time with their families. It took a bit of convincing, but they went home and went to brunch with Jon’s family. The day seemed totally normal. Jon recommended a walk on the beach before they went to dinner with Sarah’s family - again, something they had done many times in the past. However, when they got there, there was a beautiful line of red balloons blowing in the wind (coincidentally matching Sarah’s red dress) down the path to the ocean as the sun was setting. On their way down to the beach, they ran in to Sarah’s brothers, Cole and Jackson. Jackson had found a nail on the ground and recommended that Sarah start popping the balloons with the nail. Sarah's motherly instincts took over and she quickly told Jackson to throw away the nail; however, with some coercing from Jon, she eventually obliged. With Jon by her side, Sarah walked down the path to the beach and proceeded to pop ten balloons. Inside each balloon was a handwritten note that highlighted a different reason why he loved her. Each note had things special to both of them, and around note 3 Sarah had realized what was going on (especially with Sarah’s mom in the distance with her camera glued to her face). When they got to the beach, Jon's and Sarah’s families were waiting with the final white balloon in a box. Sarah shook (and finally succumbed to tears) as she read the final note: “I love you and can say with absolute certainty that I want to spend the rest of my life with you. Will you marry me?” And of course, she said yes! The families celebrated with champagne on the beach at sunset, followed by a wine and cheese spread at their families' favorite wine bar afterwards. (Awkwardly, there was another newly engaged couple at the bar who thought that the decorations and balloons were for them!) It was the perfect proposal and the best surprise ever!