we're getting married!

Jake had just accepted a job offer in Southern Maine and had plans to celebrate a friend’s birthday and the new job with a night out in Portsmouth, NH. Jake reached out to an old college friend, who at the time lived in Portsmouth, to let her know he would be in town that night. Meanwhile, Shelby was asked by her new neighbor and friend if she had any interest in going out for drinks to celebrate some complete stranger getting a new job. When she heard “engineer” she thought to herself, ‘free drinks, why not’. The night started with Jake and Shelby both on their own path; Jake singing and dancing to live music at Ri Ra’s and Shelby standing in a corner of TJ’s. After a couple beverages Jake had found his way over to TJ’s where his old college friend, and Shelby’s new neighbor, introduced the future newlyweds. It started with casual conversation and ended with a goodbye, but not before Shelby asked Jake for his phone, where she left her number. Casual conversation continued through texting and two weeks later the two met halfway for their first official date.

Jake had purchased the ring. He had intentions to plan a birthday weekend in May and a surprise proposal for Shelby. The plan was to do it with all their friends and family, but because of COVID, plans were going to have to change. After three different ring hiding spots and one near find, Jake knew he better get to planning. Luckily, Shelby proposed the idea of visiting her family for Memorial Day weekend since it had been six months since they had been to the Green Mountain State. BINGO. Shelby & Jake headed to Vermont, unbeknownst to Shelby that when they returned they would be more than girlfriend and boyfriend. Jake himself did not know how it would all go down, but he knew he wanted Shelby’s entire family to be there. After many secret early morning meetings with his future mother-in-law, and very difficult to come by conversations with his future father-in-law, a plan was in place. On the morning of May 23rd, Jake managed to drag a very resistant Shelby to do “errands” for the family BBQ that day. While Jake was casually trying to hide a ring box in his pocket throughout Aubuchon and Hannaford, the Lawson side of the family was making their way to their hiding spot. Upon the couple's return, Jake convinced Shelby to help put away groceries, while the family came out of hiding. After Jake fought a mini blackout, they made their way outside where Shelby was shocked to see her entire family, followed by Jake down on one knee.