When I decided to propose to Sam, it was imperative to be sly. She is smart and catches on easily. After thinking on it for some time, and with a pending 30th birthday on the horizon, I thought what better cover to avoid suspicion. We rented an airbnb on Folly beach, this beach is very special to Sam and I as it's a place I've spent many summers around growing up, and where we spent a lot of time early on in our relationship. I wish I could admit it's the place I fell in love with her, but that was admittedly the first night I laid eyes on her in Arlington, Virginia. As the deadline to my party grew closer, I had a list of things I needed to accomplish to pull off this surprise. First was asking for her father’s permission for Sam's hand in marriage. Once David gave me this honor, I wanted to let her closest friends Rachel, Michelle, and Anne know. I knew I needed their permission as well, and they would later become a pivotal piece in this surprise. I let her sisters know and started working up a plan. Friday would be a fun day spent with my friends hanging out at the local bars. The next day was to be spent at the beach. Surfing, laughing, and enjoying the sun. The night would be rounded off by a cookout at the airbnb and just taking it easy. Once we got back to the house, I asked Sam if she'd like to go on a walk with me to escape the chaos of my friends for a moment. I started playing her favorite band, Caamp, and we started a walk on the beach. As we were walking I told Sam how much she meant to me. How I'd struggled with a homesick feeling my entire life, but that feeling was washed away every moment I was with her. I told her how on the countless drives back from Charleston to Alexandria I'd spend it hoping she was missing me as much as I missed her. How I'd look forward to the next sick day or weekend I had off so I could drive 16 hours total to spend only 48 with her. I told her how I've never felt the way I've feel about her, and how I went home from our first date and told a friend that I would be marrying her. I led her to a surprise picnic her wonderful friends Rachel and Mike setup. My brother, Austin was lying in wait with a camera to capture her reaction. I dropped to one knee and asked her if she would spend the rest of her life with me. Overcome with happiness and excitement at the yes I received, we sat down at our picnic to enjoy a glass of champagne. I never wanted that moment to end, but there was more to the surprise. On the short walk back home, we encountered an entire family with matching shirts who cheered for us and hugged Sam. I led Sam up the stairs and into the house where she was overtaken with surprise as her sisters Sydney and Kirsten, her father David, and many more of my family and our friends waited to congratulate us. We spent the night laughing and hugging and enjoying the company of so many close to us.