It’s kind of silly actually, how obvious it was but how oblivious I was. I had just assumed he was just trying to make me feel pretty, getting me a dress and taking me to get professional photos done together. Lots of couples do that, right? Fast forward, we were in the middle of Inniswood Gardens flashing our smiles when the photographer told us we were gonna do some “prom poses”. She told him to stand behind me and I just remember facing the other way waiting for her to tell me what to do next, then out of the corner of my eye I saw him drop down behind me. “Oh,” I thought. “He’s tying his shoe.” I turned around, saw the ring and said, “Are you f***ing serious?” I said no, obviously. This is all just a meme. In all seriousness, it all felt so surreal. Afterwards, he treated me to the fanciest dinner of my life at the Refectory, never in a million years had I been treated like such a princess. I’ll always remember the smile on his face, the happiness in his eyes as I said yes. I will cherish this memory forever, and love him until death do us part. ~ Izza

I designed the ring, I had made the decision to make Izza an honest woman. I have always been one for excess and extravagance and if any situation called for it, this was it. I could have done a nice dinner, planned a simple yet subtle event but then where would the documentation be? Izza is one for memories, a serial nostalgic enthusiast. I had to find a way to document the occasion, her reaction and my ultimate moment of success or failure. So much consideration was put into my planning. She is the woman I love, she deserves her fairytale and I wanted to make this a day that marked an indelible point in our lives. Life as we knew it would end and the life together we would hopefully share would begin. I knew I had to have the moment photographed and I did not want to entrust it to an amateur, nor did I want to raise suspicion in Izza. I wanted her to feel pretty, give her an occasion to wear a beautiful dress and feel special. I hired a professional photographer, Jessica Kranz, and chose Inniswood Gardens in Westerville as a setting. Izza and I had been dating for 2 years up to that point. I told her I wanted to have a professional photoshoot done together and I was banking on her being so ecstatic about a situation that was beyond her expectations as it was, than to suspect an ulterior motive. I rehearsed days before with the photographer, chose the perfect spot on the bridge and practiced my bending of knee. I could not leave it at this, I had to go further, close the night off with a celebration to be unforgettable and worthy of remarking the huge decision we would both be making earlier that day. So I made reservations at The Refectory. I take Izza shopping and help her pick out a dress, a style of garment I had never known her to wear. She was classic, elegant and breathtaking. I felt so overmatched but for the same reasons as to why I arrived at the conviction of making her my wife, I found reassurance that this woman, beyond all doubt, adored me for me, no matter what. The day comes. She is blissful and thankfully unaware. The day is beautiful and clear. We begin our pictures and make our way to the waterfall bridge where the scene is set. My heart is racing and I feel stupid. I feel so plastic while she is ever more real. I've never felt so transcendent and existentially aware of what I was about to do. So alien in a moment I had planned meticulously over the months to come because I never thought I would have someone in my life that I would trust and adore and want so much for as much as Izza. The prom pose was suggested and all non reality was out of my mind and I had never felt more sure and deliberate. I got down on one knee. Izza, in unpredictable Izza fashion, did a half turn to see me then snapped back forward. I was like… uh oh, what do? I said Izza, turn around. She turns around and sees the diamond ring I designed with her slender, delicate fingers especially in mind and her eyes widened. I said, “Izza, will you marry me?” She drops to her knees as well and says “Are you f*#cking serious??” I was trying not to laugh because she had taken me so aback by how Izza-esque this moment was and how this is exactly why I love her that I lovingly said, of course I'm serious. She said yes and wrapped her arms around my neck after I placed the ring on her finger. We had a phenomenal dinner, tucked away in a very intimate and candlelit corner of this legendary restaurant and began our journey as one, together into the unforeseen and infinitely more promising future.